חץ ַ ְּור
נוטלים את הידים ואין מברכים עַ ל נְ ִטילַת יָדַ יִ ם The Physical and Spiritual Cleanliness of Urchatz Justin Mirharoon
Despite the fact that Urchatz rarely receives much attention in discussions regarding our favorite parts of the seder, it does in fact contain a great deal of meaning. In the Maarechet Heidenheim Haggadah, by Rabbi Tevele Bondi, the author suggests that Urchatz serves as something of a necessary, perfunctory step that is required as part of our preparation to recount the stories of Yetziat Mitzrayim. In the same way that someone who is about to meet with a king or president would first want to cleanse themselves and wash their hands, so too we—on the brink of one of our most sacred interactions with Hashem—should be even more inclined to do so. This, of course, includes the retelling of the lofty miracles that Hashem, King of kings, performed for the Jews in Egypt. Notably though, there is a second intriguing answer as to why we wash our hands before dipping the karpas. As we read in the Talmud, “Any food that is dipped into a liquid requires washing of the hands before it is eaten” (Pesachim 115a). The basis for this custom dates back to the existence of the Temple, when the Jewish people were obligated to adhere to the laws of spiritual impurity (tumah) and purity (taharah). And because—as explained in the Talmud—liquid can easily contract spiritual impurity and, in turn, transmit it to any vegetables it come in contact with, it was obligatory for one to wash their hands before consuming any foods that were dipped in a liquid to prevent the contraction of spiritual impurity. Although this halacha no longer applies on a regular basis, it is nonetheless observed on seder night as one of many means of recognizing the higher level of purity demanded by such a sacred experience. Throughout this time of crisis, some of the most frequently cited pieces of advice revolve around the importance of practicing an elevated level of personal hygiene—particularly with regard to washing our hands. While we are constantly reminded to practice these safety precautions, do we really understand their true importance? Urchatz reminds us that, in special situations, we must be extra cautious in managing our physical and spiritual hygiene. We are told that the Seder night is special, and that extra precaution should be taken to ensure that we do not encounter even the slightest level of tumah. Thus, although we don’t normally wash our hands before eating vegetables, we do so tonight. And perhaps even more so, in the face of the Coronavirus, we must maintain proper physical hygiene. So, while we may not have thought much about the values of washing our hands in previous years, maybe its increased relevancy in today’s world will finally earn Urchatz some of the attention it deserves.
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