שולחן ערוך אורח חיים · סימן קנ״ח

English

When one comes to eat bread that we bless on it "HaMotzi" , one should wash their hands, even if one does not know that [your hands] have any impurity, one should bless: "al n'tilat yadayim" /"regarding washing of hands". But bread that we do not bless "HaMotzi" on it, for example, little rolls, (explanation: satorti in another language) , or bread that comes as dumplings (explanation: bread that is made with sugar, almonds, and nuts) , and one does not establish a meal with them, one does not need to wash their hands.

English

Some say that if one is only eating an amount that's less than [the equivalent of] an egg, wash your hands and don't say a blessing.

English

If one is only eating an amount that's less than [the equivalent of] an olive, some say that you don't need to wash [at all.]

English

If one eats something that was dipped in one of the 7 liquids (mnemonic "yad shachat dam") [that is: wine, honey, oil, milk, dew, blood, or water] and doesn't dry it off, even if his hands won't touch the wet place, he needs to wash without a blessing [even if only the tip of the fruit or vegetable was dipped he needs to wash without a blessing].

English

Someone who washes for fruit is a fool. Rama: specifically when he washes as if he is obligated to halachically, but he is allowed to wash for cleanliness. It seems from his words that roasted meat, even though it's juices are moist on it, have the law like fruits. Cooked grains that are dried are also considered like fruits.

English

One who is drinking does not need to wash even one hand.

English

Someone who washed his hands for something that was dipped in one of the 7 liquids and afterwards wants to eat bread: some say that the first washing doesn't help [to eat the bread]. All the more so if he just washed not for eating purposes and later decided to eat. Rama: If he didn't take his mind off [his hands since the first washing], he can wash without a blessing. If he touched a sweaty place on his body, he should wash again. See later simon 164 (that he'll have to wash with a blessing.)

English

One who is in a desert or dangerous place without water is exempt from washing his hands.

English

You have to be careful with washing your hands because anyone who disregards washing his hands should be excommunicated, he will also become impoverished and will be uprooted from the world.

English

Even though the minimum amount of water is a reviis [that is, a quarter lug. In other words: the volume of one and a half eggs], you should add more water, as Rav Hisda said "I washed a full hand of water and I was given a full hand of good [wealth].

English

Bless before washing, because every mitzvah you should bless before you do the mitzvah. But the custom is to bless after washing, because sometimes your hands aren't clean, so you bless after you clean your hands and before you do the second washing. Rama: You could even bless before drying your hands because the drying is also part of the mitzvah. If you forgot to bless until after drying, you can make the blessing then.

English

Dry your hands well before breaking bread, because one who ate without drying his hands is as if he ate contaminated bread.

English

One who dunks his hands [in a mikvah] can eat [bread] without drying [his hands]. Similarly, if he washed both hands at the same time with a reviis of water or if he washed each hand separately with a reviis on each hand[, he does not need to dry his hands].