Q. What is the halacha with regards to N'telas Y'datyim, when one wakes up and for bread with regards to removing the rings? I've heard many people do different things?
Also at what age should a parent insist that their child start washing negel Va'ser? food touched by a child that did not was his hand at what age does it become 'tomei'
Thanks
A. 1) Shulchan Oruch (OCH 161-3), dictates the removal of a ring prior to netilas yadaim for eating bread even when the ring fits loosely, if you are cautious to remove it during work, as a woman would do, when kneading bread. Mishna Berura (ibid. 19), indicates that men that do not remove their rings at work do not have to take them off for netilas yadaim, (unless they have an appended precious stone, that would induce their removal in order to protect it). Rav Ben-Tzion Aba-Shaul (Ohr Letzion 11-6), writes that nowadays, when women don’t remove their rings for kneading, (as they may use a mixer or kneading machine), they can keep them on for netilas yodaim. However the Kaf Hachaim (ibid. 37), maintains that this leniency applies only when the rings are never removed. Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit’a, has a similar opinion, and when in doubt they should be removed.
Horav Chaim Kanievsky Shlit”a rules (Daas Noteh Teshuva 251, f.n. 249) that the requirements for washing in the morning are less stringent than washing for a meal, and therefore you need not remove a loose-fitting ring which allows the water to come in contact with the finger.
Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit”a however maintains that the above applies only if you don’t make a brocho for netilas yodaim in the morning, as it may be the case with some women.
A. 2) Shulchan Oruch Horav (4-2), writes that the common practice to be lenient with netilas yodaim in the morning (neigl-vaser) for minors not yet bar-bas-mitzva, stems from the reason for this netila, and that is the removal of the spirit of tumah that descends during night time or sleep, when the neshama partially departs. As the full entry of the neshama occurs only after bar-mitzva, the resulting tumah is also less.
However, Pri Megodim (OCH. 4-7), disagrees and advices to be stringent at least from the time of chinuch (when a child understands and can already be instructed to do netila). Chida’s opinion (More Beetzva 2-60) , is similar and is mainly directed to protect the foods that may be touched by the child, from contracting ruach hatumah. Horav Menashe Klein Shlit“a (Mishne Halochos 7-1) advices, if possible, to do netila at least from the time of chinuch (“and who ever does so will be declared holy”), but in case of need, when food has already been touched, we can certainly rely on the lenient opinions (see also Eishel Avrohom ibid. 3, and Lechem Mishne, Shbisas 3-2 in regards to ruach hatuma in our time).
Rabbi Abraham Bartfeld as advised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit”a
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