Translation:Shulchan Aruch/Orach Chaim/4
4: Laws of Washing the Hands.
1 When one washes his hands, he should recite the blessing "... regarding washing the hands."
Gloss: And some also say "He Who Formed...", even if he did not relieve himself, (and this is our practice) (Abudirham).
Water that is invalid to use for a meal below, Chapter 160, is permitted to use for washing one's hands for prayers. However, some say that one should not recite the blessing on this kind of water.
2 One should be careful to wash one's hands three times, in order to remove the foul spirit that rests upon them.
3 One should not put his hands in his mouth, ears, eyes, or nose before washing one's hands.
4
Even if one has washed his hands, he should never touch the orifice of his anus, because that could cause haemorrhoids. And one should refrain from touching a place where he has been bled, because that could damage the wound.
5
One should not touch a container of liquor, because the touch of a hand spoils the liquor.
6 A reviit is not necessary for hand-washing for prayer.
7 It is good to be particular regarding hand-washing prior to prayer on all things which are essential for hand-washing prior to eating. (Gloss: However, neither a vessel nor human force or any other things that invalidate hand-washing before eating are prerequisites. (Mordechai, beginning of Chapter Elu Devarim; Rashba's Responsa, Chapter 195)
8 Hand-washing in the morning should not be performed over the ground, but rather into a vessel.
9 Water which has been used for hand-washing before morning prayers should not be used afterwards for any other purpose. And one should not pour it out in a house, nor in any place where people pass by.
10 One should take up the vessel of water with his right hand, then transfer it to his left hand in order to pour water onto his right hand first.
11 One should not take water from a person who has not yet washed his hands in the morning.
12 If one dabbles his hands into a vessel of water, then that counts as hand-washing for the purposes of reading the Shema and the Amidah prayer, but not for the foul spirit that is upon them. If one dabbles each of his hands alternately into three different lots of water, then it is not clear whether he has removed the foul spirit from upon them.
13 If one has stayed awake all night, then it is not clear whether he needs to wash his hands for the morning prayer and to remove the foul spirit from his hands.
Gloss: (And he should wash them without a blessing) (Rosh, Principle 2; Rashba, Chapter 123).
14
If one arose from bed before daybreak and washed his hands, it is unclear whether he should wash his hands again when daylight appears, in order to remove the Bad Spirit which rests upon the hands.
(Gloss: And he should wash them without a blessing.
15 If one slept during the day, it is unclear whether he should pour water on them three times. (And he should wash them without a blessing.)
16 David was diligent not to sleep shitin nishmin (meaning, sixty breaths) in order not to taste the taste of death. Gloss: But in the Talmud, Chapter HaYashen, it appears that he was diligent only during daytime. (his own opinion, and see the Beit Yosef).
17 Some have the custom to wash their mouth in the morning because of the mucus which is in the mouth.
18 The following things require washing the hands in water: One who rises from bed, goes out of the bathroom, or of the bath house, one who cuts his nails, takes off his shoes, touches his feet, or washes his head, some say: also one who goes among the dead, or touched the dead, one who cleanses his clothes of lice, has sexual intercourse, touches a louse, or touches his body with his hand. And one who did any of these and did not wash, if he is a scholar, his studies are forgotten, and if he is not a scholar, he goes out of his mind.
19 One who lets blood from his shoulders and does not wash his hands, is scared for seven days. One who takes a haircut or shaves and did not wash his hands, is scared for three days. One who cuts his nails and did not wash his hands, is scared for one day. And does not know what he is scared of.
20 One who washes his face and did not wipe it well, his face cracks or is stricken with scabs. And its cure is to wash it a lot in beet-water.
21 One should be careful during prayer or eating (see below, Chapter 92 paragraph 6), and Chapter 164) not to touch one's thigh or leg or other covered places in a person's body, because there are there particles of sweat. meaning, grime, like tiny barley grains). And also not to scratch one's head. But uncovered places in one's head or face and the uncovered part of one's arms do not require care.
22 If one has no water, one may wipe one's hands in a lump of earth or earth or any cleansing agent and recite a blessing on the cleanliness of hands, and this permits him to pray but does not remove the evil spirit that is upon them.
23 Washing hands was only prescribed for reading the Shema and for the Amidah prayer, but the blessings of the morning are permitted to be recited before washing, unless one sleeps naked in one's bed, in which case one may not mention the holy Name until he cleans them.