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  • Netilat Yadayim - Hand Washing

handwashing

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Rabbi Daniel Kirsch

Kislev 29, 5782
Question
1. we assume that everyone who touched the food at least rinsed their hands in the morning before they touched the food. This weakens the ruach ra. ^what if they didnt? would we still be negatively affected by it anyway? if so, how do we cancel the negative effects of this/remove the ruach ra from the food/drinks? 2. some hold that the ruach ra doesnt exist at all in our days. ^really? why and how? who? I read that a spirit of impurity rests on everyone who is asleep (?) this is very scary/concerning to me and Im wondering how to make it so that that Doesnt happen? thanks best
Answer
1. Even if they didn't rinse their hands it is still fine because of the other reasons that we mentioned. You don't have to do anything about it to correct it. You probably wash the vegetables anyway when you get them (see Mishna Berura 4:14 and Harav Neventzal's comment there). 2. Harav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach heard that the Vilna Gaon felt that since the death of the Count Valentine Potozki by Kiddush Hashem, Reb Avraham ben Avraham, there is no longer an issue of 'ruach rah' today (see Harav Neventzal's comment on Mishsna Berura 1:2). See more opinions that hold that the ruach rah doesn't exist in our days in yebia omer. 3. There is no reason to worry at all. Like we said the ruach rah doesn't exist at the same level of impurity that it has in the past. All we must do is wash our hands three times in the morning and that's sufficient. Another thing is that the Gemara says that when we don't become afraid about something and don't consider it to be a danger, it actually becomes less of a problem (מאן דלא קפיד לא קפדינן בהדיה). Therefore, I suggest that you don't worry about this matter in any way. All the best!
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