Last week, we listed some of the authorities who dispute the Mechaber and, like Rashi, maintain that one must always wipe one’s hands.
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After laying out all the above, Rabbi Goldstein offers his own view:
“From our discussion, we see that the Beit Yosef maintains…that the reason a person must wipe his hands is because of tum’ah. However, if a person immersed his hands or he poured a revi’it upon them all at once – there being no tum’ah in this instance – there is no need to wipe them. Accordingly, today, when we are more scrupulous to pour an abundant amount of water – even more than a revi’it – there is no tum’ah at all and therefore there is no need to wipe one’s hands.
“But according to the Levush who explains Rashi’s view, if a person washed his hands with the barest minimum of water possible, he needs to wipe his hands [since tum’ah remains on them], and allowing them to dry on their own does not suffice. Therefore, using a machine hand dryer also should not suffice. If, however, an abundant amount of water is used – and no tamei water therefore remains – the only issue is mi’us and letting one’s hands dry on their own is fine. Likewise, using a machine hand dryer should be fine.”
Interesting to note is the Shulchan Aruch HaRav (O.C. 158:k17), who posits that tum’ah is only possible if less than a revi’it is poured from the mayyim rishonim (the first pouring). In such an instance, one should really wipe one’s hands completely from that first pouring before the mayyim sheniyim (the second pouring). Letting one’s hands dry on their own is not sufficient. One must wipe them well.
In order to be exempt from such a drastic measure – i.e., drying one’s hands between the first and second pourings – one must be careful to fill the washing cup with a full revi’it each time. (It thus goes without saying that one must use a vessel that can hold a full revi’it of water). Due to force of habit, many people are lax in this regard. If they realized the importance of proper hand washing, they would surely be more careful.
(To be continued)