Since hand washing is a generic word used for different TYPES of hand washing and each specific hand washing has its own specific laws on how it should be performed e g with or without a vessel three intermittent times in the morning and with a vessel in most customs etc the detail of the mitzvah can only be learned in the main body of the article Customs also differ with different Jewish ethnic groups I think that negel vasser and the three pourings is the generally accepted practice in the morning in most Jewish homes although the kabbalists add a fourth pouring This as noted is explained in the body of the main article