What is the correct way to wash for bread?

 

According to Chabad custom, the proper way to wash for bread is as follows:

Before washing, ensure your hands are clean and remove anything that may prevent water from reaching the skin (see more on some of the questions here which are related to our topic). Fill the washing cup with water.

If you are right-handed, first pick up the washing cup with your right hand, pass it to your left hand, and then pour water over your right hand three times in succession. After that, while using a hand towel or the like (see here), pour water over your left hand three times. (If you are left-handed, the process is reversed – see here). Make sure that with each pour, the water reaches the entire hand up to the wrist.

Leave a bit of water in the left hand (right hand if you are left-handed), begin the Bracha before rubbing your hands together (with the bit of water) at the level of the heart, followed by drying. See more here.

The Bracha is:

״…אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ עַל נְטִילַת יָדָיִם.״

From the time you wash until you recite Hamotzi and taste the bread, you should not speak about anything unrelated to the meal. See also here and here.

For many more details, see in the (Alter Rebbe’s) Shulchan Aruch from Siman 158 and on, in סדר נטילת ידים לסעודה in the Alter Rebbe’s Siddur, as well as on this page: https://asktherav.com/category/meal/netilas-yodayim-seudah

 

 

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