Washing on Yom Kippur – Rechitza

These halachos about Washing on Yom Kippur are based on the Mishna Berura, reflecting Ashkenazi practice.

The prohibition of washing oneself on Yom Kippur applies even to washing a small part of one’s body, but only if one does so for pleasure. Therefore, when one is washing for a particular reason other than pleasure it is permissible, as we will iyH go on to outline (SA 613:1)

Washing Off Dirt

If a part of one’s body has become dirty, one may wash that area. One should only wash the area which is dirty, and do so with the intention to clean oneself rather than for pleasure. (SA 613:1, MB 1).
Dirt in multiple places: if one has become dirty in multiple areas on one’s body and it will require significant effort to clean each area individually, one may wash one’s whole body in cold water (MB 613:1, 616:1).
Washing off sweat: if one has merely become sweaty, it is preferable to avoid washing off the sweat, unless one is in particular discomfort (MB 613:2)

One does negel vasser (washing each hand 3 times) on Yom Kippur morning, though should ensure to only wash until the knuckles. Again one should do so with the intent to clean one’s hands from impurity, not for pleasure (SA 613:2, MB 3).
Washing one’s face: one may not wash one’s face on Yom Kippur morning. However, if there is a little eye discharge (rheum) by one’s eye one may wash it off, per washing off other dirt (SA 613:4, MB 9).
Washing one’s mouth: one may certainly not wash their mouth out on Yom Kippur morning, lest one come to swallow some of the water (R 613:4, MB 11)

After going to the bathroom: One who used the bathroom on Yom Kippur and touched an area of the body that is normally covered may wash their hands until the knuckles (or beyond if the hand is dirty).
If one did not touch such an area, there is a dispute whether one may wash one’s hands as a preparation for saying Asher Yatzar; therefore one should ensure to touch such an area, ideally with both hands, so that one may definitely wash them.
Before or during davening: The above applies if one goes to the bathroom outside the context of tefilla. However, if one goes to the bathroom before or during davening, then one may wash one’s hands to the knuckles whether or not one touched an area of the body which is normally covered, due to the requirement to prepare oneself for davening (‘hikon likras Elokecha yisrael’) (SA 613:3, MB4, 6 Dirshu 8, PT fn65, BH”L 7:2 D”H Hitil).
Entering a bathroom: one who merely enters a bathroom without relieving oneself should not wash their hands if they remained clean (BH”L 613:2, D”H Ve’im rotzeh)

Touching uncovered areas of the body: As alluded to above, if one touched an area of the body which is normally covered with one of one’s hands, one may and should wash that individual hand until the knuckles (unlike when washing off a bit of dirt when one may only wash the specific area of the hand which is dirty).
Touching shoes: The same applies if one touched a leather pair of shoes, though there is a dispute whether this also applies if one touched non-leather footwear, eg what one is wearing on Yom Kippur – consult a Rav for practical guidance (MB 613:6, PT 2, MB 614:14, Dirshu 20, Shoneh Halachos 7).

Whilst one should generally wash one’s hands before davening, even if one’s hands are clean, on Yom Kippur we are strict not to do so, unless one has just been to the bathroom etc as above (MB 613:5).
Birkas Kohanim: Kohanim should have their hands washed until the wrist prior to doing Birkas Kohanim, even if they are clean. (R 613:3, MB 7).

Sore feet: if one’s feet etc are sore, one may wash them in water to soothe them as this is not being done for pleasure.
Medical purposes: Similarly one may wash one’s body as required for medical purposes, so long as one is allowed to under the halachos of ‘refuah’ on Shabbos (as we previously explored, on Shabbos and Yom Tov one may not generally do activities which are for healing purposes unless one has the status of a ‘choleh she’ein bo sakana’, one who needs to lie down or whose whole body is weakened due to illness) (R 613:3, 9, MB 10).

Mikvah: woman who was Niddah does not go to mikva on Yom Kippur evening, even if this coincides with the end of her seven clean days. Rather she should do most of her preparations before Yom Kippur and do her final preparations after the Fast, as should would when going to mikva on Motzei Shabbos (SA 613:12, BH”L Bazman Hazeh).
Hefsek Tahara: A woman who is due to perform a hefsek tahara on Yom Kippur may not bathe herself, but she may wash that specific area prior to performing the hefsek (SHT 551:35, MB 613:31).