Siman 7

Our teachers, the authors of the Shulchan Aruch, wrote: Throughout the entire day when one relieves himself, whether for minor or major needs – he recites the blessing "Asher Yatzar" and not "Al Netilat Yadayim," even if he wishes to study or pray immediately. If his hands were soiled because he rubbed them – even so, he does not recite the blessing "Al Netilat Yadayim." Thus far their words. The explanation of their words is that they teach us two things: behold, regarding the blessing "Asher Yatzar," they teach us that we do not say it is only in the morning like all the morning blessings, for it does not explicitly mention the matter of relieving oneself, as I wrote at the beginning of the previous siman – they teach us that this is not so, for every time one relieves himself he is obligated to recite "Asher Yatzar." And also to exclude the opinion of one of the early authorities, which the Smag cited in positive commandment 27, that for minor needs one should not recite the blessing at all – they teach us that even for minor needs one is obligated to recite the blessing.

And the second point teaches us: for behold, the Ra'avad holds that one must also recite the blessing "al netilat yadayim" when he relieves himself (Responsa of the Ramban, siman 193, in his name). And his reasoning is: that since he is obligated to recite "asher yatzar," and it is forbidden for him to recite a blessing without netilat yadayim—therefore he recites a blessing over this. But many disagree with this, and there are those who wrote that for a bowel movement one requires the blessing "al netilat yadayim" (see Beit Yosef)—regarding this it teaches us that in any case one does not require the blessing "al netilat yadayim." And they wrote "even if he wants to study or pray immediately," to exclude the opinion of the Rosh that we cited in siman 4, that even for the Mincha prayer, if he relieved himself beforehand, he must recite "al netilat yadayim" and "asher yatzar"—regarding this it teaches us that it is not so, and only for Shacharit did they establish it, as I wrote there, and as I wrote in siman 233 that one does not require the blessing "al netilat yadayim" for Mincha. And they wrote "if his hands were soiled..." because there are those who distinguish between soiled and not soiled regarding the blessing (see Beit Yosef)—regarding this they say there is no distinction, for behold, for the Mincha and Maariv prayers one certainly must wash his hands and nevertheless we do not recite "al netilat yadayim," and here too it is so. For the general rule of the matter is that "al netilat yadayim" was established once a day at Shacharit only, if not at the time of a meal. (And in Artzot HaChayim he elaborated that the opinion of many poskim is that at Mincha, when he relieved himself beforehand—he should recite "al netilat yadayim," see there. And one should not instruct others so. If a certain great person wants to do so for himself—he may do so, but not as an instruction to others. And we have nothing but the words of the Shulchan Aruch. And the Pri Megadim was in doubt where another doubt regarding the blessing was added, such as if he wants to eat something whose dipping is in liquid after relieving himself, and to pray Mincha afterwards—whether he should recite the blessing? See there. And there is no doubt that he certainly should not recite the blessing. And so wrote the Artzot HaChayim.)

It has already been explained that after urinating or defecating—one washes his hands and recites the blessing "Asher Yatzar." And if he did not rub when urinating and did not wipe when defecating, in a manner where his hands are not soiled and they did not touch covered places—he does not need to wash his hands, but rather recites "Asher Yatzar" without washing. And if he rubbed with one hand—he washes that hand (Yoma 30a). Nevertheless, the common custom is to wash his hands in any case, and so wrote our teacher, the Beit Yosef, in section 2, and this is his wording: If one urinated and did not rub...—he does not need to wash his hands except for the sake of cleanliness or because of "prepare." Thus far his words. That is to say: since he relieved himself, in any event the cleanliness of a person requires washing hands in every case, or because of "prepare to meet your God, Israel," meaning: that the honor of Hashem also requires this. And even though later in siman 91 it will be explained that we are only concerned with "prepare" regarding prayer, that is regarding the "prepare" of a belt, where there is nothing repulsive. But cleanliness without washing hands is a repulsive thing, and "prepare" is relevant for all blessings as well. And know that there are those who require washing his hands three times upon exiting the beit hakise, and there are those who are meticulous to do so. But our teacher, the Beit Yosef, at the end of siman 4 did not rule accordingly, and as we explained there, see there (and so wrote the Magen Avraham).

Our teacher, the Beit Yosef, wrote in section 3: If one urinated, and diverted his mind from urinating, and afterward reconsidered and urinated another time – he must recite "Asher Yatzar" two times. Thus far his words, and his reasoning is: for he was already obligated by the first. And this is not similar to a meal where even if he diverted his mind from eating, and returned and ate, he only recites the blessing one time. For there it depends on his will, which is not the case with his bodily needs. And this is more similar to prayer, for if he forgot to pray – he prays the second prayer two times (Taz subsection 2). However, many and great authorities rejected this ruling from the halacha, and ruled that one should only recite the blessing one time, and such is the common custom (Bach, and Shelah, and Magen Avraham, and the Gra, and Sha'agat Aryeh). And more than this: that if he forgot to recite "Asher Yatzar" and remembered, and at that moment he felt a need for the orifices – he should not recite the blessing, but rather he should perform his needs and recite one blessing afterward for both of them (Sha'arei Teshuva). And one who takes a drug for a laxative and performed his needs, even though he knows that in some duration he will need his needs again, nevertheless he should recite the blessing each time. But if it appears to him that immediately and instantly he will need it – he should wait with the blessing until the completion of the cleansing. And this matter depends on the understanding of the heart (see Sha'arei Teshuva).

There is no minimum measure for urination, and likewise for bowel movements. Even if a single drop exited from him – he is obligated to bless, for if, Heaven forbid, the orifice were blocked from emitting that drop – it would be difficult for him, and therefore he is obligated to bless. And if he has a doubt whether he blessed or not – he should not bless, for the rule of doubts regarding blessings is to be lenient. And if he urinated twice, and it is a doubt to him if he blessed – in this case it can be said that he should bless out of doubt, for even if he blessed once – perhaps we hold like our teacher, the Beit Yosef, that one must bless twice. And it is like a double doubt toward stringency. And there are those who hesitate even in this case, that he should not bless (Birkei Yosef). And one who ate something for which he is obligated to bless an after-blessing, and went to relieve himself – he should wash his eyes and bless "Asher Yatzar," and afterward bless the after-blessing (Maharshal siman 97). For "Asher Yatzar" is considered frequent, and the frequent takes precedence.