What's the reason for the opinion that one must wash their hands thrice before eating bread?

Question

Some sects of Ashkenazim (mostly Litvish) wash their hands only twice, while some Sephardim and some Hasidim wash three times.

Based on this answer I know that the first splash gets rid of the impurity. The second splash gets rid of the impure water on the hands from the first splash. What is the reason for the third splash?

Possible dupe http://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/9856/why-when-washing-for-bread-do-we-splash-twice — Double AA, Aug 06 '13 at 16:58
Is your explanation about the first splash and second splash universally accepted? Is that written down anywhere? Are you specifically looking for an answer that accepts that description, or will any answer that explains why people pour three times acceptable? — Daniel, Aug 06 '13 at 17:29
@Daniel, I'll accept any answer but the source for that reasoning is provided here http://judaism.stackexchange.com/a/11133/3006. — Ani Yodea, Aug 06 '13 at 17:46
@sam, I don't have access to that sefer. Can you provide his answer? — Ani Yodea, Aug 07 '13 at 18:04
@Ramin ,its here http://www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=1084&st=&pgnum=141&hilite= — sam, Aug 07 '13 at 18:39
@sam, when you have the time, can you please offer a translation? Google Translate butchered the text making it incomprehensible. — Ani Yodea, Aug 09 '13 at 19:36

Ani Yodea · Accepted Answer · 2013-09-25T13:36:16.937

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I heard this from a fellow, but don't have a source:

The first splash gets rid of the dirt.
Second splash gets rid of the impurity.
The final splash gets rid of the impure water still on the hands.

edited Sep 25 '13 at 13:36

answered Sep 25 '13 at 13:15

Ani Yodea

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Was the fellow someone knowledgeable? – Seth J Sep 25 '13 at 13:32
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Was the fellow's name Joseph Karo? – Double AA Sep 25 '13 at 13:33
@SethJ, a yeshivah bachur. – Ani Yodea Sep 25 '13 at 13:36
That's not true because Shulchan Aruch says you must get rid of the dirt from your hands, then dry your hands, then begin the "Netila" – Yaabim Dec 30 '20 at 12:20

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Aug 24 '14 at 04:59

According to the Gemara Shabbos 109a, there's a spirit that rests on the hands which is a 'noble' spirit, and will therefore refuse to leave with a mere washing once, but only by washing three times can it be removed (Rashi there).

While this is said in the context of washing in the morning, it could be that some have extended this to the washing done before bread, if they are worried about the damaging spirit continuing to reside on their hands (because after all, the Rabbinic requirement to wash hands for bread, even actual terumah bread, wouldn't require washing more than twice)

Would the extension to bread not be out of ignorance of the context in which it was said? Why should it apply to bread, for which there is no "ruach ra'a"? — Yaabim, Dec 30 '20 at 12:22

score 2 · Answer 3 · answered Aug 25 '14 at 22:26

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The Kaf HaChaim brings (162:2) that the three times is a specific Kabbalistic intention.

answered Aug 25 '14 at 22:26

Yishai

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What's the reason for the opinion that one must wash their hands thrice before eating bread?

3 Answers3