[Avodah] Netillat Yadayim with no towel

[T613K at aol.com]

From: Zev Sero <zev at sero.name>
>
> A nearby shul  recently installed air blowers, and there are only paper
> towels at the  lobby sinks on Shabbos. Washing before davening lacks the
> gravitas as  before hamotzi, but I was wondering if they were pushing
> those who do  wash regularly before davening to go with a bedi'eved.

I don't understand  the question. Since when is drying the hands part
of the mitzvah? AFAIK  drying is merely a practical requirement, since
eating bread with wet hands  is disgusting, so it makes no difference
how they got dry, and there's not  even a lechatchila preference for a
towel. 
-- 
Zev Sero  
zev at sero.name 

>>>>>


 
 
I think there is a lechatchilah preference for a towel and here is the  
reason why.  There is a preference to make a bracha first and do the mitzva  
after.  In the case of netillas yadayim, you don't make the bracha first  and 
wash your hands after, because you don't want to make a bracha with dirty  
hands.  But in order to preserve the order of first a bracha and then  an 
action, it is preferable to dry your hands /after/ saying the bracha.   But if  
you have nothing to dry your hands on, then there is no action to  perform. 
  
 
If there is no other option, you can just airdry your hands (or blow dry  
them).  But usually you can find /something/ to dry your hands on -- a  
napkin, a tissue, the edge of the tablecloth. Since "netilas yadayim" means,  
IIANM, lifting your hands, I suppose that you can make the bracha and then just 
 lift your hands and wave them around.
 

--Toby Katz
=============
Romney -- good  values, good family, good  hair


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