Ask the Rabbi

please help me in handwashing

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Rabbi Daniel Kirsch

Kislev 12, 5782
Question
thank you so much for helping all people around the world, may you be blessed to do more good deeds and bring more people to Tora when I go to have dinner. do I have to wash each hand three times, first right then left then again right then left, right then left, or just pour three times on right hand then 3 times on left? what about the fingers? do I have to wash it also after or not? What if I know there is bread but I won’t want to eat it because this is not healthy or I know there is no guarantee that bread there is made by jew. what should I do? What if I go to eat and I don’t know if there is bread there or not? visiting guests and I don’t know what food they give. In what cases do I have to wash with the blessing and in what cases can I wash without blessing. thank you
Answer
Shalom uvracha, It’s our pleasure, and we thank you and others who give us the opportunity to be of help. 1. We wash our hands before eating bread twice on the right hand, and then twice on the left hand (Mishna Berura, 162:1). Some follow the custom, according to the Ariza"l, to wash each hand three times. (see Kaf Hachaim, 162:2). 2. We wash the entire hand including the fingers. This extends hand until the wrist. (Shulchan Aruch 161:4). 3. We wash our hands even for a small piece of bread but we say a blessing only if we eat bread which is at least the size of an egg. (Mishna Berura (158:10). All the best!
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