Halachos for Erev Shabbos Kodesh
1) One who does one of the following things after washing for Netilas Yadayim, even after already eating bread and being in the midst of the meal, must re-wash their hands with all the Halachic guidelines applicable to the initial washing:
* Touching a place on the body that is usually covered
* Touching a dirty or sweaty part of the body (or changing a baby's diaper)
* Scratching the head (when scalp is reached. Simply touching the hair though , or even scratching a beard is not a problem)
* Using the bathroom
* Falling asleep during the meal, even a short nap (See Mishna Berura 178:48)
2) If at the time that the new washing is required, there is bread in the mouth, it may not be swallowed before re-washing. (Mishna Berura 164:8. See Aruch HaShulchan 164:5 that this is only a Chumra and not M'Ikar D'Din)
Even if one does not plan on eating any more bread, as long as the meal is still going on, the hands must be re-washed. (Mishna Berura 170:7)
However, if one touched something dirty that isn't repulsive (e.g. dust, cement, soil) no re-washing is required. (Mishna Berura 164:4)
Halachos for Shabbos Kodesh
1) When re-washing the hands in middle of the meal, no Bracha is recited, unless one touched an extremely dirty place or used the bathroom. Some Poskim maintain that even in those cases no Bracha is recited. (See Mishna Berura 164:13 and Biur Halacha Dibur HaMaschil Lachzor that in those cases a new Bracha is recited. See Shulchan Aruch HaRav 164:2 and Kitzur Shulchan Aruch Siman 40:16 that a Bracha is never made on a re-washing because of Safek Bracha L'Vatalah. See Chazon ish Siman 25:9 who requires a Bracha even when touching covered areas)
2) One who eats bread and takes a "long break" without eating, must re-wash and make a Bracha in order to resume eating bread, as we assume that they have been "Masiach Da'as- interrupted their mind from the meal", and thus were not careful to keep the hands halachically clean.
What constitutes a "long break"? The Mishna Berura 170:9 writes that "an hour or two" is considered a long break. (Common at Sheva Brachos, weddings or other parties when there are often speeches or other activities for a long time after eating your last piece of bread.) Other Poskim maintain that as long as you are at the table talking etc., it isn't considered a break, even for many hours. (See Ketzos HaShulchan Siman 39:16)
If during the "break" you are holding a piece of bread in your hands, there is no need to wash, even if it was a long break as the bread in your hands is a sufficient reminder that you are in the middle of the meal and the hands need to remain clean. (Mishna Berura ibid. See also Chasam Sofer to Chulin 106 that if one is certain that his hands did not get unclean, he may continue to eat without rewashing, no matter how long the break was.)
Important Numbers
