[Avodah] Ritual washing on Yom Kippur

[Akiva Miller via Avodah]

1) On Yom Kippur, one washes in the morning, but only the fingers. -
Mechaber 613:2

2) On Yom Kippur, one washes after the bathroom, but only the fingers. -
Mechaber 613:3

3) On Yom Kippur, a Kohen washes before duchaning, to the wrist as usual. -
Mishne Brurah 613:7

4) On Yom Kippur, a choleh who eats bread washes as usual, to the wrist. -
Shmirat Shabbat K'hilchatah 39:31 (39:33 in the new 5770 edition)

I realize that it is risky to compare halachos that come from different
poskim, but I haven't heard that the MB and SSK disagree with the Mechaber
about #1 and #2. So unless someone shows me otherwise, I will presume that
all three poskim agree on all four situations.

If so, then why are #1 and #2 different than #3 and #4? In all four cases,
the washing is allowed because it is a ritual washing, and not done for
pleasure.

The bracha of Al Netilas Yadayim can't be relevant, because that is present
for #1 and #4, but absent for #2 and #3, so it doesn't fit the pattern.

I suppose an argument can be made that #1 and #2 are merely for
cleanliness, while #3 and #4 are for tahara. But if that were so, then I
don't know why even the fingers can be washed for #1 and #2 - we should be
required to simply wipe the fingers on a towel or something else that
cleans, without any water at all.

Any suggestions?

Akiva Miller
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.aishdas.org/pipermail/avodah-aishdas.org/attachments/20161016/037fa0e4/attachment-0007.html>