When does one recite the Beracha "Al Netilat Yadayim" over the morning hand-washing?
The Tashbatz (Rav Shimshon Ben Sadok, Germany, 13th century) relates that the Maharam Me'Rutenberg (Germany, 1215-1293) would recite the Beracha over the morning washing in the synagogue, well after he washed his hands. He would wash his hands at home, after waking, but he recited the Beracha "Al Netilat Yadayim" later, together with the other Birkot Ha'shahar (morning blessings) upon arriving in the synagogue. Rabbenu Peretz (France, 13th century), in his glosses to the Tashbatz, writes that although this was the custom in German communities, in his region the custom was to recite Birkot Ha'shahar at home, when washing one's hands.
The Rambam, in one of his responsa, addresses a report that the Jews of Damascus would recite the Beracha of "Al Netilat Yadayim" in the synagogue, well after the morning washing, and he writes that the blessing recited at that point unquestionably constitutes a Beracha Le'batala – a blessing recited in vain. A well-established rule requires reciting a Beracha "Ober La'asiyatan" – before performing the Misva, and thus once a person completes the Misva, he cannot then recite the blessing over that Misva. Hence, the Rambam writes, the Beracha of "Al Netilat Yadayim" cannot be recited after one washes his hands. He adds that even if a community has a long-standing tradition to follow this practice, it must be discontinued, as this practice is incorrect. The Rambam rules that the Beracha must be recited before one begins the performance of the Misva – meaning, before he pours water over his hands.
Maran (Rav Yosef Karo, author of the Shulhan Aruch), in Bet Yosef, offers an explanation for the custom of reciting the Beracha upon arriving in the synagogue. He notes the view of the Rashba (Rav Shlomo Ben Aderet, Spain, 1235-1310) that the morning washing was instituted as an expression of gratitude to Hashem for restoring our souls in the morning. In response to the return of our souls, we wash our hands like Kohanim who wash their hands before entering the Bet Ha'mikdash to serve – showing that we are prepared to serve Hashem like the Kohanim. According to this understanding of the Misva, one could perceive the Beracha of "Al Netilat Yadayim" as a blessing of thanksgiving, expressing gratitude to Hashem for restoring one's soul. If so, then this Beracha indeed resembles the Birkot Ha'shahar, which give praise to Hashem for the gifts we receive each morning, such as the ability to open our eyes, to stand up straight, and to put on clothing. As such, the custom to recite "Al Netilat Yadayim" together with the other blessings in the synagogue is perhaps valid.
This explanation given by the Bet Yosef appears already in the commentary of the Maharam Halawa (Spain, 14th century) to Masechet Pesahim (7b), who supports the custom of reciting "Al Netilat Yadayim" together with the Birkot Ha'shahar in the synagogue.
However, the Bet Yosef concludes his discussion by noting that the general custom among Sephardic Jewry does not follow this practice, and the more correct custom is to recite the Beracha at the time the Misva is performed.
Hacham Ovadia Yosef noted that this issue could hinge on the fundamental question regarding the nature of the Birkot Ha'shahar. The Rambam maintained that each of the morning blessings must be recited at the time of the phenomenon for which it praises Hashem. For example, according to the Rambam, only if and when one hears the rooster crow does he recite "Ha'noten La'sechvi Bina." Likewise, one recites the Beracha "Poke'ah Ivrim" immediately upon opening his eyes, and one recites "Malbish Arumim" immediately when he puts on his clothes. In the Rambam's view, these blessings are recited over the personal experience of these phenomena. Others, however, viewed these blessings as expressions of praise for the general phenomena, and not of personal gratitude. This was the view of the Arizal, who maintained that one recites "Ha'noten La'sechvi Bina" even if he did not hear the rooster's crow in the morning. This is the basis for the accepted practice to recite all the morning blessings together, and not as one experiences each phenomenon. Hacham Ovadia observed that the Rambam, who viewed these blessings as expressions of personal gratitude, also argued that "Al Netilat Yadayim" must be recited at the time one washes his hands. Even if the Rambam would agree that "Al Netilat Yadayim" is recited over the gift of the soul's restoration in the morning, he requires reciting it at the time of the washing, just as he requires reciting all the morning blessings at the time one experiences each phenomenon.
On the other hand, Hacham Ovadia added, the Arizal agreed that one does not recite "Al Netilat Yadayim" in the morning unless he washed his hands (and that one does not recite "Asher Yasar" in the morning unless he performed his bodily functions). And thus if one remained awake throughout the night, he does not recite "Al Netilat Yadayim" in the morning. Hence, it seems that the Arizal viewed "Al Netilat Yadayim" in the morning as a typical Birkat Ha'misva (Beracha recited over a Misva), in which case it must be recited at the time one fulfills the Misva, and not later.
However, there are – surprisingly – those who require reciting "Al Netilat Yadayim" after the morning hand-washing, despite viewing this Beracha as a classic Birkat Ha'misva. The rationale behind this opinion is the fact that one cannot recite a Beracha while his hands are contaminated by the spirit of impurity that descends upon them during the night. Rabbenu David Bonafede (Spain, 13th century), in his commentary to Masechet Pesahim (7b), draws a comparison between the Beracha over the morning hand-washing and the Beracha recited by a convert over his immersion in a Mikveh. The convert cannot recite the blessing before immersing, because he is at that point still a gentile. Therefore, the ordinary rule of "Ober La'asiyatan" is suspended, and the Beracha is recited after the fulfillment of the Misva – meaning, after the immersion. By the same token, since we cannot recite a Beracha in the morning until we dry our hands to eliminate the impurity, the rule of "Ober La'asiyatan" is suspended, as the Beracha must be recited afterward. And once the Beracha in any event cannot be recited before performing the Misva, it may be recited later, in the synagogue, together with the other morning blessings. (This brings to mind the Beracha of "Ga'al Yisrael" which we recite at the end of the Maggid section at the Seder, which many have viewed as the Beracha over the Misva to tell the story of the Exodus. When we begin the Seder, we are to see ourselves as slaves, and slaves have no Misva obligation. Hence, we cannot recite the Beracha before performing this Misva. Through the process of Maggid, we experience Yesiat Misrayim, and at that point we are then able to recite the Beracha which were unable to recite before performing the Misva.)
Indeed, the Hida (Rav Haim Yosef David Azulai, 1724-1806) cites the Maharam Nigrin (16th century) as stating that the impure forces remain on the hands until after they are dried, implying that the Beracha should be recited only after one dries his hands. This is the ruling of several Sephardic Poskim, including Rav Haim Palachi (Turkey, 1788-1868), the Hesed La'alafim (Rav Eliezer Papo, 1785-1828), and the Zechor Le'Abraham (Rav Abraham Alkalai, 1750-1811). Rav Eliyahu Mani (Hebron, d. 1899) wrote that the prevalent practice was to recite the Beracha only after drying the hands, though his custom was to recite the Beracha before drying his hands.
By contrast, the Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909) brings the Arizal's teaching that the forces of impurity leave the hands after the water is poured on them, even before they are dried, and so the Beracha should be recited at that point – right before they are dried. As this is the Arizal's opinion, this is the practice that should be followed.
If, however, one is unable to recite the Beracha before drying them, then he may recite it later, relying on the opinion that the Beracha should be recited after drying. This can happen if there is a foul odor in the area where one washes – such as if there is a sewage blockage – and it is thus forbidden to recite a Beracha at that spot. Likewise, if somebody forgot to recite a Beracha before he dried his hands, he recites the Beracha afterward. If one washes his hands and cannot remember whether or not he recited the Beracha, he does not recite the Beracha, as we follow the famous rule of "Safek Berachot Le'hakel" – a Beracha is not recited when there is some uncertainty about whether it is required.
The proper text of the Beracha is "Al Netilat Yadayim." If somebody mistakenly recited "Li'tol Yadayim," he does not repeat the Beracha.
If one does not have a towel available for drying his hands, he may use a hot-air machine, like those stationed in many public restrooms.
If one slept with gloves, then he washes his hands in the morning without reciting the Beracha. The Rosh (Rabbenu Asher Ben Yehiel, Germany-Spain, d. 1327) understood the morning washing as resulting from the fact that a person's hands likely touched unclean parts of the body during the night. Therefore, according to the Rosh, one who wore gloves during the night does not bear an obligation to wash his hands in the morning. Although Halacha requires the individual to wash his hands due to the other reasons given for the morning hand-washing, he should not recite a blessing, in deference to the view of the Rosh.
Summary: Some Poskim maintained that in the morning, the Beracha "Al Netilat Yadayim" should be recited only after one dries his hands following the morning hand-washing, and some have the custom to recite this Beracha together with the Birkot Ha'shahar in the synagogue. The more correct practice, however, is to recite the Beracha immediately after the washing, before drying the hands. If, however, one did not recite the Beracha at that point, then he recites the Beracha afterward. One who cannot remember whether or not he recited the Beracha of "Al Netilat Yadayim" does not recite it. One who slept with gloves must wash his hands in the morning, though he does not recite the Beracha.