Torah Reading, Checking Tzitzit, Washing with a Revi’it
Question
1. Sitting during the blessings over the Torah and “Barechu” before and after the Torah reading
Is this permitted, or is it necessary to stand? This seems to be implied by the words of the Mishnah Berurah. And if so, is it specifically necessary to stand fully, or is it possible to do as many people do for “Barechu”: rise slightly and then sit back down?
2. Checking the place of the knot before the blessing on tzitzit — what does the Mishnah Berurah mean by this?
3. When the Mishnah Berurah writes many times in the laws of washing hands that one is entitled to, or must, wash each hand with a revi’it, does he mean a total of one revi’it for each hand over the two times one pours water on the hand, or a revi’it for each pouring, for a total of two revi’it for each hand?
Is this permitted, or is it necessary to stand? This seems to be implied by the words of the Mishnah Berurah. And if so, is it specifically necessary to stand fully, or is it possible to do as many people do for “Barechu”: rise slightly and then sit back down?
2. Checking the place of the knot before the blessing on tzitzit — what does the Mishnah Berurah mean by this?
3. When the Mishnah Berurah writes many times in the laws of washing hands that one is entitled to, or must, wash each hand with a revi’it, does he mean a total of one revi’it for each hand over the two times one pours water on the hand, or a revi’it for each pouring, for a total of two revi’it for each hand?
Answer
Shalom u’vrachah
1. One must actually stand.
2. To check that the strings have not torn near the point where they are attached to the garment.
3. Washing is effective even with one revi’it for both hands together. However, what he wrote many times — that when one washes with a revi’it, the water on his hands is pure — applies only when he washed with a revi’it on each hand, or when he washes both hands together with one revi’it at the same time.
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