Netilat Yadayim

The Gemara explains the next case in the mishna: And the hands; the reason that the Sages decreed impurity upon them is because hands are busy. A person’s hands tend to touch dirty or impure objects. Since one does not always pay attention to what his hands touch, and it is inappropriate for holy food to be touched by dirty hands, the Sages decreed impurity.

Rav Yitzḥak bar Ashiyan says: The obligation of washing hands before eating non-sacred food is due to an ancillary decree on account of teruma, the portion of produce designated for the priest, which must be consumed in a state of ritual purity. By rabbinic decree, one’s hands are considered impure with second-degree ritual impurity, as they may have touched impure items. Therefore, they render teruma impure. Consequently, priests who partake of teruma are obligated to wash their hands first. The Sages therefore decreed that all must wash their hands even before eating non-sacred food, so that people not become accustomed to eating without washing their hands, which would in turn lead the priests to partake of teruma without washing their hands. And the obligation is further due to its being a mitzva. The Gemara asks: What mitzva does it involve? Abaye says: It is a mitzva to listen to and obey the statements of the Sages, who instituted this washing of the hands.

(1) When one comes to eat bread that we bless on it "HaMotzi", one should wash their hands, even if one does not know that [your hands] have any impurity, one should bless: "al n'tilat yadayim"/"regarding washing of hands". But bread that we do not bless "HaMotzi" on it, for example, little rolls, (explanation: satorti in another language), or bread that comes as dumplings (explanation: bread that is made with sugar, almonds, and nuts), and one does not establish a meal with them, one does not need to wash their hands.