Kosher Food Packaging for Deliveries: Difference between revisions

#Leaving a deposit of food with a non-Jew is considered with the same analysis as cases with a non-Jewish delivery person.<ref>S"A Y.D. 118:1</ref>

There is a disagreement among Rishonim how to understand a seeming contradiction in Rav's opinion<ref>Avodah Zarah 31a and Avodah Zarah 39a-b</ref>regarding the number of seals which are needed.<ref>Rabbeinu Tam and Rashba on Avodah Zarah 39a say that the distinction is that if one is using a non-Jewish delivery person, then one seal is needed, but if one was using a delivery person who is a Jew who is suspect to eat non-Kosher food, then two seals are needed. Tosfot on Avodah Zarah 39a says that the distinction is that if you are using a non-Jewish messenger, but you can see the product on both sides of his delivery, then only one seal is needed. However, according to Tosfot, if there are different Jewish people on the two ends of the delivery, then two seals are needed. Rambam in Hilchot Maachalot Asurot 13:10, Aruch HaShulchan Y.D. 118:2, and Shach Y.D. 118:3 says that the distinction is about what food products are being sent and what level the concern about their Kashrut reaches. To the Rambam and the others listed here, if the food presents a DiOrayta Kashrut concern, two seals are needed. If, however, the food only presents a DiRabbanan concern, only one seal is needed.</ref> The Shulchan Aruch holds that if the food presents Kashrut concerns on a DiOrayta level, then two seals are needed. However, other food would only require one seal.<ref>Shulchan Aruch Y.D. 118:1</ref> The Shulchan Aruch nevertheless cites other opinions which are more stringent when it comes to which situations require two seals.

==Types of Effective Seals==

===Using Unique Knots===

#Two uncommon knots which are tied around a package could be considered two seals, however two regular knots would not count as two seals.<ref>Shulchan Aruch Y.D. 130:5. The Taz Y.D. 130:8 explains that simple and common knots are too easy to untie and tie again, so there is not a sure enough guarantee that the food has not been tampered with by the delivery person</ref> Some say, however, that if the first knot is uncommon, then even if the second knot is common the combination of the two would be considered two seals.<ref>Sefer Bein Yisrael LNachri Y.D. 17:21</ref>

#If you have a unique seal on a package of some kind (which is distinct from the usual way to seal the type of package in question), then adding a knot<ref>Or a wax seal.</ref> on top of the box is sufficient to establish this package as doubly-sealed.<ref>Shulchan Aruch Y.D. 118:4</ref>

===Sealing Bottles Effectively===

#Bottles for drinks that do not need two seals (milk, juice, lemonade, etc.) may be sent with a non-Jew with only a single seal.<ref>Aruch HaShulchan Y.D. 118:18</ref>

#Some poskim hold that you can seal a bottle loosely and then fasten a clay seal on top of that in order to render its one seal. However, some poskim recommend being stringent.<ref>Kaf HaChaim Y.D. 118:24</ref>