Pesach - 5782

Pesach - 5782

Rabbi Hal Miller

Urchatz -- what is it all about?

Every seder, we repeatedly sing a little ditty consisting of the names of each of

the sections of the event. Kadeish, Urchatz, Karpas ... Do we pay any attention

to these section names? Most of them are words we know, such as kadeish,

which is sanctification. But what is "urchatz"?

The word is actually rachatz, which means washing. It has a prefix letter vov,

which usually means and, or, that, or some other conjunction. So "urchatz" is

actually "u'rachatz" and means "and washing". What are we washing for, what

is the purpose of the 'and' here, and why do we not say any blessing after this

washing as we do with the second washing for "rachatz" just before the matzah?

We have a rule regarding interruptions between a blessing and the associated

mitzvah. Ben Ish Chai, for example, explains that man has difficulty keeping his

mind on right things, and off of wrong things. He can sanctify himself with prayer,

but then goes right back to foolishness and has to start again. Thus we sanctify

and wash together here to protect our eyes and ears from straying as we get to

the karpas. We see this clearly in the situation we are all familiar with regarding

washing and eating bread.

Yet here, we go out of our way to let people know that they do not need to keep

silent between the washing and the eating of the karpas. We can understand it

that even though we will not interrupt between the blessing on the karpas and

eating it (similar to the bread case), we are not here making a blessing over the

hand washing as we do with bread. Why, then do we wash now at all?

The Shulchan Aruch [473:6] says, "One should wash his hands for the sake of the

first dipping. He should not make a blessing over the washing. He should take of

the karpas, less than an olive's bulk, dip it in vinegar, make the blessing bo'rei p'ri

ha'adamah, and eat it, but he should not make an after-blessing."

That is the law. But why?

In 158:1, the Shulchan Aruch tells the law of washing before bread, which we do all

the time. In 158:4, he tells that before eating anything dipped in one of seven liquids,

one must wash, although without a blessing. But other than this one instance at the

Pesach seder, we do not follow such a practice. Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach rules

citing the Mishneh Berurah that since there are opinions that we should not follow this

practice regarding non-bread items, we do not say a berachah because it could be

l'vatala, in vain. The blessing over washing for bread comes from the Torah, but the

blessing for other items is rabbinic so we rule leniently on our case. He argues that

the custom to do this at the seder is because it is a sign of regal behavior, thus many

have the custom that a pitcher is brought only to the leader. But as a custom, making

a blessing would not make sense. Today, many extend the regalness thought to all

participants.

Many get deep into discussions of tumah regarding hands and foods, which is related

to the requirement above from 158:4. But since at this moment in history, all of us are

considered tamei with no way to ritually purify ourselves, and we are thus unable to

eat terumah tithes, the law in 158:4 really does not apply until the coming of the Third

Temple. Thus we have no support to say a blessing on any hand washing for foods

other than bread.

Rav Shlomo Zalman continues, "The preferred explanation is that u'rechatz is a function

of the exalted nature of this night. We are especially meticulous on this night about all

areas of halachah, and accordingly the washing of hands before eating wetted food,

although not so carefully observed throughout the year, is practiced by all on this night.

This is also why it is called u'rechatz, "and wash". The 'and' connects it to the preceding kaddesh, which continues the sanctification experienced there." Another common opinion is that the reason we do this washing at all, and especially without a beracha, on seder night is to spur questions from the children as to why this night is different. Yet another reason is that dipping a vegetable gives it enhanced flavor, and on this night that is a sign of freedom. The Peninei Halakha asks what about someone who makes the blessing anyway, is that a beracha l'vatala? His answer is no, because a large number of poskim have ruled that we should in fact say it. He then asks whether saying it at the time of karpas exempts one from repeating it over washing for bread, and again he says, no. Not only do many believe that both washings are required but there are two reasons for hand washing before eating, one is to clean tumah, and the other is simple cleanliness, so at worst, prior to eating the matzah, we need to clean everything off our hands even if the earlier washing covered the tumah issue.