Ask The Rabbi

Ask The Rabbi

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At the grocery store in the morning, there is uncovered bread which is touched by people who may not have washed their hands ritually (neigel vasser,) when they got up, and the ‘ruach ra’ah’ still rests on their hands, is it a problem to use that bread? Also, if someone gives us food and that person may have slept over it, is that also problematic?

There are authorities who say that a stranger (who may not have washed his hands before touching the bread/food at the store,) is not considered as having a relationship with the person who buys the bread/food, and one cannot forbid the use of that food because the person who touched it does not own it and therefore the the evil spirit does not rest on him.

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