Washing Hands Before Eating Bread

Washing your hands before eating bread is a very accessible practice that was instituted to remember the Temple. Before eating bread (one made of dough using flour from five mainstay grains: wheat, barley, spelt, rye, or oat), fill a handled cup with water and pour some water three times over your right hand and three times over your left hand. Then make the blessing—“Baruch Atah A-donai, Elo-heinu Melech Ha’olam, asher kideshanu bemitzvotav vetzivanu al netilat yada’im"—dry your hands, and enjoy your meal!

SOURCES & FURTHER READING:

• Chassam Sofer on Sukkah 41a
• Levush Hatecheiles, Siman 158:1
• Shulchan Aruch Horav, Orach Chaim, Siman 158:1
• Lekutei Sichos Vol. 34, Pg. 203