Washing Hands in the Morning and Before Prayer
Question
Shalom, in another account I asked today about the opinion of Maran, in Siman 4: what is the difference between Netilas Shacharis and the Netilas Yadayim for davening, and why Maran mentions a beracha only when washing before tefillah.
I understood the Rav’s answer, but I’m still not completely sure what he meant. When he said that Maran combines the two washings, and that according to Maran one does not make a beracha after the first washing because he will be going into the bathroom or something similar, what exactly does that mean?
Is the Rav saying that, according to Maran, a person should wash his hands right when he wakes up in the morning (Netilas Shacharis) but without a beracha, then go to the bathroom, take care of his needs, and afterwards wash again, and only then recite Asher Yatzar and Al Netilas Yadayim? And that this second washing is what Maran refers to as “Netilas Tefillah”?
Answer
Shalom,
You understood well.
The Halacha as you wrote it is correct.
