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Food and Beverages Touched prior to Washing Negel Vasser

One should not touch any food or beverage before washing negel vasser, the ritual washing of hands upon awakening, lest those items absorb a ruach ra, a negative spirit. If that occurred, the food should be thoroughly rinsed, and only then may it be eaten. Some poskim suggest washing it three times, the way we wash negel vasser. Any food item that cannot be rinsed, and of course drinks, should be disposed of. Poskim say that the consumption of food or drinks that were touched by a Jew who had not washed negel vasser and were not rinsed off, has a negative effect on the person and causes timtum halev, a dulling of their spiritual senses. However, food and beverages that were touched by a non-Jew, even though they did not wash negel vasser, does not acquire a ruach ra, and may be consumed. The Alter Rebbe writes that if someone is careful not to eat food that was touched by a baby boy prior to being washed negel vasser, starting from the day of the baby’s bris, kodosh yei’omer lo, that person is considered holy. With regard to a baby girl, one should be cautious from birth or at least from when she receives her Jewish name. However, the actual obligation of washing a child negel vasser begins when the child reaches the age of chinuch for mitzvos.