Asher Yatzar and Netilas Yadayim Shavuos

Q. If one stayed up all night, should the brachos of Asher Yatzar and Netilas Yadayim be recited in the morning?

A. The Rama (OC 4:1) writes that the bracha of Asher Yatzar should be recited every morning, even if one does not use the bathroom. This is because every day upon waking we are like a new creation (because the neshama departs in some manner when we sleep), and this bracha gives thanks to Hashem for creating mankind and allowing us to serve Him. The Mishnah Berurah (4:3) points out that if one stayed awake all night, this bracha is not said, unless one actually uses the bathroom in the morning.

Regarding whether one should recite the bracha of Netilas Yadayim, the Mishnah Berurah (4:28) explains that this would depend on why we wash in the morning. The Rashba writes that we must wash every morning because every day we are like a new creation, and even if one stayed up all night, he must wash in the morning because of “lo plug”. (Lo plug means “we do not distinguish”, and the intent is that Chazal established uniform requirements even though the rationale does not apply in all situations. Of interest is that the principle of lo plug was applied to the bracha of Netilas Yadayim and not to Asher Yatzar, which was discussed in the first paragraph. See Mishna Berura Dirshu, Chapter 4, footnote 8.) However, the Rosh writes that the reason we wash our hands in the morning before we daven is because at night, we most likely touched unclean parts of our body while sleeping. According to the Rosh, if one remained awake all night, his hands would be clean and there would be no need to wash. Because of this doubt, one would wash without a bracha. However, if one used the bathroom before davening, then their hands would be unclean, and both brachos can be said.

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The Gerald & Karin Feldhamer OU Kosher Halacha Yomis is dedicated to the memory of Rav Yisroel Belsky, zt"l, who served as halachic consultant for OU Kosher for more than 28 years; many of the responses in Halacha Yomis are based on the rulings of Rabbi Belsky. Subscribe to the Halacha Yomis daily email here.