From the Rav’s Desk: Saying a blessing if one needs to use the bathroom

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  1. Question: [Sunday, 20th Iyar, 5781]

Is it permitted for one to say a blessing if he feels the urge to use the bathroom?

Answer:

No. One who feels the urge to use the bathroom is prohibited from saying a blessing.

Explanation: Although the main discussion in the Poskim is regarding the prohibition against praying if one feels the urge to use the bathroom, nonetheless, we also find in the Poskim a restriction against saying blessings if one feels the urge to use the bathroom, and in fact this is the reason why we don’t say a blessing right away when we wash hands in the morning next to the bed and rather wash our hands a second time after leaving the bathroom, this time with a blessing. This is learnt from the verse “My innards will bless G-d”, thus implying that one needs to empty his innards of feces and urine prior to saying a blessing.

Sources: See Admur 6:1 “It is forbidden to recite a blessing if one feels the urge to use the bathroom.”; Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 2:7, brought in Ketzos Hashulchan 2:9

About The Author

Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein is a 6th generation descendent of the famous Chief Rabbi of Izhmir, Rav Yehoshua Avraham Krispin, who authored a number of Sefarim, and was a colleague of Rav Chaim Falagi, and father in-law of the Pesach Hadvir. He currently lives with his wife Shayna, and twelve children K”H, in Tzfas, Israel. Rabbi Goldstein received Semicha from Rabbi Schneur Zalman Labkowski of the Tomchei Temimim headquarters in 2005 and served as a chaplain in the Lotar/Kalatz and K9 unit of the IDF from years 2005-2008. He is also a certified Shochet, and has performed Hashgacha work in slaughterhouses. Rabbi Goldstein is the director of Shulchanaruchharav.com, the world’s leading web-based Halacha database, and is the director of the Home Study Semicha Program, a self-study web-based Semicha program. He is a prolific author of over 50 Sefarim studied by a wide range of readers throughout the world, which is used regularly in Semicha programs around the globe. He is a world renowned Posek, answering questions to a web-based market, and serves as a local Posek, Rav, and Lecturer, in the Tzemach Tzedek community Shul in Tzefas, Israel. His many classes can be heard both from his website, Vimeo and YouTube channel. Students can join live to classes given in the Tzemach Tzedek Shul, through the “בית חבד צפת Chabad Tsfat” YouTube channel.

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