2) A Jew who did not wash Negel Vasser, should not help wash the hands of another Jew. (This is common with older people in hospitals, nursing homes etc. where a non religious Jewish nurse may want to help them wash). However, the Jew with the unwashed hands may bring the water to the bedside of the other Jew.

 

*** Clarification: I have been inundated with emails (which I greatly appreciate) regarding the following Halacha which was in Monday’s email asking for clarification, so I did some more research about it, and will elaborate a bit here:

 

“All of the aforementioned Halachos only apply if one is ready to get up for the day. If one just got up to use the bathroom, deal with a baby or any other reason, and plans to go back to bed, he/she is not yet obligated to wash his/her hands, and thus isn’t subject yet to the Halachos preceding the washing.”

 

This Halacha, (which is brought in the Sefer Ishei Yisroel as well as in Sefer Piskei Teshuvos in the name of the Eishel AvrahamM’Butshash) is based on the Mishna Berurah Siman 1 Se’if Katan 2, which states as follows: “…K’Sheyisorer M’Shnaso V’Eino Rotzeh Lishon, Yitol Yadav- When he awakens, and doesn’t want to sleep anymore, he should wash his hands…” Many Poskim read this to mean very clearly that the Mishna Berura held as we stated in the above Halacha, that Negel Vasser isn’t required until one is ready to wake up for the day, and thus getting up with the intention of going back to bed, isn’t considered waking up yet. Other Poskim (The Shelah and others , based on the Zohar’s extreme stringency of all matters containing to Ruach Ra) maintain that even when planning to go back to bed, Negel Vasser is still required.

 

The consensus of the contemporary Poskim seems to be that if one merely gets up to use the restroom, quiet a baby etc. and is still ”half asleep” he/she can rely on the lenient opinions, and not wash Negel Vasser. (especially if by washing Negel Vasser, one will awaken further, and thus have a harder time falling asleep again, and subsequently waking up late for davening or find himself tired in Shul due to his being “awake” during the night, etc.) However, if one is “fully awake” (be it an insomniac in search of a midnight snack or any other reason) he should be stringent and wash Negel Vasser, even if he plans on returning to sleep for the rest of the night.

 

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