Search results for: ""Tum'a""

Tum'a and Moist Towelette
A moist towelette (baby wipe, alcohol wipes, etc.) does not remove tum'a.
 
Tum'a and Snow
Snow removes tum'a but requires 480 se'ah of snow. This is easily achieved by plunging your hands into a field or yard full of snow!
Tum'a: Water Uncovered Overnight
There is no problem with leaving water uncovered overnight.
 
Tum'a: Transferring Tum'a to Another Person
After sleeping, a person cannot transfer tum'a from his or her hands to someone who has already washed—whether hands are wet or dry.
Tum'a: Touching Body Parts after Saying HaMotzi
You must wash your hands again (but without a blessing) using the One-Time Method if you touch a normally covered area of your body or scratch your head where you have hair after you have said ha'motzi; but don't say ha'motzi again.
 
Tum'a: Scratching your Head
You must wash your hands (the One-Time Method) if you scratch your head on a place where you have hair. You do not need to wash your hands if you:
  • Touch your hair
  • Scratch a bald spot.
  • Rub your head instead of scratching it.
Reason Scratching your head (where there is hair) causes tum'a because of any impurities that may be there.
Note Even if you have just shampooed your hair, you must still wash your hands.
Tum'a: Touching with Finger
If you touch something that has transferable spiritual impurity (tum'a) even with just one finger, that entire hand becomes impure.  In some cases, such as if you touch a dead body, your entire body will become impure (tamei).
 
Tum'a: Toilet
After using the toilet, you only need to wash hands if you touched the normally covered parts of your body or if your hands touched feces or urine. However, the custom is to wash hands anyway.
Tum'a: Food Under Bed When Sleeping
Do not keep food under your bed when you sleep; but if you did, you may eat or use the food
Note Wash the food three times, if possible, pouring with a cup as you would wash your own hands.
Tum'a: Walking before Handwashing
You should not walk 4 amot (6'10”, or 2.1 m) before washing hands after sleeping more than 30 minutes etc., but the entire house may be considered 4 amot (in the sense of being your “domain” or personal space).
Tum'a: Sleeping more than 30 Minutes
After waking from sleeping more than 30 minutes, don't touch your eyes, nose, mouth, ears, or other bodily orifices until you have washed your hands using the Three-Times Method.
 
Tum'a: Leather or Synthetic Shoes
Only leather shoes are considered to carry tum'a.
Reason Leather shoes absorb sweat.
Note There is no problem with cloth or synthetic material shoes (as long as they are not sweaty--even though they also absorb sweat).
Note Soaking and scrubbing leather shoes to remove the absorbed sweat does not remove the requirement to wash hands after touching those shoes.
Tum'a: Leather Shoes and Washing
After touching leather shoes, you must wash your hands using the One-Time Method before saying blessings or prayers or before learning Torah.
Note If you do not have any water with which to wash your hands, say the blessing or prayer anyway but wipe your hands off on something before saying the blessing.
Tum'a: Non-Jews
Non-Jews do not have ritual impurity (tum'a) the way Jews do. However:
  • If a Jew touches or carries a dead non-Jew, tum'a is passed on to the Jew.
  • If a Jew walks through a non-Jewish cemetery, the Jew should wash his hands the Three-Times Method.
Tum'a: Nail Clipping: Washing Afterward
Wash your hands using the One-Time Method after cutting (or having someone cut) your nails (or hair).