Question:
Is seudas shlishis or learning considered a hefsek regarding washing hands again or not between minchas and maariv? Thank you
Answer:
A person that davens mincha in shul and stays to learn until maariv does not have to wash his hands again before davening maariv. This is because we assume that he was careful during his learning not to touch a covered part of the body. Regarding eating shalosh seudos, if he ate it in the shul, the minhag is that he doesn’t have to wash his hands gain since he stayed in shul, so we assume that he was careful about his hands. However if he ate outside of the shul, then he should wash his hands again for maariv. It should be noted that there are those who are of the opinion that it even if one doesn’t technically have to wash his hands, it is still a pious thing to wash before each tefillah.
Sources:
M:B 233-16, 18, Aruch Hahsulchan 233-15, Teshuvos V’hanhagos 3-5, Eishei Yisroel 27 ftnt. 105, 107.
