III. Benedictions at Meals, etc: M. VIII. 2, T. VI. 2. The Order of Washing Hands, and Mixing the Cup

The Order of Washing Hands, and Mixing the Cup. M.VIII. 2. The School of Shammai say: Men wash their hands 4 and afterwards mix the cup. And the School of Hillel say: Men mix the cup and afterwards wash their hands. 5 T. VI. 2. The School of Shammai say: Men wash their hands, and afterwards mix the cup. Perchance [any] moisture which is on the outside of the cup 6 becomes unclean through the hands, and makes the cup unclean again. But the School of Hillel say: The outside of the cup is unclean in any case. Another reason [given] p. 67 T.is: The washing of hands is only joined to a meal. (Hence) men mix the cup, and after that wash their hands. 1 66:4 wash their hands. By pouring water over them. 66:5 On this mishna see T. 66:6 on the outside of the cup. Hence the need to clean the outside, Matt. 2325. 67:1 wash their hands. The common . text adds: "For if thou sayest, men wash first, perchance the liquid on the hands will become unclean through the cup, and will make the hands unclean again. But they mix the cup, and afterwards wash their hands." The meaning is that if the hands are damp from washing, and one takes hold of a cup whose outside is already unclean, the hands then become unclean and one would eat with unclean hands.