Asher yatzar ( he, בִּרְכַּת אֲשֶׁר יָצַר "Who has formed man") is a blessing in

Judaism Judaism ( he, ''Yahăḏūṯ'') is an Abrahamic, monotheistic, and ethnic religion comprising the collective religious, cultural, and legal tradition and civilization of the Jewish people. It has its roots as an organized religion in t ...

. It is recited after engaging in an act of

excretion Excretion is a process in which metabolic waste is eliminated from an organism. In vertebrates this is primarily carried out by the lungs, kidneys, and skin. This is in contrast with secretion, where the substance may have specific tasks after ...

urination Urination, also known as micturition, is the release of urine from the urinary bladder through the urethra to the outside of the body. It is the urinary system's form of excretion. It is also known medically as micturition, voiding, uresis, ...

, but is also included in many Jewish prayer books as a part of daily prayer prior to ''

birkot hashachar Birkot hashachar or Birkot haShachar ( he, ברכות השחר, , morning blessings' or 'blessings fthe dawn) are a series of blessings that are recited at the beginning of Jewish morning services. The blessings represent thanks to God for a re ...

''. The purpose of this blessing is to thank

God In monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. Swinburne, R.G. "God" in Honderich, Ted. (ed)''The Oxford Companion to Philosophy'', Oxford University Press, 1995. God is typically ...

for good health. It expresses thanks for having the ability to excrete, for without it existence would be impossible. Though recited normally by observant Jews each time excretory functions are used, it is also recited during the

Shacharit ''Shacharit'' ( he, שַחֲרִית ''šaḥăriṯ''), or ''Shacharis'' in Ashkenazi Hebrew, is the morning ''tefillah'' (prayer) of Judaism, one of the three daily prayers. Different traditions identify different primary components o ...

service due to its spiritual significance (to Jews, humans are made in God's image, so it is an expression of awe toward God's creations).

Sources

The obligation to recite a blessing upon leaving the bathroom could be traced to the following passage in Berachot (60b):

Abaye Abaye ( he, אַבַּיֵי) was a rabbi of the Jewish Talmud who lived in Babylonia, known as an amora of the fourth generation. He was born about the close of the third century, and died 337 CE. Biography His father, Kaylil, was the brother ...

objects to saying the above, and suggests one should recite something else prior to relieving oneself as well as recite a blessing similar to ''Asher Yatzar'' upon exiting the latrine. A dispute over what the conclusion (''chasima'') of the blessing should be is recorded: The

Halakha ''Halakha'' (; he, הֲלָכָה, ), also transliterated as ''halacha'', ''halakhah'', and ''halocho'' ( ), is the collective body of Jewish religious laws which is derived from the written and Oral Torah. Halakha is based on biblical commandm ...

follows Rav Papa.

Process

After completing

or defecation and upon leaving the bathroom, the person washes their hands. According to Jewish etiquette, this should be done outside the bathroom, but if there is no source of water available outside the bathroom, it is permissible to wash one's hands inside the bathroom, then dry them outside; some are lenient in modern bathrooms to wash in the bathroom, as our bathrooms are much more clean than the outhouses of the olden days. No '' al netilat yadayim blessing'' is recited for the handwashing. Following the washing and drying of one's hands, the asher yatzar'' blessing is recited.

Text

:English resented in Nusach Sfarad; see footnotes for other Nuschaot:"Blessed are You, Adonai, our God, King of the universe, Who formed man with wisdom and created within him many openings and . , or would be sealed, it would be impossible to survive . Blessed are You, Adonai, Who heals all flesh and acts wondrously." :Hebrew resented in Nusach Sfarad; see footnotes for other Nuschaot:"

People with medical issues

There is no consensus as to whether or not (or how often) a person with medical issues should recite ''Asher Yatzar'': *A person with incontinence should recite the blessing after urination, even if it is involuntary *One who has no bowel or bladder control does not recite the blessing at all *One who, as a result of medication feels an interrupted need to urinate, should recite the blessing a single time after they have emptied their bladder *One who has a

urinary catheter In urinary catheterization a latex, polyurethane, or silicone tube known as a urinary catheter is inserted into the bladder through the urethra to allow urine to drain from the bladder for collection. It may also be used to inject liquids used ...

is considered to engage in a single act of urination lasting the entire day, so the catheter's wearer should recite the blessing once in the morning with the intent that it apply to all urination for the entire day. *One who has

diarrhea Diarrhea, also spelled diarrhoea, is the condition of having at least three loose, liquid, or watery bowel movements each day. It often lasts for a few days and can result in dehydration due to fluid loss. Signs of dehydration often begin w ...

should recite the blessing after each instance of diarrhea *One who has taken a

laxative Laxatives, purgatives, or aperients are substances that loosen stools and increase bowel movements. They are used to treat and prevent constipation. Laxatives vary as to how they work and the side effects they may have. Certain stimulant, lubri ...

should not recite the blessing until the laxative has taken effect *One whose mind is not completely settled due to illness is exempt

References

External links