Netilas Yadayim - After the Bathroom

QUESTION: If one used the bathroom and then wants to begin a meal with bread, how should he wash netilas yadayim, and when does he recite Asher Yatzar?

ANSWER: The issue here is that if he washes his hands with a cup, his washing will be effective for bread as well. If he recites asher yatzar first, that will act as a hefsek (disruption) between the washing and the beracha of “al netilas yadayim”. If he recites “al netilas yadayim” and then asher yatzar, then the asher yatzar may act as a hefsek (disruption) between the washing and the Hamotzi. The best practice is not to wash with a cup. He can wash his hands under the faucet, recite asher yatzar and then wash again with a cup, and recite al netilas yadayim. Mishnah Berurah writes that if one did wash with a cup, he should recite “al netilas yadayim” and afterwards asher yatzar. Bidi’eved, we do not view asher yatzar as a hefsek. Mishnah Berurah writes that it is not appropriate to push off asher yatzar until after Hamotzi, since the obligation to recite asher yatzar begins immediately after he washes his hands. However, Yalkut Yosef (OC 165:1) cites poskim that if one is confident that he will not forget to recite asher yatzar, he could recite it after he eats a kezayis of bread.

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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.