Let’s today discuss a Halacha in the laws of Netilat Yadayim. There is a Teshuva from Rav Chayim Palachi that he has basis from the Zohar that says that Goyim have impurity and therefore if somebody touches a Goy or shakes the hand of a Goy, so he needs to make Netilat Yadayim after that. That is brought in the book Lev Chayim and also in the book Ruach Chayim, and it was also brought down in Kaf Hachayim. They were Machmir when touching any part of a Goy to make Netilat Yadayim. However, the Peri Begadim does bring down that the world is not Makpid (strict) on this. Some say that there’s only impurity where there is Kedusha, and since there is no Kedusha, so there’s no impurity either. It is probably a difficult Halacha to follow if you want to be Machmir like Rav Chayim Palachi to go and wash your hands every time you shake the hand of a Goy. Of course we are not talking about touching women, which is forbidden altogether to shake their hands. We are talking about the men.
So Halacha, one does not have to wash his hands, based on the fact that the world is not Machmir on this. One should especially be careful on this in public, so as not to cause problems and issues. However, if a guy wants to be Machmir, based on the Zohar, upon him will come blessings.
It should be pointed out, if somebody finds themselves in a non-Jewish cemetery, when he leaves the place he must make Netilat Yadayim. So the cemetery is a different type of impurity from the Goy themselves.
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