Washing One’s Hands After Touching Parts of the Body That are Normally Covered

Parts of the body that are normally covered are presumed to have an accumulation of sweat, and therefore, one who touches such areas is required to wash his hands as a matter of hygiene and cleanliness. (The Ben Ish Hai warns against allowing any drops of perspiration into one's mouth, as this could pose danger to one's health. The only exception is perspiration from one's brow, which is not dangerous if ingested. Halachic sources also warn against carrying food items inside one's shirt, touching his skin.) For men, the forearm – from the elbow down to the hand – is considered a part of the body which is frequently exposed, and so a man does not need to wash his hands after touching his or another man's forearm. The upper arm, however, above the elbow, is usually covered. This gives rise to the question of whether men must wash their hands after putting on their Tefillin, as they invariably touch their upper arms in the process of placing the Tefillin Shel Yad. Indeed, the Hazon Ish (Rav Avraham Yeshaya Karelitz, 1878-1953) writes that one must wash his hands after putting on Tefillin for this reason, and there are testimonies of him doing so. It is similarly reported that the Satmar Rebbe (Rav Yoel Tanenbaum, 1887-1979) ensured to wash his hands after putting on Tefillin. By contrast, Rav Yaakob Emden (Germany, 1697-1776) maintained that one is not required to wash after touching the part of the arm upon which Tefillin is placed. This is the opinion also of the Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909), who explains that this part of the arm is not considered normally covered, since it is exposed when putting on Tefillin. The Yalkut Yosef challenges this line of reasoning, since the upper arm is covered during the vast majority of the day, and, moreover, Tefillin is not worn on Shabbat and holidays. Seemingly, then, there is no basis for considering that part of the arm an area that is normally exposed. Nevertheless, the Yalkut Yosef concludes that one may rely on the lenient view of Rav Yaakob Emden and the Ben Ish Hai, which is followed also by the Kaf Ha'haim (Rav Yaakob Haim Sofer, Baghdad-Jerusalem, 1870-1939). The Yalkut Yosef cites his father, Hacham Ovadia Yosef, as ruling that one may lenient, though those who are stringent in this regard are worthy of blessing. It would seem that there is greater room for leniency nowadays, when people bathe regularly and, moreover, most people wear loose-fitting sleeves, such that perspiration does not generally accumulate on the upper arms. One who touches the neck, back or underarms must wash his hands, because these parts of the body are normally covered, but one who touches his face clearly does not need to wash his hands. Summary: One who touches a part of the body that is normally covered must wash his hands, but washing is not required after touching parts of the body that are normally exposed, such as the face and forearms. The Poskim debate the question of whether one must wash his hands after putting on Tefillin, since he invariably touches his upper arm in the process, and one who wishes may be lenient in this regard.