Rachtzah vs. Urchatz

Hi,

When we washed our hands before Karpas, we called it "URchatz", an imperative meaning, "And wash!" Now, though, we call our washing "Rachtzah", which is a general term, "washing". Why do we alter it?

Rav Kook explained that the earlier washing was meant for the individual to remove his impurity before handling food, and so this was a command to an individual. The later washing removes more than just impurity; this is meant to signify the end of the slavery we described in Maggid. This is a national washing, and so we alter the name to "Rachtzah".

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Haggadah: Urchatz

Hi,

The title of the Haggadah's second section, "Urchatz", means "and wash". The section consists of washing before Karpas. Why are we washing?

When we have a Beit haMikdash, we wash before handling produce in order to avoid communicating impurity. In an era without a Beit haMikdash, most halachic authorities contend that we do not wash. (Rabbeinu Yonah, the Taz and the Vilna Gaon are notable in their disagreement.) Why, then, do we wash before handling karpas?

1. Rabbi Yechiel Michel Epstein, in his early 20th century Aruch haShulchan (Orach Chaim 473:18), says it's just another way we draw our children's interest to the events of the night. Varying our routine attracts the attention of our children.

2. Rabbi Mordechai Yafeh, in his 16th century Levush (Orach Chaim 473), says we wash because the karpas is being used for a mitzvah. The mitzvah warrants extra sanctity.

3. Rabbi Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin, in the introduction to his late-19th century haggadah Imrei Shefer, notes that several Seder practices are meant to take us back to the way things happened in the Beit haMikdash. Think of the Koreich sandwich, for example. Therefore, we wash for karpas in order to recall the way we washed in the Beit haMikdash.

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Our "URchatz" Washing

Hello,

At the Seder on Passover evening, before Karpas, we wash our hands - but there are two different washing practices:
A) Some families have water brought out, and the hands of the head of the Seder are washed.
B) In other families, everyone's hands are washed.
Why are there two different customs?

Rabbi Yaakov Wehl suggests that there are two sources for the hand-washing practice.
A) One reason is to vary from general practice (in which we wash only for bread, not for fruits and vegetables), inspiring questions from our children. We successfully highlight that variation even if just one person washes.

B) The other reason to wash is to recall Temple times, when even produce was eaten in purity, requiring hand-washing. According to this source, everyone should wash.

Have a great day,
Mordechai