Sanctifying the Body: Torah Laws for Attending to Bodily Needs

For many people, it comes as a surprise to learn that Torah law addresses even private matters such as going to the bathroom. This is entirely consistent with a fundamental principle of Torah — that it is a complete guide for life, and that every single aspect of life can be connected to the spiritual and used as a springboard for higher awareness.

Many Torah laws focus on the dignity of both body and soul — protecting our own and respecting the dignity of others — and this area is no different.

Asher Yatzar — the Bathroom Blessing

When our bodies function as they should, this is something to be grateful for and not taken for granted. One way of achieving this level of awareness is by reciting a special brachah (blessing) after using the bathroom.

After going to the bathroom, we wash each hand alternately three times (just as we do after getting up in the morning) and recite the brachah of Asher Yatzar:

בָּרוּךְאַתָּהה’אֱלֹהֵינוּמֶלֶךְהָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁריָצַראֶתהָאָדָםבְּחָכְמָה, וּבָרָאבוֹנְקָבִיםנְקָבִיםחֲלוּלִיםחֲלוּלִים .גָּלוּיוְיָדוּעַלִפְנֵיכִסֵּאכְבוֹדֶךָ, שֶׁאִםיִפָּתֵחַאֶחָדמֵהֶם, אוֹיִסָּתֵםאֶחָדמֵהֶם, אִיאֶפְשַׁרלְהִתְקַיֵּםוְלַעֲמוֹדלְפָנֶיךָאַפִלּוּשָׁעָהאֶחָת. בָּרוּךְאַתָּהיי, רוֹפֵאכָלבָּשָׂרוּמַפְלִיאלַעֲשׂוֹת:”

“Blessed are You, Hashem, our G-d, King of the universe, who formed man with wisdom and created within him many openings and many hollow spaces. It is revealed and known before Your throne of honor that if even one of them would be opened, or if even one of them would be sealed, it would be impossible to survive and to stand before You even for one hour. Blessed are You, Hashem, who heals all flesh and acts wondrously.”

Reciting this brachah with kavanah (while focusing on its meaning) is a segulah (spiritually beneficial) for good health or healing from illness.

Why Is It Forbidden to Delay One’s Bodily Needs?

It is written in the Torah (Vayikra 11:43), “Do not make yourselves abominable.” From this, the Sages of the Talmud derived that we are forbidden to delay relieving ourselves when we need to. Delaying urination is also associated with a risk of infertility, G-d forbid.

Rambam (Maimonides) stresses the importance of immediately attending to our physical needs — because the soul needs to have a healthy body to work through:

“Since maintaining a healthy and whole body is an aspect of serving Hashem (since it is impossible for us to understand or grasp anything of Divine wisdom when we are ill), we must keep far away from anything that harms the body, and do what we can to recover from illness and maintain our health...

“[Therefore,] we should not delay our physical needs even for a moment; immediately upon feeling the need, we must go to the bathroom straight away.”

Rambam adds that if a person neglects his health, he is considered guilty of damaging his body which is not his to harm:

“A person who delays his needs and does not go to the bathroom makes his soul abominable, aside from the serious illnesses he brings upon himself, and he is held liable for his life.

“However, someone who is careful in this matter brings additional holiness and purity to his soul and refines his physical body for the sake of Hashem, as [the Torah] states: ‘You shall sanctify yourselves and be holy, for I am holy.’”

Specific Circumstances

If someone needs to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, he should overcome any laziness he might feel and go, and afterward wash his hands and recite the brachah of Asher Yatzar. The brachah of Al Netilat Yadayim (recited after washing one’s hands the first time in the morning) is not recited as the person intends to go back to sleep.

Before praying any of the daily prayers, we should first go to the bathroom to avoid a situation in which the prayers need to be interrupted for taking care of bodily needs. However, if a person needs to use the bathroom during prayers, he should not delay and immediately go. (Tefillin must be removed before entering the bathroom.)

If someone is learning Torah or teaching a class, he may delay going to the bathroom if he believes he can wait at least an hour before going. This is to avoid the bittul Torah (time wasted that could have been spent learning Torah) that would result from the minutes spent away from learning.

However, if he cannot wait an hour, he should break off his learning or teaching and go right away.

If someone delays relieving himself because he is looking for a private place to do so, this is not considered a forbidden delay, because human dignity takes precedence.

Modesty in the Bathroom

Even while in the bathroom, we should only uncover the body to the extent necessary.

Talking while in the bathroom should be kept to the bare minimum needed, such as answering a question when the answer can’t wait.

If someone only went into the bathroom to fetch something or attend to laundry and so forth, there are no restrictions on speech. Similarly, if a mother is bathing a child, she may talk to him or her as needed.

It is forbidden to think about Torah ideas, halachot (Jewish law), and anything holy while in the bathroom (regardless of what one is doing there). If a Torah-related thought enters someone’s mind, they should immediately divert their thoughts to something with no spiritual connection (such as work or finances).

Ideally, neither food nor drink should be brought into the bathroom unless it is completely wrapped. If something was brought in without any wrapping, it should (if possible) be rinsed three times before consuming. If rinsing is not possible, it may still be eaten or drunk.

Reciting and Answering Amen to Brachot

Brachot are only recited when we are both physically and spiritually clean. Therefore, it’s important to clean oneself properly after using the bathroom and before washing one’s hands. Young children who can’t be relied upon to clean themselves properly should preferably be supervised when cleaning themselves; otherwise, we assume that they aren’t clean and if they make brachot, we do not reply “Amen.”

Such children may, however, recite brachot and learn Torah and one may learn Torah and recite brachot in their presence.

If someone is in the near vicinity of an infant or toddler who has a soiled diaper, it is forbidden to make a brachah or learn Torah within a distance of four amot (approximately two meters) from where the smell is detectable.