Question:
I ate some baby carrots and out of laziness decided that they were not really wet and started to eat them without going to wash. Then I realized that I was not being honest with myself and they were indeed moist and decided to go wash.
1) I assume that I didn’t need to make another bracha on the carrots but wanted to check with you just in case going to wash would be considered a hefsek.
2) These carrots, as well as grapes, were spread out at a meeting at my job in a frum company. I would want to tell everyone at the meeting, including my two bosses (one of whom is also a rav hamachsir and pulpit rabbi) that they need to wash, but I am concerned about getting negative feedback for not minding my own business. In particular, it may be interpreted that I am being “frummer-than-thou”. From my learning I have been under the impression that washing for wet food is almost as important as washing for bread and the Mishna Berurah was very strong about not giving bread to anyone when you know they will not wash. I would like clarification about how important it is to wash on fruit and how important is it to instruct other people.
3) Now that I brought up the issue regarding giving bread to someone who will not wash, I have another concern that has been plaguing me for a long time. My father and siblings are not religious. In many situations it has been very awkward for me to not be able to serve them hamotzei. For example, I had some family over on Chol Hamoed. I wasn’t in a position to tell them to wash for the matza – that particular sibling may have even been davka about not washing. On the other hand, they had 1 meal that was Kosher and Kosher L’Pesach, not to mention their children having the opportunity to have some exposure to Yiddishkeit. Please feel free to advise. Should I go out of my way to not ever serve bread or should I bring a water basin to them to wash like Urchatz? I don’t want my father in particular to feel that I am making him do things.
I apologize for being so lengthy. I am interest in the response to all 3 questions. Thank you for your time.
Answer:
1 Washing would not be a hefsek as there is no hesech hadas from eating whe none goes to wash.
2 While one should be stringent with himself, many are lenient in this washing and have what to rely on, hence you would not have to correct them or be concerned that they are not washing.
3 This is the general issue of giving food to people who will not wash or make brachos, for which many are lenient so as not to cause people to come to hate Torah and religious Jews.
Sources:
See Gra”z 158:3, Chaye Adam 36:4, Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 40:17, who all bring. the lenient opinion with regards to washing on wet fruit.
See Igros Moshe O:C Vol. 5:13, Minchas Shlomo Vol. 1:35, Tshuvos Vhannagos 1:483 with regards to giving food to those who will not make brachos.
