As we now transition from the formal telling of the Passover story to the celebratory meal, we once again wash our hands to prepare ourselves. As we remember from our symbolic washing, pouring water over the hands has an enormous symbolic significance. Hands are our tools for manipulating the world. To mark the transition from telling the Passover story to  the meal, we ritually wash our hands to create an aura of sanctity; we clean our tools for interacting with the world, that will engage us in something beautiful.

We encourage you to take this time to wash your hands, and invite you to say either the traditional handwashing blessing or to use this blessing for washing your hands during a pandemic, by Trisha Arlin: 

As we wash our hands
We pray,
Blessed is the Soul of the Universe,
Breathing us in and breathing us out.
May our breaths continue
And our health and the health of all
Be preserved
In this time of sickness and fear of sickness.
Holy Wholeness,
We take as much responsibility for this as we can
By observing the obligation to wash our hands
Thoroughly:
For as long as it takes to say this prayer.
Amen

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה הָ׳ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ עַל נְטִילַת יָדַיִם

Barukh atah adonai eloheinu melekh ha-olam asher kidshanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu al netilat yadayim

Blessed are you, our God, ruler of the universe, who sanctified us with God's commandments and instructed us on washing hands.


haggadah Section: Rachtzah