The Netilat Yadayim Cup: What It Is and How to Use It

A natla, or netilat yadayim cup, is one of the most-used objects in a Jewish home. It is picked up every morning and before every meal with bread — so it is worth choosing one you love.

When do we wash?

• On waking — the first act of the day, often with the cup kept by the bed or the bathroom sink.
• Before eating bread — at Shabbat and holiday meals, and any meal that begins with bread or challah.

The washing is about purity and readiness, not hygiene: hands should already be clean before you begin.

How to wash before bread

1. Remove rings and make sure your hands are clean and dry.
2. Fill the cup with water.
3. Pour over your right hand, covering it up to the wrist, then over your left. Many people pour twice or three times on each hand — follow your family's custom.
4. Lift your hands and say the blessing: Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha'olam, asher kidshanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu al netilat yadayim.
5. Dry your hands, and avoid talking until you have said Hamotzi and eaten the bread.

What makes a good washing cup?

• Enough water. The cup should hold at least a revi'it — roughly 3–5 fl oz (86–150 ml), depending on the opinion you follow. A larger cup means one fill does both hands.
• A whole rim. The cup should be complete, without cracks, chips or a spout.
• Easy to hold with wet hands. A shape you can grip securely matters more than handles.
• A place to live. Many families keep it by the kitchen sink on a small tray, so it is part of the room rather than hidden away.

A gift that gets used every day

Because it is used daily, a washing cup is a favorite gift for a new home, a wedding, or a Bar or Bat Mitzvah — a first ritual object of their own.