Siman 165

One who relieved himself, whether small or large, and wishes to eat—they asked Rashi if he must wash two times, and he replied that he asked our teacher, Yaakov ben Yakar, and he said that he must wash two washings: the first for "Asher Yatzar" and the second for "Al Netilat Yadayim," but I am of the opinion that one washing suffices for both. Thus far his words. And the reasoning of our teacher, Yaakov, is because of the blessings, for if he blesses "Al Netilat Yadayim" first and afterward "Asher Yatzar," there would be an interruption between the washing and "Hamotzi." And if he blesses "Asher Yatzar" first and afterward "Al Netilat Yadayim," there would be an interruption between the washing and the blessing of "Al Netilat Yadayim." And Rashi is of the opinion that it is not an interruption, for since he requires both blessings, the concept of interruption does not apply, just as in Yaknehaz, where one interrupts between the blessing over the wine and the drinking and it is not an interruption, so too with these blessings, and he may prioritize whichever he wishes. And regarding two washings, his mind was not at ease with it, for after his hands are already clean, how can he wash and bless "Al Netilat Yadayim," and this is close to a blessing in vain. And there are those who wrote that for the first he should not wash according to the law of washing, or that he should touch a filthy place in the meantime (Magen Avraham, subsection 2), and the Tur and the Shulchan Aruch wrote that if he does not wish to wash but once, after he has poured once upon his hands and rubs them, he should bless "Asher Yatzar," and afterward at the time of drying he should bless "Al Netilat Yadayim."

And behold, regarding these two washings there are many complications and resolutions, as the commentators have elaborated regarding the arrangements that have been explained, and not everyone is expert in this. The more correct path is like Rashi, of blessed memory, and it is more correct to prioritize the blessing of "al netilat yadayim" before "asher yatzar," and "asher yatzar" is not an interruption between netilat yadayim and "hamotzi," for it is no worse than "fodder for the oxen" which is not an interruption. And behold, it is certainly so that if one needs to relieve himself in the middle of the meal, he blesses first "al netilat yadayim" and afterward "asher yatzar," for there is no "hamotzi" there (ibid. subsection 1). And behold, regarding the blessing of "asher yatzar" itself, there is one who holds that he should first bless "al netilat yadayim" beforehand, as the Tur wrote in siman 7; if so, what concern is there if we do so, and thus we are accustomed to practice. Especially since it is a very common matter, because there are those who warned to check oneself before eating (Shelah and Seder HaYom and Eliyah Rabbah), and therefore one who does so shall walk his path securely, and all the more so since Rashi ruled accordingly. However, if he needed to recite an after-blessing such as "borei nefashot" or the "three-faceted blessing" and he went to relieve himself, when he washes his hands he should first bless "asher yatzar" and afterward the after-blessing, for "asher yatzar" is considered more frequent relative to it, and it also has no fixed measure (Magen Avraham subsection 3). And certainly if he went to relieve himself before Birkat HaMazon, he blesses first "asher yatzar" and afterward blesses Birkat HaMazon.

And if many are reclining at a meal—the greatest washes his hands first. As it was taught in a Baraita: "Regarding mayim rishonim, one begins with the greatest" (Berakhot 46b), and it asks: "Shall the greatest sit and guard his hands until all of them have washed?" and it answers: "They immediately bring the table before him and he eats." And according to this, it appears that if the greatest must wait for 'Hamotzi' until all have washed, such as on Shabbat when the lechem mishneh is only before the master of the house, where he must wait until all have washed so that they may fulfill their obligation with the lechem mishneh, it is not the way of proper conduct that the greatest should wait for everyone; therefore, in truth, the Rosh would wash his hands last, as the Tur wrote in siman 166 and our teacher, the Beit Yosef, in this siman (and what was written regarding not interrupting, etc., is not applicable here, and examine this carefully). And there is one who disagrees with the Rosh and holds that even now one begins with the greatest, and so it is implied from the Rambam in chapter 7 of Berakhot who wrote this law (Maharshal), because the anonymous voice of the Shas says so there even after the answer we wrote; learn from this that in any case the greatest must wash first even though he must sit and wait (Bach), and such is the custom now, that the greatest washes his hands first.

It is further stated there: "What is the order of reclining: When there are two couches (for their seating was upon the couch), the greatest reclines at the head and the second to him is below him; if there were three: the greatest reclines at the head, the second to him is above him, and the third to him is below him." And we maintain in Bava Batra (57b): "What is the table of a talmid chacham like: two-thirds covered and one-third revealed," upon which are bowls and cups. And this is its explanation: two-thirds of the table on the side of those eating is covered with a cloth to wipe their mouths and to place the bread and the foods, and the outer third is revealed to place upon it bowls and cups, see there. And it explains there on which side the ring of the table should be, but on our tables there are no rings and there is no need to explain this. And we further say there: "What is the bed of a talmid chacham like: anything under which there is nothing but sandals in the summer months and shoes in the rainy months, but that of an am ha'aretz is similar to a cluttered storehouse," for he keeps everything under the bed, and one should not do so, for food and drink that are under the bed an evil spirit rests upon them (Pesachim 112a), and this was explained in Yoreh Deah siman 116, see there.