HALACHA OF THE WEEK: Washing Hands Before Eating Bread
Our Rabbis decreed that before eating bread a person must wash his/her hands. There are two reasons for this law. The first is practical, so that a person would become accustomed to washing hands before eating certain sacred foods (e.g. terumah and tithes). The second reason is more spiritual, to create a level of sanctity associated with cleaniness [Aruch haShulchan, Orech Chayim 158:1-2].
Is one required to remove rings before washing hands for a meal?
Since the Rabbis applied the law of "chatzitza" (any item that "blocks" the water from direct contact with the body) that governs one's immersion in a mikvah to the law of washing hands [Talmud Chullin 106b]. As a result, a ring may be forbidden to wear while washing - since the water cannot easily reach all parts of the finger if it is worn.
Of course, there are loose-fitting rings, but since it is hard to determine what rings are loose enough and which are not, generally all rings should be removed before washing [Orech Chayim 161:3]. However, if one who forgot to remove a loose ring and has already washed, one can be lenient and not wash hands a second time [Mishnah Berurah 161:18].
Interestingly, the rule that a ring is a "chatzitza" applies only to men or women who sometimes, even on rare occasions, remove their ring from their finger. This is because the occasional removal signifies that the person is sometimes particular about having the ring on his finger, rendering it a "chatzitza". However, if one NEVER takes off his ring, even when performing manual labor, that person may wash hands for a meal while wearing that ring [Mishnah Berurah 161:19; Aruch haShulchan Orech Chayim 161:6].
DVAR TORAH
Watching Moshe judge the Jews from morning to night, Yitro, Moshe's father-in-law, told him that if he continued to judge everyone, he would surely wear away-it is too difficult a task. Instead, Yitro suggested that Moshe appoint other judges to share the burden.
In advising Moshe to share judicial responsibility, Yitro insisted that lower courts handle less critical matters, and matters of greater magnitude would go to Moshe. "And it shall be," Yitro concluded, "that every major (gadol) matter they shall bring to you, but every minor (katan) matter they shall judge themselves." (Exodus 18:22)
Moshe listened to Yitro's advice with one deflection. Rather than dealing exclusively with major matters, Moshe told Yitro he would judge the most "difficult (kasheh)" cases. (Exodus 18:28).
The Chatam Sofer (Rabbi Moshe Sofer 1762–1839) notes that Yitro used the term "gadol" because he believed that Moshe should judge only the more important people. While the less important people, regardless of the complexity of the judicial issue, would automatically come before the lower courts.
Moshe rejected this division, insisting that he would deal with the complex questions, no matter where they come from, and the lower courts would handle the more straightforward questions, no matter their origin.
This teaches us the importance of every individual problem and that matter status of a person, his or her problem can be of great importance. Because the test of a community is not the way, it treats the most powerful. Instead, it is the way it treats the "little" people, those whose problems, on the surface, seem to be insignificant.
All of which suggests that as much as Yitro taught Moshe by proposing the division of judicial responsibilities between higher and lower courts, Moshe taught Yitro that even the lowly, even those who seem to be insignificant, are entitled to utmost consideration.
SEMICHAT CHAVER PROGRAM, Wednesday 8:15p
TALMUD CLASS – Shabbat, 45 minutes before mincha
