Do gentiles have impurity on their hands upon awakening? [1]
Gentiles do not retract this form of impurity [called Bas Melech] upon sleeping.[2] Thus a gentile may touch ones food and the like without washing his hands beforehand [and so is the custom[3]].
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[1] Basra 4/2; Peri Megadim 4 M”Z 7; Amudei Hashulchan 4/7
[2] As this form of impurity [called Bas Melech] only desires to reside in a holy vessel which is defined as an area which contained holiness that departed from it, [in order for it to nurture from it], such as a sleeping Jewish body [as opposed to the body of a gentile]. The Jewish body has its G-dly soul ascend from it while sleeping and a spirit of impurity then resides on the body. When the person awakens and the soul returns to the body, the impurity immediately leaves the entire body and remains only on the hands. [ibid] However a gentile which does not have a G-dly soul does not retract this impurity upon going to sleep.
[3] Peri Megadim ibid
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