Hello,
Q. In question # 461, the Rav discussed washing of the hands after having a blood test done. In that discussion it came out that:
..."Following this reasoning we may require the surgeon to wash hands after an operation, since that is a healing procedure. The fact that the surgeon wears gloves may be of no consequence, as a sleeping person wearing gloves also washes when he awakens. (ibid.)"
1. Does this mean that a dentist must wash his hands after ANY dental procedure where bleeding is involved (eg. a dental cleaning, giving an injection in order to do a filling, etc).
2. A dentist will wash generally wash his/her hands with soap and water from a water tap or use hand sanitizer after each patient for hygienic reasons, but from a halachic standpoint, would rubbing the hands with sanitizer or washing (with water) without a vessel (kli) be acceptable?
3. If a Kli is needed, is there any benefit to washing 3 times on each hand in this case, or is once each hand truly enough?
Thank you so much
A. As mentioned in question #461, Nishmas Avrohom (4: 4) quotes Horav S. Z. Auerbach's Zt"l decision that after extracting blood for an analysis or even when donating blood, no hand washing is required. The reason given is that this washing requisite is of "segulaty" origin or of spiritual nature and not a medical need. As such we should limit it only to its original provision and that is when the blood was drawn as a healing practice. We do not require it when the blood extraction was done for any other reason such as testing or for helping others by donating blood. That is the opinion of many Poskim as mentioned in Piskei Teshuvos (4: 27). Although some are doubtful or do require netilas yadaim, (Sha'arey Aharon 4: 19, Leket Hakemach), the common practice is that we do not. Similarly mohalim don’t wash their hands three times with a vessel after every bris milah or for that matter people who cut themselves accidentally, squeeze out a boil, or extract a splinter.
Horav Shlomo Miller's Shlit'a opinion, as mentioned there, is similar to the Minchas Shlomo, namely that washing of hands is only required when the bloodletting is in itself a healing procedure, (e.g. relieving blood pressure) and is done with that intention. Any other medical procedure, including operations or dental work do not require netilas yodaim afterwards. (See following question.)
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit”a
Important Numbers
