The Holiness in Handwashing

Kristen Bell posted this image on Instagram the other day with the caption: "My mom sent me the handwashing blacklight comparison. 30 SECONDS WITH SOAP YALL!!!" Aside from her mother's very relatable guilting to ensure clean hands, this image is a reminder that I haven't been adequately washing my hands for many years.

With COVID-19 containment in full swing, handwashing has been front and center of the preventative efforts, including the many songs you can sing to make sure you're scrubbing for enough time. Surprisingly though, the benefits of handwashing were only discovered in 1846 and didn't see wide implementation until well into the 20th-century. [Source] In fact, handwashing wasn't a standardized element of American healthcare until the early 1980s. [Source]

Though handwashing in the medical realm is relatively modern, handwashing in the religious world is decidedly ancient. In Judaism, we first see the practice in the Torah, when God commands Aaron and his sons to "wash their hands and feet" before even stepping foot inside the Tent of Meeting, let alone making an offering. [Exodus 30:18] In this world, holiness centered on cleanliness and hygiene. After the destruction of Temple-centric Judaism in 70 CE, the early rabbis embedded the tradition of handwashing in the Talmud, where we learn that "anyone who treats the ritual of washing hands with contempt is uprooted from the world" [Sotah 4b]. Though perhaps a little crude, the rabbis were onto something: those that washed their hands lived longer. 

As COVID-19 has aggressively spread in recent weeks, I am astounded by this ancient religious wisdom. In the Jewish communities of my youth, I never encountered handwashing as a Jewish ritual. It wasn’t until my teenage escapades in Israel that I even became aware of it, discovering strange little two-handled buckets and dedicated washing sinks in every restaurant and hotel. As years passed and I encountered more observant communities, I occasionally washed as a guest at this or that Shabbat table, but I never incorporated the ritual into my practice. That was, until COVID-19.

In the past few weeks, following my mother's and the CDC's recommendation, I have been washing my hands a lot! - and I started saying the traditional handwashing blessing every time: 

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה הָ׳ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ עַל נְטִילַת יָדַיִם
Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech Ha’Olam Asher Kidshanu B’mitzvotav Vitzivanu al Netilat Yadayim
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of the Universe, Who has sanctified us with mitzvot, and commanded us concerning the washing of the hands.

Now when I say these words, I offer gratitude for the human mind that discovered washing your hands prevents the spread of illness. Now when I say these words, I am reminded that our tradition obligates us to protect the vulnerable. Now when I say these words, I take a moment to be thankful for my health - knowing it can be whisked away at any moment.

As we continue to face the challenges of this pandemic, remember that you are not alone. Take time to care for yourself and your loved ones, and do everything in your power to protect the vulnerable. And try to use daily rituals like handwashing and meals to offer gratitude for all that you have. 

This piece originally appeared at ReformJudaism.org.