Why a Level 4 devoted to the Alter Rebbe ? The Alter Rebbe’s Shulchan Aruch is not a commentary on the Mehaber (מחבר) — it is a complete, self-standing Shulchan Aruch, written by the Alter Rebbe (Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, founder of Habad, disciple of the Maggid (מגיד) of Mezeritch). Its singularity : it combines halakha (הלכה) + טעמי המצוות + inner dimension in one work, and rules with a unique Talmudic rigor.
For Habad, the Alter Rebbe is הפוסק האחרון — his psak is the deciding authority. This page gathers the Rav’s way on siman קס״ו — the interruption between the netila and the ״הַמּוֹצִיא״, which he treats in his סְעִיף אֶחָד (single seif) under the heading דִּינֵי בְּצִיעַת הַפַּת : the הֶסַח הַדַּעַת מֵהַסְּעוּדָה ; the permission of קִדּוּשׁ וְהַבְדָּלָה בֵּין נְטִילָה לְ״הַמּוֹצִיא״ ; the principle תֵּכֶף לִנְטִילַת יָדַיִם בְּרָכָה ; the שִׁעוּר כ״ב אַמָּה ; what belongs to the צֹרֶךְ הַסְּעוּדָה ; and the מִזְמוֹר ״ה׳ רוֹעִי״ that people are accustomed to say between the netila and the Hamotzi.
שולחן ערוך הרב — סימן קס״ו — דִּינֵי בְּצִיעַת הַפַּת
The full text of the Alter Rebbe’s Shulchan Aruch
שולחן ערוך הרב, סימן קס״ו — דִּינֵי בְּצִיעַת הַפַּת — וּבוֹ סְעִיף אֶחָד
The Alter Rebbe’s own text (Sefaria source Shulchan_Arukh_HaRav,_Orach_Chayim.166), followed by our English translation. The siman comprises one seif (סְעִיף אֶחָד ; seif 1 → .166.1).
סעיף א דִּין הֶפְסֵק בֵּין נְטִילָה לְ״הַמּוֹצִיא״ — הֶסַח הַדַּעַת, קִדּוּשׁ, כ״ב אַמָּה וּמִזְמוֹר ״ה׳ רוֹעִי״.
דִּינֵי בְּצִיעַת הַפַּת, וּבוֹ סְעִיף אֶחָד: לֹא אָמְרוּ ״תֵּכֶף לִנְטִילַת יָדַיִם סְעוּדָה״, אֶלָּא שֶׁלֹּא יִתְעַסֵּק בֵּינְתַיִם בְּאֵיזֶה עֵסֶק עַד שֶׁיַּסִּיחַ דַּעְתּוֹ מֵהַסְּעוּדָה. וַאֲפִלּוּ לִמְזֹג כּוֹס לְקִדּוּשׁ הַיּוֹם, אִם מוֹזְגוֹ בְּחַמִּין, שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לְדַקְדֵּק הַרְבֵּה שֶׁלֹּא יְחַסֵּר אוֹ יְיַתֵּר — הֲרֵי זֶה הֶסַּח הַדַּעַת מֵהַסְּעוּדָה, וְאָסוּר לַעֲשׂוֹתוֹ בֵּין נְטִילַת יָדַיִם לַסְּעוּדָה. וְהוּא הַדִּין לְכָל כַּיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה. אֲבָל אִם יוֹשֵׁב בָּטֵל וְאֵינוֹ עוֹשֶׂה בֵּינְתַיִם שׁוּם מַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ הֶסַּח הַדַּעַת, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁשּׁוֹהֶה הַרְבֵּה, וַאֲפִלּוּ מֵשִׂיחַ מְעַט — אֵין לָחֹשׁ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהַשֻּׁלְחָן לְפָנָיו וְדַעְתּוֹ לֶאֱכֹל. וּבִלְבַד שֶׁלֹּא יַפְלִיג בִּדְבָרִים, שֶׁלֹּא יָבֹא לִידֵי הֶסַּח הַדַּעַת. וְלָכֵן מֻתָּר לוֹמַר קִדּוּשׁ וְהַבְדָּלָה בֵּין נְטִילַת יָדַיִם לְ״הַמּוֹצִיא״. וְלֹא אָמְרוּ ״תֵּכֶף לִנְטִילַת יָדַיִם בְּרָכָה״, אֶלָּא בְּמַיִם אַחֲרוֹנִים בִּלְבַד. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים שֶׁגַּם בְּמַיִם רִאשׁוֹנִים צָרִיךְ לִזָּהֵר כְּמוֹ בְּמַיִם אַחֲרוֹנִים, שֶׁהֲרֵי אָמְרוּ: ״הַתּוֹכֵף לִנְטִילַת יָדַיִם בְּרָכָה — אֵינוֹ נִזּוֹק בְּכָל אוֹתָהּ סְעוּדָה״, וְזֶהוּ בְּמַיִם רִאשׁוֹנִים, שֶׁבְּמַיִם אַחֲרוֹנִים מַה שֶּׁהָיָה כְּבָר הָיָה. לְפִיכָךְ, צָרִיךְ לִזָּהֵר שֶׁלֹּא לְהַפְסִיק אֲפִלּוּ בִּשְׁהִיָּה כְּדֵי הִלּוּךְ כ״ב אַמָּה, שֶׁבְּשִׁעוּר זֶה נִקְרָא הֶפְסֵק אֲפִלּוּ יוֹשֵׁב בִּמְקוֹמוֹ (וְאִם הָלַךְ מִבֵּיתוֹ לְבַיִת אַחֵר — נִקְרָא הֶפְסֵק אֲפִלּוּ הוֹלֵךְ מְעַט). וְשֶׁלֹּא לְצֹרֶךְ אֵין לְהַפְסִיק אֲפִלּוּ בִּשְׁהִיָּה מוּעֶטֶת. וּלְדַבֵּר אָסוּר אֲפִלּוּ בְּדִבְרֵי תּוֹרָה (אוֹ אֵיזֶה בְּרָכָה מְרֻבָּה שֶׁלֹּא מֵעִנְיַן הַסְּעוּדָה, כְּגוֹן לְהַבְדִּיל עַל הַכּוֹס). וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר בִּדְבַר חֹל. וְטוֹב לָחֹשׁ לְדִבְרֵיהֶם. וּמִכָּל מָקוֹם, אֵין צָרִיךְ לִזָּהֵר אֶלָּא מִלְּדַבֵּר בְּאֵיזֶה עֵסֶק וְעִנְיָן אַחֵר, אֲבָל שִׂיחָה בְּעָלְמָא ב׳ אוֹ ג׳ תֵּבוֹת — אֵינָן חֲשׁוּבִין הֶפְסֵק לְדִבְרֵי הַכֹּל, אֲפִלּוּ בְּמַיִם אַחֲרוֹנִים (כֵּיוָן שֶׁאֵין בָּהֶם עִנְיָן שָׁלֵם). וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁמֻּתָּר לְהָשִׁיב הֵן אוֹ לָאו כְּשֶׁשּׁוֹאֲלִין אוֹתוֹ דָּבָר. וּמֵעִנְיַן הַסְּעוּדָה וּצְרָכֶיהָ אֵינוֹ חָשׁוּב הֶפְסֵק אֲפִלּוּ בֵּין ״הַמּוֹצִיא״ לַאֲכִילָה, כָּל שֶׁכֵּן בֵּין נְטִילָה לְ״הַמּוֹצִיא״. וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁהַשְּׁהִיָּה בְּנִגּוּב וְהִלּוּךְ מִמָּקוֹם שֶׁנָּטַל יָדָיו לִמְקוֹם הַסְּעוּדָה אֵינָן חֲשׁוּבִין הֶפְסֵק, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהוּא צֹרֶךְ הַסְּעוּדָה. אֶלָּא שֶׁלְּכַתְּחִלָּה צָרִיךְ לִטֹּל יָדָיו סָמוּךְ לִמְקוֹם הַסְּעוּדָה אִם אֶפְשָׁר, (ש)כְּמוֹ שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לִמְזֹג הַכּוֹס שֶׁל קִדּוּשׁ בְּחַמִּין קֹדֶם הַנְּטִילָה לְדִבְרֵי הַכֹּל, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהַקִּדּוּשׁ הוּא צֹרֶךְ הַסְּעוּדָה, כֵּיוָן שֶׁאֶפְשָׁר לִמְזֹג קֹדֶם הַנְּטִילָה. (וַאֲפִלּוּ לְכַתְּחִלָּה מֻתָּר לְהַפְסִיק בְּצָרְכֵי סְעוּדָה בֵּין נְטִילָה לְ״הַמּוֹצִיא״ אִם שָׁכַח עֲלֵיהֶם קֹדֶם הַנְּטִילָה, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאָסְרוּ בֵּין ״הַמּוֹצִיא״ לַאֲכִילָה). לָכֵן מִי שֶׁנּוֹהֵג לְהִתְפַּלֵּל בְּכָל יוֹם עַל מְזוֹנוֹ קֹדֶם הַסְּעוּדָה כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּזֹּהַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ, וְשָׁכַח לְהִתְפַּלֵּל קֹדֶם הַנְּטִילָה — מֻתָּר לוֹ לְהַפְסִיק בְּכָךְ בֵּין נְטִילָה לְ״הַמּוֹצִיא״. וְהָעוֹלָם נָהֲגוּ לוֹמַר מִזְמוֹר ״ה׳ רוֹעִי״ בֵּין נְטִילָה לְ״הַמּוֹצִיא״ (וְיֵשׁ לְלַמֵּד עֲלֵיהֶם זְכוּת, לְפִי שֶׁלִּפְעָמִים שֶׁאֵין הַיָּדַיִם נְקִיּוֹת קֹדֶם הַנְּטִילָה, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁזֶּהוּ מֵעִנְיַן סְעוּדָה וְאֵינוֹ חָשׁוּב הֶפְסֵק לְדִבְרֵי הַכֹּל — הֵקֵלּוּ בּוֹ שֶׁלֹּא לִטְרֹחַ לְהִזָּהֵר לְאָמְרוֹ קֹדֶם הַנְּטִילָה בְּנִקְיוֹן כַּפַּיִם):
The law of interruption between the netila and the ״הַמּוֹצִיא״. They said "immediately after netilat yadayim, the meal" (תֵּכֶף לנטילת ידים סעודה) only to mean that one should not busy himself meanwhile with some occupation to the point of turning his mind away from the meal (הֶסַח הַדַּעַת). And even mixing a cup for the day’s Kiddush, if he mixes it with hot water — for one must then take great care not to put too little or too much — that is a turning of the mind away from the meal, and it is forbidden to do it between the netila and the meal ; and the same applies to anything similar. But if one sits idle and does nothing meanwhile that involves a turning away of the mind, even if he waits a long while, and even if he chats a little — there is no concern, since the table is before him and his intention is to eat. Provided that he does not prolong the talk too much, lest he come to a turning away of the mind. It is therefore permitted to say the Kiddush and the Havdala between the netilat yadayim and the "הַמּוֹצִיא". And they said "immediately after netilat yadayim, the blessing" (תֵּכֶף לנטילת ידים ברכה) only concerning the last waters (מים אחרונים) alone. And there are those who say that even for the first waters (מים ראשונים) one must be careful as for the last waters, for they said: "one who joins the blessing to the netilat yadayim is not harmed during that whole meal" — and this concerns the first waters, for regarding the last waters what was, already was. Therefore, one must take care not to pause even by a delay equivalent to the time of walking כ״ב אַמָּה (twenty-two cubits), for by that measure it is called an interruption, even if he remains seated in his place (and if he went from his house to another house — it is called an interruption even if he walks but a little). And without need, one should not pause even by a short delay. And speaking is forbidden, even words of Torah (or some lengthy blessing unrelated to the meal, such as making Havdala over the cup). And needless to say for a mundane matter. And it is good to take their view into account. Nevertheless, one need only be careful not to speak of some other occupation or matter ; but a mere conversation of two or three words is not considered an interruption according to all, even for the last waters (since there is in them no complete matter). And all the more so is it permitted to answer "yes" or "no" when one is asked something. And what pertains to the meal and its needs is not considered an interruption, even between the "הַמּוֹצִיא" and eating, all the more so between the netila and the "הַמּוֹצִיא". And all the more so the delay of drying (נִגּוּב) and of walking from the place where he washed his hands to the place of the meal is not considered an interruption, since it is a need of the meal. Only that a priori one must wash his hands close to the place of the meal if possible, just as one must mix the cup of Kiddush with hot water before the netila according to all, even though the Kiddush is a need of the meal, since it is possible to mix before the netila. (And even a priori it is permitted to pause for the needs of the meal between the netila and the "הַמּוֹצִיא" if he forgot them before the netila, even though they forbade it between the "הַמּוֹצִיא" and eating.) Therefore one who has the custom to pray each day for his sustenance before the meal, as it is written in the holy Zohar, and forgot to pray before the netila — it is permitted for him to pause for this between the netila and the "הַמּוֹצִיא". And people have taken the custom to say the psalm "ה׳ רוֹעִי" (the L-rd is my shepherd) between the netila and the "הַמּוֹצִיא" (and there is room to find merit for them, since sometimes the hands are not clean before the netila, and since this pertains to the meal and is not considered an interruption according to all — they were lenient in it so as not to take the trouble to be careful to say it before the netila with clean hands).
Source : Sefaria — Shulchan Arukh HaRav, Orach Chayim קס״ו (Kehot edition, סְעִיף אֶחָד). English translation: DAAT. No passage is cited beyond this verifiable text.
הלכה למעשה — מנהג חב״ד
The practical Habad conduct
Points of conduct that flow directly from siman קס״ו in the sensibility of the Alter Rebbe and Habad — presented at the level of principle, referring to the Rav for the details of the cases.
For the Habad Hassid — Siman קס״ו (דִּינֵי בְּצִיעַת הַפַּת · the interruption between netila and ״הַמּוֹצִיא״)
- ① The foundation: הֶסַח הַדַּעַת. "תֵּכֶף לנטילת ידים סעודה" means that one should not busy himself meanwhile to the point of turning his mind away from the meal ; even precisely mixing a hot cup of Kiddush between the netila and the meal is already a הֶסַח הַדַּעַת and is forbidden.
- ② Sitting, chatting a little. If he sits with no act of hesech hada’at — even if he waits a long while and even chats a little — there is no concern, for the table is before him and his mind is on eating ; provided he does not prolong the talk.
- ③ Kiddush and Havdala. It is therefore permitted to say the Kiddush and the Havdala between the netila and the "הַמּוֹצִיא".
- ④ תֵּכֶף לנטילת ידים ברכה. By one view this applies only to the last waters (מים אחרונים) ; by another, also to the first waters (מים ראשונים) — "one who joins the blessing to the netilat yadayim is not harmed the whole meal." And it is good to take this view into account.
- ⑤ The measure כ״ב אַמָּה. For this view, one does not pause even by a delay equivalent to walking כ״ב אַמָּה, which is already called a הֶפְסֵק — even seated in place ; and moving from house to house is a הֶפְסֵק even when walking but a little.
- ⑥ Speaking. Without need one does not pause even by a short delay ; and speaking is forbidden, even words of Torah — but a mere conversation of two or three words, or answering "yes / no," is not a הֶפְסֵק.
- ⑦ צֹרֶךְ הַסְּעוּדָה. What pertains to the meal and its needs is not an interruption — all the more so between the netila and the "הַמּוֹצִיא" ; likewise the נִגּוּב and walking to the place of the meal. A priori, one nonetheless washes close to the place of the meal if possible.
- ⑧ Tefila and the מִזְמוֹר ״ה׳ רוֹעִי״. One who is accustomed to pray over his sustenance (as written in the Zohar) and forgot before the netila may pause for it ; and the widespread custom of saying the psalm "ה׳ רוֹעִי" between the netila and the "הַמּוֹצִיא" has merit, since it pertains to the meal and is not a הֶפְסֵק.
⚠ This section presents the Habad conduct grounded in the Alter Rebbe’s Shulchan Aruch, siman קס״ו (the real text reproduced in §1). It does not replace a rabbinic ruling for a particular case. For any concrete question — the שִׁעוּר, the הֶסַח הַדַּעַת, the place of the קִדּוּשׁ — consult your Rav, and for Habad, a Habad Rav.