Traveling Jewish: A Guide to Staying Connected on the Go

Coming out of the sea and wanting to eat bread while your hands may seem clean from the seawater, halachically, it’s not enough. Since you didn’t have the specific intention to wash your hands for netilat yadayim (ritual hand washing) while in the sea, the hand-washing doesn’t count according to some opinions. In this case, it’s best to purposely touch something that makes your hands halachically "impure" like your shoes or someone else’s unwashed hands. This creates a clear obligation to wash again, and you can fulfill the mitzvah properly (Biur Halacha 159:13).

At the beach, if someone wants to eat bread, they cannot simply scoop sea water into a cup and pour it over their hands. Water that’s unfit for drinking like seawater can’t be used for pouring; it’s only acceptable for immersing hands, not pouring from a vessel (Shulchan Aruch 160:9).

If someone does immerse their hands in the sea, the blessing is debated: The Mishnah Berurah (end of 159) says to recite "al tevilat yadayim," while the Chazon Ish (end of 23) says to recite "al netilat yadayim."

After washing hands at the beach to eat bread, one should be careful not to touch uncovered parts of the body during the meal. Even if those parts are currently uncovered (like arms or legs), they are still considered places that are normally covered. If one does touch those areas, they need to wash again with water from a vessel but this time, without saying a blessing (Mishnah Berurah 164:13).

The HaGomel Blessing After Swimming

Question: If someone swims in the sea and goes far from shore, do they need to recite the HaGomel blessing, just like sea travelers mentioned in the Shulchan Aruch (219)?

Answer: The sages meant people who truly travel across the sea. If someone just swims off the coast, even a little distance, it’s still considered the shore and they don’t recite HaGomel. But if, Heaven forbid, something dangerous occurred then yes, they would say it (Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv).

Does Swimming Count as Leaving Israel?

Some people are careful never to leave the Holy Land. A question was asked of the Chazon Ish: If the Mediterranean Sea marks Israel’s western border, does swimming in it count as leaving the Land of Israel?

The Chazon Ish answered that no, it’s reasonable to consider swimming near the shore as still being within the Land of Israel (reported by Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky).

Traveling Under the Sea

Someone who travels through an underwater tunnel like the Eurotunnel between England and France is not considered a sea traveler and does not need to recite HaGomel (Responsa Shevet HaLevi).

Before Traveling

Torah Reading: It’s customary for someone going on a trip to receive an aliyah (be called up to the Torah) before their journey (Biur Halacha 136). This applies whether the trip is for a mitzvah or just a personal trip. Ideally, this aliyah should be on the Torah reading day closest to departure usually Monday or Thursday.

Charity (Tzedakah): It’s a beautiful and meaningful tradition to give tzedakah before traveling (see Sefer Chassidim 656). One can also prepare some money to give upon arriving at their destination (Kaf HaChaim 110:27).

Speaking on Shabbat: One should avoid talking about travel plans on Shabbat, as this kind of conversation is generally not in the spirit of Shabbat (Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 307).

Accompanying Travelers: The Rambam says it’s a positive mitzvah from the rabbis to walk guests out when they leave (Laws of Mourning, cited in Sma 427:11). While it’s not commonly practiced today because many people travel in groups, there’s a touching story about the Steipler Gaon: Whenever someone told him they were leaving Israel for abroad, he would rise with effort despite his weakness and walk them to the door.

Tefilat HaDerech – The Traveler’s Prayer

How Far Is Far Enough? You say the Traveler’s Prayer when traveling at least a parsa (around 4.6 km or about 2.8 miles) outside a city (Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 110:7). It’s best to say it early in the journey, preferably during the first parsa. If forgotten, it can still be said as long as you haven't come within one parsa of your destination city.

How Often? Say it once per day, even if you return home and later set out again. A taxi driver who travels twice in one day only says it once, as their intention is always to travel (Rabbi Elyashiv).

If someone is traveling over several days and sleeps somewhere overnight in a settled way, they should say Tefilat HaDerech the next morning with the blessing. If they just rested briefly, they say it without the blessing (Mishnah Berurah 110:26).

Connect to Another Blessing: It’s ideal to link the Traveler’s Prayer to another blessing, like Asher Yatzar (after using the restroom), a blessing after food or drink, or even a smell blessing (borei minei besamim). Even tasting a small candy and removing it before swallowing can count. But if no opportunity to connect arises, don’t delay just say the prayer (Mishnah Berurah 110:28).

Use Plural Language: Even if you’re alone, say the prayer in plural, like "guide us in peace." Why? Because we pray not only for ourselves, but for all travelers hoping to be answered in their merit, too.

On a Bus with a Loudspeaker: If the Traveler’s Prayer is said aloud through a speaker, you must still move your lips and say the words yourself. Just listening is not enough.

Walking Tours: If you’re going on a walking route longer than a parsa (around 4.7 km), say the Traveler’s Prayer once you’re 70 cubits outside of town.

Mezuzah on Vacation Rentals

If you rent a place outside Israel for 30 days or more, you need to put up a mezuzah. When you leave, since the home is not owned by a Jew, you may take the mezuzah with you. In Israel, however, even short-term rentals require a mezuzah right away. And unless there’s a concern the owner might damage them, the mezuzahs should be left in place (Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 286).

Washing Hands Without a Vessel

Question: On vacation, you may find yourself without a washing cup. What if there’s only a faucet?

Answer: According to Shulchan Aruch (159:9), if you can open and close the faucet to pour water like a person would with a vessel, it counts. But the Mishnah Berurah (159:64) says this only works if the faucet isn’t attached to the ground like an old-style barrel faucet.

Modern faucets, including those in gardens, are considered attached to the house or land. According to Rabbi Nissim Karelitz, this means they don’t count as a valid vessel at all. So washing from them, even with human force, doesn’t fulfill the mitzvah unfortunately, even after the fact.

Changing Places While Eating

If someone is eating or drinking something that doesn’t require an after-blessing to be in the same place like juice or snacks that require Borei Nefashot and then they step out onto the roof for fresh air, that’s considered a change of location (like going into a yard). To continue eating or drinking afterward, a new blessing may be needed (based on rulings of Rabbi Wosner and Rabbi Nissim Karelitz).