Ra tzah

In preparation for eating bread, we ritually wash our hands. Washing our hands before eating bread is described in the Talmud. It relates to the priests in the Temple ritually washing their hands. It takes even one of the most basic, mundane actions we do as humans and turns it into something holy.

Using a cup, pour water over each hand (either at the sink or into a bowl at the table), and recite the blessing below. Traditionally, we don’t talk between hand washing and ha-motzi in order to create a clear connection between the two rituals.

טִ ילַ ת יָדַ ִים ְ צִ וָ ּנּו עַ ל נ ְ ֹותָ יו ו ְ ּמִ צ ְ ּשָ ׁנּו ב ְ ׁר קִ ד ֶ ש ֲ ְך הָ עֹולָ ם א ֶ ל ֶ ֹלהֵ ינּו מ ֱ בָ ּרּוְך ַאתָ ּה ה‘ א Barukh ata Adonai, eloheinu melekh ha-olam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivvanu al n’tilat yadayim. Blessed are You Adonai, our God, ruler of the universe, who has sanctified us with Your commandments, and commanded us concerning the washing of the hands.