1. חמי טבריה for טבילת ידים

Chizkiyah says regarding חמי טבריא – hot water from the springs of Teveriah, אין נוטלין מהם לידים – we may not use them to wash our hands before eating, אבל מטבילין בהם הידים – but we may immerse our hands in them before eating. Rebbe Yochanan says that although חמי טבריה are valid for a tamei to immerse his entire body, they are not valid for immersing hands alone. The Gemara objects that if חמי טבריה are valid for tevilah of one’s entire body, certainly they are valid for immersing his hands!? [Rashi explains that טבילת ידים is more effective than נטילת ידים.] Rav Pappa explains: במקומן – when the spring waters are in their place (containing forty סאה), all agree immersing hands is effective. משקל מינייהו במנא – To take [חמי טרביה] in a כלי and wash one’s hands, all agree they are not valid. [Although Chizkiyah allowed using חמי אור – water heated by fire for נטילת ידים, those were originally cool, but חמי טבריה, which were always hot, are disqualified for נטילת ידים.] The machlokes is דפסקינהו בבת בירתא – where he separated [חמי טבריה] into a small channel lacking forty סאה, but it is halachically connected to forty סאה. Rebbe Yochanan holds this טבילה was decreed invalid, lest someone come to wash with its water from a כלי, and Chizkiyah holds there is no such gezeirah.

1. The reason for נטילת ידים for chullin; machlokes about washing for פירות

Rav Yitzchak bar Ashyan said: נטילת ידים לחולין מפני סרך תרומה – washing one’s hands for eating chullin was instituted to form a habit for terumah, i.e., to accustom Kohanim to washing their hands (because ordinary hands were decreed tamei, and are metamei terumah). ועוד משום מצוה – Also, because of a mitzvah. Abaye explains that he means מצוה לשמוע דברי חכמים – it is a mitzvah to heed the words of the Sages who enacted נטילת ידים. Rava said that it is a mitzvah to heed the words of Rebbe Elazar ben Arach, who finds a source for נטילת ידים: the passuk says that anyone who touched a zav, וידיו לא שטף במים – and did not wash his hands in water [shall be tamei]. He darshens this to say that someone else who does not wash his hands is tamei (Rashi says this is an אסמכתא). Rebbe Oshaya said that נטילת ידים for פירות was only said משום נקיות – because of cleanliness, and Rava clarified that it is neither an obligation nor even a mitzvah; it is merely רשות – optional. This disagrees with Rav Nachman, who says: הנוטל ידיו לפירות אינו אלא מגסי הרוח - one who washes his hands for produce is but from the haughty of spirit.

1. Washing "עד הפרק", חציצות

A Baraisa states that נטילת ידים for chullin requires washing the fingers עד הפרק – until the second joint in the middle of the finger. Washing for terumah requires washing עד הפרק – until the next joint, the knuckles, and קידוש ידים ורגלים – sanctification of a Kohen’s hands and feet in the Mikdash before performing avodah must be עד הפרק – until the next joint, the wrist. Rav ruled according to this distinction between chullin and terumah, but Shmuel said one must wash even for chullin until the knuckles, ruling stringently. Rav Sheishess ruled leniently, allowing washing for both chullin and terumah until the second joint. The above Baraisa concludes: וכל דבר שחוצץ בטבילה בגוף – And anything which constitutes a separation for immersion of the body in a mikveh חוצץ בנטילת ידים לחולין – constitutes a separation for washing one’s hands for chullin, as well as for קידוש ידים ורגלים