Women Washing Mayim Acharonim

Question: Should women wash their hands for mayim acharonim?

Answer: The Gemara (Berachos 53b; Eruvin 17b; Chullin 105a) teaches that one must wash one’s hands at the end of the meal in order to remove melach sedomis, a poisonous salt. Thus, Rambam (Berachos 6:2) and the Shulchan Aruch (OC 181:1) write that mayim acharonim, washing one’s hands at the end of the meal, is obligatory. Nonetheless, The Tur (OC 181:10) and Shulchan Aruch (OC 181:10) quote Tosafos (Berachos 53b) who defends the practice of those who do not wash their hands, arguing that we no longer need to be concerned about melach sedomis. The Rema (Darkei Moshe OC 181:1) notes that this is the normative Ashkenazi custom. R’ Yaakov Emden (Mor Uketzia 181) explains that nowadays when people eat with cutlery, one does not need to be so concerned about melach sedomis. Nonetheless, that would not apply to one holding bread with their hands.

Nonetheless, the Magen Avraham (181:10) writes that one should still wash nowadays for kabbalistic reasons. Likewise, the Mishna Berura (181:22 quoting the Gra), Aruch Hashulchan (OC 181:5) and the Kaf Hachaim (OC 181:27) stress the importance of this practise.

R’ Yaakov Emden writes that one must inform women that they, too, are obligated to wash their hands. R’ Ephraim Greenblatt (Rivevos Ephraim 1:140:4) explains that all of the reasons for mayim acharonim apply equally to men and women.

Nonetheless, R’ Shmuel Wosner (Shevet Halevi 4:23) writes that as the reason of melach sedomis no longer applies, women never committed themselves to this practice. Similarly, R’ Moshe Sternbuch (Teshuvos Vehanhagos 1:174) and the Piskei Teshuvos (181:1) note that women often do not observe those halachos that we practise for kabbalistic reasons (see Dirshu Mishna Berura 181:n16).

In conclusion, while some women wash mayim acharonim after eating, the general practice is that women do not wash.