Siman Zayin (Section seven). The law of reciting birkat Asher Yatzar (Who formed man) throughout the day, after urinating; it has four sections. Whenever a person relieves himself, whether for a minor or major need, he recites Asher Yatzar, but not netilat yadayim (washing of the hands), even if he wants to study or pray immediately. Whenever a person relieves himself, whether for a minor or major need, he has to recite Asher Yatzar. We do not recite the blessing of al netilat yadayim, even if we are going to pray right away. The blessing of al netilat yadayim was only instituted once in the morning. Even though you obviously need to wash your hands for prayer, they did not institute netilat yadayim for this. The rabbi was saying that when we wash our hands after using the bathroom, we should wash them 1-1-1? Yes, we saw that before. Some say you should wash them 1-1-1; we saw that in the Ben Ish Chai (Ben Ish Chai). Kaf Hachayim (Palm of Life) says you do not have to; it is for nekiyut (cleanliness). But we did see that you should try to wash your hands outside the bathroom, because there is tum'ah (impurity) in the bathroom.
Section two: “Hetil mayim velo shifshef, af al pi shetzarich levarech Asher Yatzar, ein tzarich litol yadav ela mishum nekiyut” (If he urinated but did not wipe, although he must recite Asher Yatzar, he need not wash his hands except for cleanliness). Here is the answer: “O mishum hikon.” He went to the bathroom but did not wipe; that means he did not use his hand to clean himself. Although he must recite Asher Yatzar, he need not wash his hands except for cleanliness reasons. The reason you have to wash your hands is cleanliness. The Mishnah Berurah says: “Shifshef bahem nitzotzot sheberaglav o shehetil gedolim she'asah tzorachav bekinu'ach, ela mishum ve'im ein lo bameh litol, af al pi chen tzarich levarech Asher Yatzar” (If he wiped with them, there may be remnants on his feet; or if he had a major need and used them to clean himself, he needs to wash; but even if he has nothing with which to wash, he must still recite Asher Yatzar). You can wash your hands like this, on your shirt or on the table or somewhere, as long as they are clean. “O mishum hikon.” Hikon means you are preparing for a tefillah (prayer).
Section three: “Hetil mayim veheseach da'ato milehatil mayim” (He urinated and then put the matter out of his mind). You went to the bathroom and, in your mind, you were done. “Vechazar venimlach vehetil mayim pa'am acheret” (Then he changed his mind and urinated again). Here is the famous case. He went to the bathroom again. “Vetzarich levarech bet pe'amim Asher Yatzar” (He must recite Asher Yatzar twice). Here is a Maran (Maran) chiddush (novel insight). Let’s go slowly. Maran holds that when a person goes to the bathroom twice, with a hefsek (interruption) of hesech hada'at (distraction of the mind) in between, he needs to recite Asher Yatzar twice.
The Mishnah Berurah says, “Kedei matzinu inyan tefillah, she'im ta'ah velo hitpallel Shacharit, mitpallel Minchah shtayim” (We find a similar case regarding prayer: if someone missed the morning prayer, he prays the afternoon prayer twice). It is like a tashlumin. But many of the Acharonim (later authorities) disagree with this ruling. They hold that tefillah is considered a korban (offering), and a korban has tashlumin, whereas Asher Yatzar is a birkat hoda'ah (blessing of thanksgiving). One hoda'ah can work for many occasions. There is room to be lenient under the rule of safek berachot lehakeil (in doubt, be lenient on blessings).
So here we have a question of safek berachot. The rule of safek berachot is against Maran, who would say to recite a blessing. Suppose a person went to the bathroom, then went again after a hesech hada'at, and did not recite Asher Yatzar the first time. The second time, he is unsure whether he recited Asher Yatzar. At first glance, we have a safek sefeika (compound doubt) in favor of reciting a blessing: perhaps he did not recite the blessing, and even if he did recite one, perhaps he still has to recite one for the first time, because Maran holds that he must recite two.
“Isn’t it a safek sefeika?” No. He did not recite it the first time, and he is unsure about the second time. Therefore, if he did not recite it, he has to recite it for this time. If he did recite it this time, the question is whether he has to recite one for the first time. So there is a safek sefeika in favor of a blessing. Nevertheless, Chacham Ovadiah (Chacham Ovadiah) rules that, in that case, the bottom line is safek berachot lehakeil. That is one of the proofs he gives.
Why do we need a principle called safek berachot lehakeil? Every blessing besides Birkat HaMazon (Grace after meals) is derabbanan (rabbinic). Why not apply the regular rule, safek derabbanan lekula? Why did the rabbis need to make a new rule? One answer is that with safek derabbanan lekula, perhaps someone who is stringent will be rewarded, but with safek berachot lehakeil, one should be lenient and not stringent. That is why they needed a special rule: to be lenient and not stringent; it is forbidden to be stringent. A second explanation is that even if the rule of safek derabbanan lekula applies, perhaps if you have a safek sefeika concerning something derabbanan, you would be obligated to act stringently. But with safek berachot lehakeil, even if you have a safek sefeika about whether to recite a blessing, you are to be lenient and not stringent. So in this case of a safek sefeika concerning Asher Yatzar, we do not recite a blessing. Exactly.
Section four: “Ein shi'ur (measure) lehashtin mayim, ki afilu letipah achat chayav levarech” (There is no minimum measure for urinating; even for one drop, he is obligated to recite a blessing). There is no minimum shi'ur. “She'im yisatem hanekev lehotzi hatipah hahi, hayah kasheh lo” (If the passage were blocked and that drop could not come out, it would be painful for him). Even if that drop did not come out, it would be poisonous, and that would be dangerous. “Vechayav lehodot” (He must give thanks). He has to give thanks for that as well. What do you call it, overflow? So here we have Chacham David (Chacham David) in Siman Zayin. Let’s read some of the halachot (laws) he has.
“Bechol pa'am she'oseh tzorachav bein ketanim bein gedolim, notel yadav le'achar miken umevarech Asher Yatzar” (Whenever he relieves himself, whether for a minor or major need, he washes his hands afterward and recites Asher Yatzar). “Ucheshe'omed lehitpallel le'achar miken, tzarich litol yadav afilu im lo shifshef beyadav” (When he is about to pray afterward, he must wash his hands even if he did not wipe with them). Even if he did not touch anything, this is preparation—not only in unclean places, for cleanliness, but also for prayer, “likrat Elokecha Yisrael.” “Aval im eino omed lehitpallel, eino tzarich litol yadav ela im ken kine'ach” (But if he is not about to pray, he need not wash his hands unless he wiped with them).
When he comes out of the bathroom, if he has not touched anything, technically he does not have to wash his hands. There is no rule requiring him to wash just because he went to the bathroom. If he wiped with his hand after a minor need, that is different. “Ve'im asah tzorachav becheder hashirutim” (If he relieved himself in the bathroom), that is another matter: there is tum'ah in the bathroom. Even if he did not wipe or touch anything, and even if he is not about to pray, he must wash his hands because he entered the bathroom. We already know that.
After relieving himself, he does not recite al netilat yadayim, only birkat Asher Yatzar. But if it is in the morning, after he gets up, he must wash his hands and recite the blessing. According to the basic law, it is enough to wash his hands once when he leaves the bathroom. There you go: once under the faucet. It is proper to be stringent and wash three times, alternating hands, as with the morning washing. He should wash his hands from a revi'it of water, but he does not specifically need to wash them from a vessel. You do not need a cup; put your hands under the faucet. “Vehachamachmir litol mitoch keli, tavo alav berachah” (One who is stringent and washes from a vessel will be blessed). Using a vessel is praiseworthy. That is Chacham David’s ruling. “She'elah tovah, she'elah tovah”—a good question. We’ll get to it.
Regarding how long he has to recite the blessing: if he has no water to wash with after relieving himself and cannot find any water nearby, he should wipe his hands with something that cleans them—a rock, dirt, cotton, a handkerchief, a cloth, or a napkin—and recite Asher Yatzar.
How long do you have to recite Asher Yatzar? There is a major dispute among the Acharonim. If he did not recite Asher Yatzar and remembered within seventy-two minutes, one opinion says he has seventy-two minutes; after that, he cannot recite it. Ben Tzion (Ben Tzion) says half an hour. “No, alef?” Maybe I have it here. Which volume? Volume two? Yes, volume two. The section is in the responsa, Asher Yatzar, alef yud-tet. It says: “Ad kamah zman yachol levarech? Ein levarech Birkat Asher Yatzar ela ad chatzi sha'ah” (How long can he recite it? He may recite Birkat Asher Yatzar only up to half an hour).
Some say one can recite Birkat Asher Yatzar as long as one does not feel the need to relieve oneself again. As long as you do not have the desire to go again, you are still dealing with the first time, so that could be a long time. It also brings this in the Beit Oved, and the Kaf Hachayim says it does not seem to follow from Maran’s words. Maran’s case is that a person urinated, put the matter out of his mind, then changed his mind and urinated again; that implies that after changing his mind and urinating again, he must recite the blessing twice. If, as they say, the obligation to recite the blessing lapses when he feels the need again, how could Maran say to recite Asher Yatzar twice? That proves the issue is not whether he feels the need to go again. The issue is that he should have recited the blessing immediately after leaving.
Look at the proof here, too. We just read Maran’s section three: a person urinated, put the matter out of his mind, then changed his mind and urinated again; he must recite the blessing twice. If, as they say, when a new urge arises the obligation to recite the blessing lapses, how could Maran say to recite two blessings? It must not depend on whether he feels the need to go again. Rather, he became obligated to recite the blessing immediately after leaving. The Birkei Yosef and the Ben Ish Chai, in Parashat Vayetzei, write that one should recite it only within half an hour. So there is a major dispute here, boys, between the two rabbis: Chacham David says up to seventy-two minutes.
“Hayotzei mibeit hakisei, vechein she'ar devarim hatzerichim netilah, kegon hanotel tzipornav, ha'im tzarich netilat yadayim bekeli?” (When someone leaves the bathroom, or does other things that require washing, such as cutting his nails, must he wash his hands from a vessel?) These things do not require washing from a vessel. But ideally, it is good to use a vessel for these things, too. Even when cutting your nails, you do not need a vessel. In any case, you should wash your hands three times, alternating. You can do that under the faucet. Washing from a vessel is required only for washing before a meal, tefillah, or when getting up from bed.
Rabbeinu Yosef Chayim also writes in his sefer Od Yosef Chai that someone leaving the bathroom does not need to wash from a vessel. Still, it is proper in all these cases to wash three times, alternating, as the Ben Ish Chai says. “Alternating with a vessel?” No. We read the Ben Ish Chai. Fine.
Now here is a major novel point from Chacham Ben Tzion: “Hichnis yado achat ve'afilu etzba achat lebeit hakisei” (If he put one hand, or even one finger, into the bathroom). You put your hand in; maybe you wanted to turn off the light. “Mi shehetil meimav shelo bebeit hakisei, kegon basadeh”—someone who urinated outside, in a field—“hichnis yado achat ve'afilu etzba achat lebeit hakisei, tov sheyitol shtei yadav” (if he put one hand, or even one finger, into the bathroom, it is good for him to wash both hands). Chacham Ben Tzion says the impurity spreads. “Even in today’s modern bathroom?” Yes. Even if he put in only one hand, it does not affect his whole body; only if he puts both hands in does the air pass over the whole body. Still, if there is a doubt, one should be careful and wash both hands. So he is stringent. We already saw the section about someone leaving the bathroom.
We also have to discuss Jackie’s case. A person comes out of the bathroom. It is very simple: when you come out, do not use a vessel. Washing for netilat yadayim requires a vessel. When you come out of the bathroom, wash your hands under the faucet, alternating. That does not fulfill the requirement of netilat yadayim. Even if your hands are clean, it does not matter; you have not fulfilled it. Then take a vessel and wash your hands. Easy solution. You do not have to touch your shoes or do all that other stuff.
Does the blessing have to be said standing or sitting? No, even sitting. He says here: If someone had to interrupt to go to the bathroom in the middle of Pesukei Dezimrah (verses of praise), when he washes his hands afterward, he recites Asher Yatzar. He can recite the blessings during Pesukei Dezimrah. In any case, if he is in the middle of a psalm, let him finish the psalm and then recite Asher Yatzar.
Suppose it is after Pesukei Dezimrah but before he says the blessing of Yishtabach. He should wait and not recite Asher Yatzar until after saying Yishtabach, before Kaddish (Kaddish). If he did not recite Asher Yatzar during Pesukei Dezimrah, he can recite it after Yishtabach. If he did not recite it after Yishtabach, he should recite it after the Amidah, as long as it is within seventy-two minutes.
“During Kriat Shema (recitation of the Shema), you can’t?” No, you should not recite it during Kriat Shema. If he did not recite Asher Yatzar, with Heaven’s help, and remembered after going to the bathroom a second time, that is Maran’s case. According to Maran, he must recite Asher Yatzar twice. But most of our Acharonim disagreed and ruled that he recites it only once; one should be concerned for their opinion, because of safek berachot lehakeil against Maran.
“If you have to go a second time and did not recite it the first time, would you recite Asher Yatzar before going again, even though you still have to go?” If you are within seventy-two minutes. “But if you have to go again, can you recite a blessing when you have to use the bathroom?” That is another question. If you cannot hold it in, you cannot recite a blessing. But suppose the person is just going to go again to make sure. In that case, perhaps he can recite the blessing. “Can he recite Asher Yatzar even though he feels he may have to go again?” Apparently, yes. It is only if he cannot hold it in that he should not. Maran holds that you have to recite it each time, and you are still within seventy-two minutes—or half an hour, depending on the opinion.
Chacham Ovadiah took three different approaches. Unless the person has an intestinal illness and things like that; that is another matter. If he has diarrhea or something similar, then you do not recite it every time. “Mi shenitzrach lenekavav mispar pe'amim betoch zman katzar, machamat sheyesh lo choli beme'av” (Someone who has to relieve himself several times within a short time because of an intestinal illness), or because he drank something or took medicine that makes him go, must recite Asher Yatzar after every time he relieves himself. However, if immediately after relieving himself he feels that he needs to go again right away, before reciting the blessing, he should not recite Asher Yatzar.
“But that is talking about someone who leaves the bathroom and still needs to go. That is not the case we are discussing. We are talking about someone who left the bathroom and was fine, and then, twenty minutes later, needs to go. Everyone says he has to recite a blessing. He is allowed to recite a blessing each time.” That makes another blessing. “That is a chiddush.” Yes.
Section six: Teshuvot Halachot Ketanot (Responsa of Halachot Ketanot) says there is no minimum measure for urination, as we saw. Even if he passed one drop, he is obligated. Someone who has an illness that causes him tza'ar (pain) when he relieves himself must still recite Asher Yatzar. It does not matter; he still has to recite the blessing. The same applies when taking a urine test. It is urination; what difference does it make?
If someone began reciting Asher Yatzar and, in the middle of the blessing, heard Kaddish or Kedushah (sanctification), if he had already begun the words “Asher Yatzar,” he interrupts and responds. It is no different from Kriat Shema and its blessings. He responds to the first five amens of Kaddish; to “Yehei Shemeh Rabba Mevarach (May His great Name be blessed)”; to Barechu; to “Kadosh, Kadosh”; and to “Baruch Kevod.” There is no amen for blessings. But if he is at the opening of the blessing, “Baruch Atah Hashem Elokeinu Melech ha'olam,” he does not answer anything; nor does he answer at the end, “Baruch Atah Hashem Rofei chol basar.”
If, after leaving the bathroom and before washing his hands, he hears someone’s blessing, Kaddish, or Kedushah, or sees lightning or hears thunder, and he would miss the amen if he waits, he should answer amen after the blessing. If he has enough time, it is better to wipe his hands first.
Someone ate something that requires the concluding blessing Borei Nefashot (Creator of many souls), and before reciting it went to the bathroom. Which comes first, Asher Yatzar or Borei Nefashot? Apparently, Asher Yatzar is tadir (frequent), so he should first recite Asher Yatzar, and afterward Borei Nefashot Rabbot.
If a person goes to the bathroom here in the synagogue and, as he comes out, has not yet reached the sink, and hears Kaddish, can he just wipe his hands on his clothing? Yes. The Maharshal says that Asher Yatzar comes before Borei Nefashot because it is more frequent; when something is frequent and something else is not, the frequent one comes first. Also, Asher Yatzar has no time limit, whereas Borei Nefashot has a time limit.
The Ya'avetz asks: Who says Asher Yatzar is more tadir than Nefashot? A person might go to the bathroom once a day and eat fifteen times a day. In fact, for most people, eating and drinking are more tadir. Nevertheless, the Maharshal ruled properly, because immediately after enjoying food one becomes obligated to give thanks, and the concluding blessing for enjoyment must be said after the time of enjoyment has passed. Chaim Palagi says the same thing: Borei Nefashot has already been set aside because of hesech hada'at; what has passed has passed. But Asher Yatzar is immediately due, so it should be said promptly. This has nothing to do with enjoyment, in other words, with Borei Nefashot. Asher Yatzar is not about enjoyment; it is praise and thanksgiving. Thanksgiving should be immediate. He says that because Asher Yatzar is so closely connected to what just happened, it should be said first.
If someone urinated or relieved himself before Birkat HaMazon, he should recite Birkat HaMazon first and then Asher Yatzar, unless he thinks he will forget. If he thinks he will forget, he should recite Asher Yatzar first and then Birkat HaMazon, because Birkat HaMazon is de-oraita (from the Torah). Or perhaps because it is frequent, or because it is from the Torah. “Hacham, was there any thought that if the bathroom experience was not pleasant, he should not say Asher Yatzar?” No. He thought of that, but says you should still recite the blessing. Even if it is painful, you still have to recite it, because the result is that you benefited.
He says something interesting: If someone ate a kezayit or a kebeitza of bread but was not satiated, which is derabbanan, he should recite Asher Yatzar first. He quotes Rabbi Akiva Eiger: “Tzarich iyun ba-zeh im yakdim Birkat HaMazon she-hu de-oraita o mi-kol makom tadir adif” (This requires examination: should Birkat HaMazon, which is from the Torah, come first, or is the frequent one nevertheless preferable?) That is a major question: what takes precedence, tadir or de-oraita?
He writes that it may depend on whether tadir or mekudash (sacred) takes precedence. One can say that de-oraita compared with derabbanan is like mekudash. The Rambam rules that when something is mekudash and tadir, one may put either one first. It may be that de-oraita can take precedence over tadir. In fact, many of our later rabbis hold that when one has a rabbinic commandment and a Torah commandment, the Torah commandment should come first because it is important, like something sacred. All the more so if the Torah commandment is also frequent, since there are then two considerations: it is frequent and sacred.
But in Sha'agat Aryeh (Sha'agat Aryeh), it is argued that a mitzvah (commandment) de-oraita does not take precedence over a mitzvah derabbanan. A mitzvah derabbanan is considered like a voluntary matter in comparison with a mitzvah, and the rule about putting one first was said only about two mitzvot. A mitzvah derabbanan is not considered a mitzvah in relation to a mitzvah de-oraita, so there is no rule of precedence.
Nevertheless, Rav Ovadia writes in Halichot Olam (Paths of the World) that since most authorities hold that a mitzvah de-oraita should come before a mitzvah derabbanan, one should recite Birkat HaMazon before Asher Yatzar, unless he is worried he will forget. According to that, if he did not eat a shi'ur de-oraita, he should recite Asher Yatzar first.
“Hacham, if you think you’ll forget, then you say Asher Yatzar first?” He continues: Someone who ate from the seven species with which the Land of Israel was praised, and went to the bathroom before reciting Birkat Me'ein Shalosh, should recite Birkat Me'ein Shalosh first. Some put Asher Yatzar before the concluding blessing over food because the person has already turned his mind away from eating. The answer is as we said above: your mind has already moved on from eating, so do not delay Asher Yatzar; keep it close to the— But Chacham Ovadiah, in Halichot Olam, writes to reject that view. One should always learn the order of Birkat Me'ein Shalosh from Birkat HaMazon. If you hold that Me'ein Shalosh is from the Torah, as many authorities do, then he holds that Me'ein Shalosh comes first, ahead of Asher Yatzar.
“What were the three things Chacham Ovadiah said?” No, that was about the half-hour issue. He brings the Ben Ish Chai, then Ohr LeTzion (Light of Zion) and Kaf Hachayim. He says in Yabi'a Omer (Yabi'a Omer) that one should follow the Ben Ish Chai: if half an hour has passed, he should not recite Asher Yatzar with Hashem’s name and kingship. But in Yechaveh Da'at (Yechaveh Da'at), he brings the Radbaz (Radbaz), who wrote that the teaching about washing hands up to a parsah applies to someone who needed to use the bathroom and then washed in order to recite Asher Yatzar. Even if he delayed reciting Asher Yatzar, that does not matter, because it is neither a blessing over a commandment nor a blessing over enjoyment, but a blessing of praise and thanksgiving.
Yechaveh Da'at writes that we learn from this that one can recite Asher Yatzar up to the measure of a parsah, an hour and a fifth. One should not apply safek berachot lehakeil here, because if the later authorities had seen the Radbaz’s ruling, they would not have been uncertain about the matter. He repeats this in Halichot Olam. In Yabi'a Omer, volume nine, see there. In Birkat Hashem, he brings the later authorities’ position and agrees that one should recite it even after a long time, since it is a blessing of praise and thanksgiving. So Birkat Hashem says even after seventy-two minutes. Yes, Birkat Hashem, Rav Moshe Levi. That is a law according to a long time—until you remember. It is praise. Like Birkat Hagomel: you have three days, I don’t know, you have thirty days to recite Hagomel.
“Is there no difference between the intervals during Pesukei Dezimrah, after Baruch She'amar and before Yishtabach?” You should wait for an interval between sections if possible. Better to wait until an interval before Yishtabach? What about after Yishtabach? There is no difference? Or is it better to wait until after Yishtabach, because it continues into Hallelu-El? You can go after the psalms. “Is there any benefit to waiting for Yishtabach?” Once you start Yishtabach, you have to finish it.
“In practice, Rabbi, what would you say about seventy-two minutes?” If somebody asked me, I would say seventy-two minutes ideally, and half an hour after the fact, according to Chacham Ovadiah. It says, “Ve'ayen sham od al mah shekatvu bazeh, ume'idach, ve'ayen biSh'ut Yabi'a Omer shehevi devarav vechatav lachlok alav bazeh.” Does that mean there is no extended time? No, he argues with Chacham Ben Tzion; he holds seventy-two minutes. That is what Chacham David took in practice.
He has a question in Otzrot: Someone who forgot to recite Asher Yatzar, and remembered within seventy-two minutes after relieving himself, may recite it with Hashem’s name and kingship. After that, he should recite it without Hashem’s name, because of safek berachot lehakeil. If he needs to use the bathroom again, even within seventy-two minutes, he should not recite Asher Yatzar until after he has gone again and washed his hands. That is your case, Marcelo: he needs to go again within the seventy-two minutes and did not recite Asher Yatzar the first time. He can recite Asher Yatzar the second time, so do not recite it before going in.
Then he cites a question in the responsa of the Maharch Or Zaru'a: “Sha'alti et mori Rabbeinu Me'ir, ad matai mevarachim Asher Yatzar, she'eino domeh le-Birkat HaMazon, sheyachol levarech ad sheyitakel hamazon, dehinu ad sheyira'av, ki sham hu neheneh min hamazon shebeme'av kol zman she-eino ra'ev, vechan eino chen, velo shamati mimori hakadosh zman lazeh” (I asked my teacher, Rabbeinu Me'ir: how long may one recite Asher Yatzar? It is unlike Birkat HaMazon, which one may recite until the food is digested, that is, until he becomes hungry; there, he continues to benefit from the food in his stomach as long as he is not hungry. Here it is not so, and I did not hear from my holy teacher a time limit for this).
Our Acharonim disagreed about this law. Yad Aharon writes that one may recite it even after a long time, because it is not like Birkat HaMazon: it is a blessing of thanksgiving, and each moment is its own time. But Maran the Chida writes in the name of Maharam di Lonzano that if less than an hour has passed, it is considered an interruption; the time for the blessing has passed, and he should not recite it. Mahari HaKohen, author of Batei Kehunah, agreed. Maran the Chida concludes that if some time has passed and he did not recite it, he should no longer recite it.
In Zichronot Eliyahu Maniq, it is written that according to my teacher, the Gaon Rabbi Ovadiah Somech, Zevach Tzedek implies from Birkat Yosef that if some time has passed, it is not less than the measure of a mil. Today, we have not seen anywhere that it is less than a mil, which is eighteen minutes. In the Ben Ish Chai, he rules that if more than half an hour has passed, one should not recite it; within half an hour, he should. See there. Also see the responsa of Chesed LaAlafim, Birkat Yosef, Yadid, Pnei Yitzchak Abulafia, Motzat Shemurim (Motzat Shemurim), and Maharam di Lonzano.
The Gaon Ya'avetz writes in She'elat Ya'avetz that as long as he has not needed to use the bathroom again, he may still recite Asher Yatzar, because its time has now arrived. Only if the need arises again should he not recite it, because the benefit has already passed. The same appears in Mor Uketziah, Ma'aseh Rav, and the writings of Rabbi Eliezer Nachum and the Beit Oved. But Pri Megadim writes that if he remembers when he needs to use the bathroom again, he should first recite Asher Yatzar, then relieve himself, and recite it again. Pri Megadim says to recite it for the first time, then go and recite it again. See also Chayei Adam, Shemen HaMa'or, Rei'ach Mayim, Chayei Olam, the responsa of Maharam Shik, Sdei Chemed, Orchot Chayim, Me'asef Lechol HaMachanot, and the responsa of Pe'ulat Tzadik.
In particular, Maran writes in Halichot Olam, Parashat Vayetzei, section four: If someone forgot to recite Asher Yatzar and remembered within an hour and a fifth after relieving himself, he may recite it with Hashem’s name and kingship. Afterward, he should recite it without Hashem’s name and kingship, because of safek berachot lehakeil. If he needs to use the bathroom again, even within seventy-two minutes, he should not recite Asher Yatzar until after he has gone again and washed his hands.
“So you’re saying he rules differently from Pri Megadim?” Yes. In Or LeTzion, volume two, page 26—what does page 26 say? Chacham Ben Tzion sounds like he says to recite the blessing. His argument is: If, as they say, when someone feels the need again the obligation to recite the blessing lapses, how could Maran require two blessings? Maran’s words imply that the urge to go again does not remove the obligation. So even if the person has an urge, he still has to recite the blessing for the first time. That is Chacham Ben Tzion’s proof from Maran.
Chacham Ovadiah originally wrote like the Ben Ish Chai, that it is half an hour, because of safek berachot lehakeil. In Yechaveh Da'at, he quoted the other rabbis and then wrote that there are those who are concerned and stringent. He brings all these different measures, and then says that his friend, the Gaon Rabbi Yitzchak, testified that the end of the Radbaz’s words explicitly indicates that one may not recite it after a parsah, which is seventy-two minutes, but not beyond that. What he wrote in Yechaveh Da'at is discussing the words of Nimukei Yosef. The Radbaz’s novellae do not say that, as the Chida wrote; he attributed those novellae to the rulings of Nimukei Yosef.
In any case, he concludes that if a person needs to use the bathroom again, even within an hour and a fifth, he should not recite Asher Yatzar until after he has gone, as the Gaon Ya'avetz and the Beit Oved wrote. This is because the Radbaz says it makes no difference that he had to go again, and one should be concerned about the Gaon Ya'avetz’s view because of safek berachot.
So this also comes out as a dispute between Chacham Ovadiah and Chacham Ben Tzion in this case. “Ben Tzion who? What did he hold?” He says to recite it. He is stringent about the thirty minutes and lenient in this case. Yes, because Maran’s opinion is really to recite the blessing. “And we have safek berachot.” We’ll follow the Chacham. If you have to go, do not recite it. “So you don’t do it again?” Only one blessing. Only one blessing. It is clear that within half an hour—then we’ll go. That is what I thought he was going to say: within half an hour, and seventy-two minutes is a dispute. But he does not say that.
Where is Halichot Olam? We’re reading section seven. At the bottom of the page, it says: Someone who needs to relieve himself several times within a short time because of an intestinal illness or because he drank medicine must recite Asher Yatzar after each time. However, if immediately after relieving himself he feels that he needs to go again right away, he should not recite it. That is the case we are discussing: he leaves the bathroom and still feels he has to go, so he should not recite it.
In the responsa of Halachot Ketanot, he ruled that since the person did not satisfy his urge after the first time, he should not recite the blessing until after the final time. But in Yad Aharon, they reject the words of Halachot Ketanot and rule that he should recite it after every time. Several later authorities agreed. Maran the Chida testified in Birkei Yosef that this is the common custom, and it is known that where there is a custom, one does not apply safek berachot lehakeil.
Many Acharonim discuss the matter. Nevertheless, the responsa of Kol Gadol says that if the person is going repeatedly, he should recite it only once at the end, because he has not yet finished relieving himself. At the end of the discussion, one can say that he is forbidden to recite the blessing because his body is not clean; he already needs to use the bathroom. Ask the rabbi. It can also be said that since he already needed to use the bathroom, that is like the Ya'avetz’s ruling.
See also section six of Birkei Yosef: he should not recite the blessing for the earlier time, and the first blessing has lapsed. That is what we saw: “batlah berachah rishonah” (the first blessing has lapsed). In section six, it says that if he did not recite Asher Yatzar and remembered when he needed to use the bathroom again, even if only a short time had passed since he relieved himself, he should not recite Asher Yatzar until after the second time. He brings the dispute among all these rabbis. Kaf Hachayim says that because of safek berachot lehakeil, even if he remembered within half an hour, if he needs to use the bathroom again, he should not recite it; that is the main ruling.
“Okay?” So that’s it. Bezeh nachtinah uvezeh salkinah (With this we descend and with this we ascend). Even within thirty minutes, you would not recite it twice. That’s it. Baruch Hashem le'olam amen ve'amen (Blessed is God forever, amen and amen).