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<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" color=#000000 size=2
face=Arial>From: Zev Sero <zev@sero.name><BR>><BR>> A nearby shul
recently installed air blowers, and there are only paper<BR>> towels at the
lobby sinks on Shabbos. Washing before davening lacks the<BR>> gravitas as
before hamotzi, but I was wondering if they were pushing<BR>> those who do
wash regularly before davening to go with a bedi'eved.<BR><BR>I don't understand
the question. Since when is drying the hands part<BR>of the mitzvah? AFAIK
drying is merely a practical requirement, since<BR>eating bread with wet hands
is disgusting, so it makes no difference<BR>how they got dry, and there's not
even a lechatchila preference for a<BR>towel. <BR>-- <BR>Zev Sero
<BR>zev@sero.name <BR><BR>>>>>></FONT></DIV></DIV></DIV>
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<DIV>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. </DIV>
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<DIV>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.</DIV>
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<DIV><FONT lang=0 color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial FAMILY="SANSSERIF"
PTSIZE="10"><BR><STRONG>--Toby Katz<BR>=============</STRONG><BR>Romney -- good
values, good family, good
hair<BR><BR><BR>-------------------------------------------------------------------
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