Ki Sisa

The pessukim mention the mitzvah of kiddush yadayim v’raglayim – washing one’s hands and feet before entering the heichal or doing avodah. Even if a kohen knew that his hands were clean, he still needed to wash them before performing avodah. This washing helped for the entire day as long as he didn’t sleep, use the bathroom, or be maysiyach da’as. The Sefer HaChinuch explains that the mitzvah of washing one’s hands and feet was because of the greatness of the honor of the Mishkan. Before coming to such a holy place or doing avodah, one needed to prepare himself and make himself holy.

When we wake up in the morning the halacha is that a person must wash his hands. The Mishna Berura quotes two sources. One is in the name of the Rosh; people’s hands constantly move around and it is impossible that they don’t touch an unclean place. Another reason is brought in the name of the Rashba, each day we become a “briyah chadasha, a new being.” Therefore, we need to thank Hashem that He created us for His honor, to serve Him and to bentch Him. Chazal instituted for us to wash our hands from a kli, in order to become holy with His kedushah, just like the Kohanim who are mikadesh their hands from the Kiyor before doing their avodah! So too, when we wash our hands in the morning; we are mikadesh ourselves, and we become prepared to perform our avodah throughout the rest of the day.

Imagine waking up in the morning and just thinking, “How fortunate am I that I have the opportunity to serve Hashem, just like the Kohanim in the Bais HaMikdash!” Baruch Hashem we’re still here in the world and we can achieve! How luck are we to be able to come close to Hashem and fulfill His ratzon!

May we be zoche to mikadesh ourselves and prepare ourselves through our washing, for our daily avodas Hashem!