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Silence After Washing Hands for Bread

Answered by Rabbi Daniel Fleksher

Question

Can you explain the origin of the custom not to speak between washing your hands and saying the blessing over the bread on the Sabbath?

Answer

Basically, our Sages ruled that people should not do anything at all distracting after washing hands for bread, lest they forget that they had just washed and touch something which might again render their hands ritually unclean.

If you have any specific questions, please do not hesitate to be in touch.

Follow-up question

Is it also true that we should be silent after any blessing until the act we are blessing is complete? Like after “Borei pri ha gafen” (the blessing over wine), sometimes it takes awhile for the wine to get to you, (depending on your host’s kiddush techniques). Is it OK to talk between saying Amen and taking a sip?

Whether one is making a blessing himself or listening to be included with someone’s blessing (as is often the case with Kiddush), there should be no interruption between the blessing and the action. Furthermore, if one did speak between the blessing and the action, he or she would be required to make a new blessing.

R’ Daniel Fleksher