Washing One’s Hands After Touching Certain People or Objects

Some Poskim maintained that one must wash his hands after touching a gentile, even if he simply shook the gentile's hand. This is the view of the Rav Haim Palachi (Turkey, 1788-1868) and of Rav Yaakob Haim Sofer (Baghdad-Jerusalem, 1870-1939). However, common practice does not follow this opinion, and one should specifically not wash his hands in public after touching a non-Jew, as this could easily cause animosity and hostility. Similarly, the custom is not to require washing one's hands after shaking the hand of a non-observant Jew, even if it can be assumed that he did not perform Netilat Yadayim in the morning. It is recommended to wash one's hands after touching a woman who is a Nidda – such as if one touched his unmarried daughter, or mistakenly touched his wife when she was a Nidda (when touching is, of course, forbidden). A number of Poskim ruled that one must wash his hands after touching an object of idol-worship. If one touches a louse, he must wash his hands. Therefore, a nurse who checks children's hair for lice must wash her hands afterward, as she most likely touched a louse. This applies also to one who touches any insect, such as if one used his hand to chase away a fly or mosquito. He should preferably wash his hands after touching the insect, or at least wipe his hands on some surface to clean them. As this washing is required as a matter of hygiene, it suffices to place one's hands under water just once. There is an opinion that touching a louse causes impurity, thus requiring washing one's hands three times, but Halacha does not follow this opinion. One should preferably wash his hands after touching an animal. If one touches a kosher animal – such as a sheep or chicken – and knows that the animal was clean, then he does not need to wash.