As previously noted, the Talmud offers two reasons for
mayim achronim: a) to remove
melech Sedomis which might cause blindness, and b), to clean our hands as a preparation for
benchting. The Mishnah Berurah (181:17) notes that according to the first reason (we wash our hands to remove
Sedomis salt) no
beracha should be recited, since we only recite
berachos on
mitzvos and not on safety precautions. However, according to the second reason (we wash our hands as a preparation for
benching) it might be assumed that a
beracha should be said. Indeed, there were Rishonim (such as the Raavad - Tamim Dayim 66) who wrote that if one’s hands are dirty, a
beracha is recited on
mayim achronim. Nonetheless, the Schulchan Aruch (OC 181:7) writes that a
beracha is not recited when washing
mayim achronim. The Mishna Berura explains that a proper preparation of our hands for
benching would include washing with water to remove soil and then anointing with special oils. Since it is no longer customary to anoint with oil, the preparation is not finished and a
beracha cannot be recited on an incomplete
mitzvzh. The Aruch Hashulchan (181:4) offers an additional explanation why a
beracha is not said. He explains that the
beracha of “
al netilas yadayim” that was recited at the beginning of the meal before
hamotzi also covers the final washing of
mayim achronim at the conclusion of the meal.
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