Question:
How does one raise his hands after washing for Bread? How high? IS there a problem if the water runs down ones arms and back to the hands? Whats the proper way? Help
Answer:
The Shulchan Aruch says that when a person washes his hands he should raise them up in order that the water that he washed with, should not leave the person's hands and then run back on to them and make them tameh. The idea here is that the fingers should be raised up above the rest of the hand so that the water doesn't run back on to it. It is important to note that if the person poured a reviis of water over his hands, (which is the recommended thing to do) that raising one's hands is not necessary. The reason is because we only say that he water that was poured over the hands becomes tameh, if it was less than a reviis, however more than a reviis of water does not become tameh, therefore raising ones hands would not be necessary.
There are people however who raise their hands even when washing with more than a reviis, but not for halachic reasons, rather for kabalistic reasons. They raise their hands so that their fingers are at face height with their finger spread out slightly.
Best Wishes
Sources:
O:CH 162-1, M:B ibid 14), Kaf Hachayim 162-2.
