How to go the whole day NOT washing hands...?

btMOMtoFFBs

Wed, Jul 29 2009, 8:31 pm

This always trips me up on YK and TbA. How does a person not wash their hands? Between helping my 4 yo DD in the bathroom and just wanting to clean my hands to prepare the kids' meals, how can I NOT wash my hands?

I do wear gloves when I wash up the dishes... that helps.

How do you all handle the restriction on washing hands on Tisha B'Av?

Mannys613

Wed, Jul 29 2009, 8:52 pm

You can double check, but I'm pretty sure you are allowed to wash your hands in order to prepare a meal. Also, you can wash your hands for "medical reasons", dont know if that includes washing your hands after helping your kids in the bathroom.

beilariva

Thu, Jul 30 2009, 2:12 am

Mannys613 wrote:

Maybe this is a sfaradi rule but I MUST wash hands if they are soiled after cleaning up the kids, diapers aso. Otherwise it is allowed to wash them below the knuckles.

freidasima

Thu, Jul 30 2009, 4:01 am

Belariva as far as I learned it's across the board.
If your hands are soiled you MUST wash them with soap and water.
If there is a medical issue you MUST wash them with soap and water.
The issue is not to wash for comfort or pleasure, but not for other reasons.
You wash after you wipe yourself, you wash after changing a child's diaper, you wash if you get your hands dirty for something.

I had to be at the hospital early this morning to care for my mother and you can bet your bottom shekel that the minute I got home I scrubbed my hands and arms with hot water and soap because of what is going on with swine flu and the like in the hospital, even in the rehab wards where she is. The doctors are very makpid on this and on telling anyone dealing with the patients what they have to do.

In fact I have to be there at the end of the fast to help my mother into bed and I am NOT taking any food or drink there to break the fast even though it means that I will have to fast an extra hour until I get her into bed and come home, just because I can't really find a clean place there to wash up where I won't have to touch anyone or anything afterwards.

Temilia

Thu, Jul 30 2009, 4:13 am

I am with FS on this one.
You are (as far I learned) permitted to wash your hands in following situations:
a. if they are soiled.. that would include after the bathroom, changing a diaper, etc...
b. in order to prepare food.

beilariva

Thu, Jul 30 2009, 4:58 am

freidasima wrote:

I had to be at the hospital early this morning to care for my mother and you can bet your bottom shekel that the minute I got home I scrubbed my hands and arms with hot water and soap because of what is going on with swine flu and the like in the hospital, even in the rehab wards where she is. The doctors are very makpid on this and on telling anyone dealing with the patients what they have to do.

In fact I have to be there at the end of the fast to help my mother into bed and I am NOT taking any food or drink there to break the fast even though it means that I will have to fast an extra hour until I get her into bed and come home, just because I can't really find a clean place there to wash up where I won't have to touch anyone or anything afterwards.

Remember to change your clothes as well! You can't be too careful with this!!!

btMOMtoFFBs

Thu, Jul 30 2009, 7:19 am

Thanks for your responses, kind imamothers.

I guess I did know I can wash my hands in those circumstances, but since I'm helping with bathroom trips and making them food/snacks a lot, it is just like a regular day of washing my hands pretty frequently. Seems like I'm just missing out on this one restriction of the day. Just feels like its not in the spirit of the day somehow.

BTW, FS, I'm glad to hear you can wash up so thoroughly after returning from the hospital, even on 9 Av.

ss321

Thu, Jul 30 2009, 7:54 am

freidasima wrote:

basically what I was gonna say.
lots of frum people here. no one not washing their hands. its a safety issue. the issur on tisha b'av is different than the issur on YK in many ways.
do I put lotion on? not even the foul smelling purell "moisturizer" I keep in my bag! but I have washed my hands 5 or 6 times this morning, thoroughly, and you can bet your bottom dollar on the fact that I will continue doing so for my safety and the safety of those around me!
you cant put on lotion, and if you dont need to run your hands under nice warm water with rose fragranced soap, you shouldn't. but washing your hands after defecating....please please don't gross me out here.

freidasima

Thu, Jul 30 2009, 8:09 am

Clothing - I wear the same things to the hospital every day for the past nine days obviously, and I have the habit of taking off my clothes as soon as I walk in the door (literally) and putting them into a bag (plastic) in our bedroom on the floor. At home I wear totally different things than hospital clothing and can't wait to boil them out later tonight when the fast is over.

As for rose smelling liquid soap, I'm laughing, that's exactly what my disinfectant soap smells like and let me tell you, it's hard not to enjoy it.
but I'm no example, for over a year I had no sense of smell at all and then with a new nasal medication my swelling went down and it came back. Let me tell you, even garbage smells like roses when all of a sudden after more than a year you can finally smell.
My husbands bad breath on a fast day smells good to me even.
You don't know how to appreciate something until you don't have it for a while. Hashem was good to me giving it back, and so I feel like making a brocho every morning on besomim, just for the heck of it and being able to smell.

sped

Thu, Jul 30 2009, 2:23 pm

freidasima wrote:

but I'm no example, for over a year I had no sense of smell at all and then with a new nasal medication my swelling went down and it came back. Let me tell you, even garbage smells like roses when all of a sudden after more than a year you can finally smell.
My husbands bad breath on a fast day smells good to me even.
You don't know how to appreciate something until you don't have it for a while. Hashem was good to me giving it back, and so I feel like making a brocho every morning on besomim, just for the heck of it and being able to smell.

You put that so nicely. Thanks fo rhelping me to appreciate something else!

beilariva

Mon, Aug 03 2009, 1:48 pm

freidasima wrote:

Very wise of you! May Hashem keep you healthy always!