Siman 181

The Rambam wrote at the end of the sixth chapter: Immediately following mayim acharonim is birkat hamazon, and one should not interrupt between them with any other thing; even to drink water after washing his hands with the latter waters is forbidden, until he recites birkat hamazon. Thus far his words. And with this wording wrote the Tur and the Shulchan Aruch in siman 179. And so wrote Rashi in Berakhot (42a), that immediately following the washing of the hands, meaning mayim acharonim, is the blessing, and he shall not eat anything until he blesses over his food. Thus far his words. And from all this it is implied that only to interrupt with eating and drinking is forbidden. But speech does not constitute an interruption (Keseph Mishneh, and Magen Avraham at the beginning of siman 179). And even according to the one who holds at the beginning of siman 166 that between the washing of the hands and "Hamotzi" it is forbidden to interrupt with speech, nevertheless, regarding mayim acharonim it is permitted. And the reason seems to me to be that an interruption of speech is only relevant in a place where there is a blessing, and one must juxtapose the blessing to the action. But regarding mayim acharonim there is no blessing. And regarding mayim rishonim the sages established not to interrupt between the blessing of "al netilat yadayim" and the blessing of "Hamotzi." But regarding mayim acharonim, how is an interruption of speech relevant? It is understandable that eating and drinking are forbidden, because the blessing of "Hamotzi" departs after the washing. But speech, why should it be forbidden? (And the Magen Avraham at the beginning of siman 179 disagreed with the Beit Yosef, see there. And according to what I have written, the words of the Beit Yosef are correct. And that which we do not speak over the cup of blessing in siman 183 is because of the honor of the cup, and not because of an interruption.)

Regarding mayim acharonim, the sages based it on a verse at the end of the chapter "Elu Devarim": "And you shall sanctify yourselves" – these are mayim rishonim; "and you shall be holy" – these are mayim acharonim, see there. And they were more stringent regarding mayim acharonim than regarding mayim rishonim: for in a camp they exempted from mayim rishonim but not from mayim acharonim, as it is brought at the end of the first chapter of Eruvin, see there. And we say in Chullin (105a): mayim rishonim are a mitzvah; mayim acharonim are an obligation; because there is Sodomite salt that blinds the eyes, and there is danger if one does not wash his hands. Therefore, because it is a danger, they did not institute a blessing (the Rambam).

Based on this, our teachers the authors of the Tosafot wrote, and the Tur cited them, that now we do not practice the custom of mayim acharonim because Sodomite salt is not common among us. The Rosh and the Tosafot of Rabbi Yitzchak already raised a difficulty at the end of the eighth chapter: how is it possible to say so? For if so, what relevance does holiness have to this, which we derive from "and you shall be holy"? Rather, certainly the reason of danger is an additional reason beyond the holiness of the mitzvah, and the holiness is to remove the filth from the hands which are filthy from eating, and filthy hands are disqualified for a berakhah. In the name of the Gaon they wrote that for the one reciting the berakhah, who must mention the Name, his washing is a mitzvah due to holiness. For the other diners, it is only due to danger, see there. (The Gra also, in subsection 12, took issue with the Tosafot, and wrote that regarding that which they said, "for what reason did they say mayim acharonim is an obligation," meaning: in addition to the mitzvah, as I have written. He ruled accordingly in practice, see there.)

But if so, why do we not recite a blessing as we do over mayim rishonim? Indeed, the opinion of the Ra'avad in the sixth chapter is that they require a blessing. He wrote this in the name of Shimush HaGeonim, that one must recite a blessing over the washing of hands. See there, where he distinguishes between when one ate something that contains filth, such as meat and fish and all moist things, in which case it requires a blessing, and when one ate dry things that contain no filth, and it does not require a blessing; see there. However, all of our teachers wrote plainly that mayim acharonim do not require a blessing. And it appears to my humble opinion that just as the blessing of "HaMotzi" covers all the foods in the meal, so too the blessing of "al netilat yadayim" covers all the washings in the meal. However, according to the approach of the Tosafot, a blessing is not relevant here at all, and so it is explained from the Rambam there, who wrote: And over mayim acharonim we do not recite a blessing, for they are only because of danger. Thus far his words. Behold, he holds like the approach of the Tosafot. And according to their words, one must say that that which our sages, of blessed memory, supported it from a verse—it is only a mere allusion, because there is nothing that is not alluded to in the Torah. And proof for this: for he expounds there "for [I am] holy"—this is the oil with which they would smear the hands after mayim acharonim (Rashi). And this is certainly not an obligation, and this enactment did not spread; rather, it is as we have said. This is the wording of the Tur: And the Tosafot wrote..., and since we do not do as the verse says "for I am holy"—this is pleasant oil, also regarding the washing they did not practice it. And for us, hands are not called filthy, since we are not accustomed to wash, and we are not fastidious about it. However, if there is a person who is an istanis, and is accustomed to wash his hands after the meal—for him they are filthy hands, and he must wash before birkat hamazon. But he shall not recite a blessing over them at all. Thus far his words. And our teacher, the Beit Yosef, also wrote with this wording in section 10, see there. And such a man who is an istanis, even if he wants to recite a blessing over the wine and his hands are dirty—he must wipe them first (Magen Avraham, subsection 9).

And behold, now regarding the law of mayim acharonim, it is not only according to the approach of several of our teachers, that by the core of the law there is an obligation even in this time as we have explained. Rather, even according to the approach of the Tosafot that there is no obligation in this time, there is no doubt that they wrote this in order to find merit for that which they did not practice in their days. But even our teachers, the Tosafot, admit that it is necessary even in this time, for who is to say that Sodomite salt is not found even now? And it appears to me that salt from sea water—there is a concern of Sodomite salt in it. And that which they wrote, that now there is no Sodomite salt, is because in their lands they would eat from salt quarried in the mountains; and even now it is so there. But in our lands, many eat from sea salt, and there is a concern of Sodomite salt in this. And also in the Zohar "Pinchas" (page 246a) it warned regarding this, and all the kabbalists warned regarding this (Magen Avraham, subsection 10). And in a Responsum from Heaven to one of the early authorities, it is explained that anyone who is lenient regarding mayim acharonim—his sustenance is made light for him from Heaven. Therefore, one must be very careful in this, and thus all who fear Hashem practice. And every head of a household should warn the members of his household to be careful in this.

If he does not have water for both rishonim and acharonim—rishonim take precedence, since regarding acharonim there are those who are lenient, as has been explained. Nevertheless, on Shabbat during the second meal, if by washing mayim acharonim he will not have mayim rishonim for the third meal—he cancels the third meal and washes his hands now for acharonim, since he has already become obligated in it (Magen Avraham in the name of the Beit Yosef). And if he has a cup of blessing—they pour the cup, and afterwards they wash the hands with mayim acharonim (ibid.).

Mayim acharonim are not washed onto the ground, because an evil spirit rests upon them, but rather into a vessel. Nevertheless, one should not dip his hands into the vessel, but only pour from the vessel onto the hands as with mayim rishonim. Only with mayim emtza'iyim between milk and meat, or between fish and meat—it is permitted to dip his hands into the vessel for one who practices it, but not with rishonim and acharonim. And if he does not have a vessel—he should pour onto the floor, for only upon the ground does an evil spirit rest and not upon a floor. And if there is no floor in his house—he washes over thin wood and the like, so that there will be some separation between the water and the ground. And if even this cannot be obtained—he shall wash upon the ground in a place where it is not the way of people to walk there. And he may wash them under the table, which is not a place of walking (Magen Avraham). And one does not wash with hot water that the hand is scalded by, because they soften the hands and do not remove the filth. And the main thing is to wash with cold water (Magen Avraham subsection 3 in the name of the Rashal). And one only needs to wash until the second joint of the fingers, for until there the dirt of the food reaches. And he must lower his fingertips downward, so that the filth descends. And one may wash mayim acharonim with all types of liquids, and likewise with water that is invalid for rishonim, such as if work was performed with them and they are not clean (ibid. subsection 7). And one does not recite a berakhah over mayim acharonim as has been explained. And they do not require drying. And the Rambam wrote that they require drying. And they wrote that only the one who recites the berakhah requires drying, for he dries and afterwards recites the berakhah. But all those reclining—do not require drying (Magen Avraham subsection 6 in the name of the Yam Shel Shlomo).

The Kol Bo wrote in the name of the Ra'avad: These are the matters of difference between mayim rishonim and mayim acharonim: Rishonim require a revi'it, and acharonim require enough to rinse the hands with them. Rishonim may only be poured from a vessel, and acharonim from anything. And human force is not required, and a chatzitzah does not invalidate them. And all water is valid for acharonim, even if work was performed with it, and even if it is very murky. And even if (so it must be said) a cow would not drink from it, and even the hot springs of Tiberias which are bitter. Rishonim may not be poured in halves, acharonim may be poured in halves. Regarding rishonim, if one rubbed against his body or a wall he requires another washing, but not regarding acharonim. Thus far his words. And all these matters are the halachah (Eliyah Rabbah, subsection 3). And know that I have seen that there are those who are meticulous that there should not be a revi'it in mayim acharonim, but specifically less than a revi'it. And I have not found this in any place. And several of the giants of the generation did not practice this, and they wash with a revi'it and more than a revi'it (and I heard some reason for this and it was not accepted by me).

The one who recites the blessing washes his hands first with mayim acharonim, for since they honor him with the blessing, they also honor him with the washing. To what does this apply? When there are up to five including the one who recites the blessing, for the sages estimated that during the time it takes for the four to wash, he will contemplate in his heart the four blessings of birkat hamazon so that he will not err in them. Therefore, when there are more than five, it is not the way of derech eretz that he should wash and wait until they all wash. Furthermore, initially it is not proper to pause for so long, for the blessing should immediately follow the washing. And even though we explained in section 1 that speech does not constitute an interruption, and certainly silence does not, nevertheless it is not proper to do so initially. Therefore, the others should begin to wash their hands. And they do not honor one another to wash first, for one does not show honor with soiled hands. Rather, they should wash in order according to how they are sitting around the table until it reaches five, and then the one who recites the blessing washes, and afterwards the four, for the reason that has been explained. And it is customary to say "By the rivers of Babylon" before mayim acharonim. And on Shabbat, Yom Tov, and Rosh Chodesh they say "A song of ascents, when [the Lord] returns...".