Medications: Difference between revisions
From Halachipedia
→Toothpaste
| Line 101: | Line 101: | ||
* [https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/731730/rabbi-daniel-stein/רפואות-שנתערבו-בהם-גליצערי-ן/ Rabbi Daniel Stein] in an article permits children medicines with glycerins for a number of reasons: 1) If the taste is bad even though there's other flavors added and it leaves a bad aftertaste perhaps that's considered nifsal machila. It seems difficult because donkey urine isn't considered nifsal machila (RSZA 1:17). 2) Though it might be shelo kderech achila since it isn't taste good. Then for a sick person it is muter. 3) They're safek made from plants. 4) Isur Shenishtana since it changed from the taste and look from animal fat. 5) Maybe made inedible in the processing. 6) If its taste is masked by the other flavors you only need bitul brov since it doesn't have any taam and we can use kefilah. 7) It is only chatzi shiur of isur in a taarovet and for a sick person perhaps it is muter. He quotes Rav Schachter and Rav Willig as agreeing with him.</ref> However, the [https://www.star-k.org/resource/list/RR8I4NNG/Pain-Relievers-and-Fever-Reducers Star-K has an updated list] of kosher children's medicines which as of December 2018 includes Infant and Children's Advil and Tylenol. See [https://www.star-k.org/resources_medicine here] for more brands or medicines. | * [https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/731730/rabbi-daniel-stein/רפואות-שנתערבו-בהם-גליצערי-ן/ Rabbi Daniel Stein] in an article permits children medicines with glycerins for a number of reasons: 1) If the taste is bad even though there's other flavors added and it leaves a bad aftertaste perhaps that's considered nifsal machila. It seems difficult because donkey urine isn't considered nifsal machila (RSZA 1:17). 2) Though it might be shelo kderech achila since it isn't taste good. Then for a sick person it is muter. 3) They're safek made from plants. 4) Isur Shenishtana since it changed from the taste and look from animal fat. 5) Maybe made inedible in the processing. 6) If its taste is masked by the other flavors you only need bitul brov since it doesn't have any taam and we can use kefilah. 7) It is only chatzi shiur of isur in a taarovet and for a sick person perhaps it is muter. He quotes Rav Schachter and Rav Willig as agreeing with him.</ref> However, the [https://www.star-k.org/resource/list/RR8I4NNG/Pain-Relievers-and-Fever-Reducers Star-K has an updated list] of kosher children's medicines which as of December 2018 includes Infant and Children's Advil and Tylenol. See [https://www.star-k.org/resources_medicine here] for more brands or medicines. | ||
==Toothpaste== | ==Toothpaste and Mouthwash== | ||
# There are ingredients in some toothpaste which are non-kosher animal products such as glycerin. Nonetheless, many poskim are lenient to allow a person to use such toothpastes since the non-kosher ingredients are inedible, mixed with kosher ingredients, and a person doesn't intend to eat the toothpaste but rather to brush with it, which is the halachic equivalent of tasting.<ref>Har Tzvi 95 was lenient with non-kosher toothpastes because the ingredients were processed so that they were inedible, they were mixed with kosher ingredients, and also a person is justing tasting the toothpaste and spitting it out. [http://www.tzohar.org.il/?p=2422 tzohar.org] quotes Ama Dvar p. 155 quoting Rav Mordechai Eliyahu who agreed. They also quote Mishneh Halachot 9:153 who disagreed. [https://oukosher.org/blog/consumer-kosher/kashruth-issues-of-toothpaste/ OU] wrote that some rabbis don't feel one can rely on the Har Tzvi today since the toothpastes have a good taste. But others still rely on the Har Tzvi. They cited Rav Henkin responsa 75 who mostly agreed with the Har Tzvi but wouldn't be lenient with toothpastes with glycerin.</ref> | # There are ingredients in some toothpaste which are non-kosher animal products such as glycerin. Nonetheless, many poskim are lenient to allow a person to use such toothpastes since the non-kosher ingredients are inedible, mixed with kosher ingredients, and a person doesn't intend to eat the toothpaste but rather to brush with it, which is the halachic equivalent of tasting.<ref>Har Tzvi 95 was lenient with non-kosher toothpastes because the ingredients were processed so that they were inedible, they were mixed with kosher ingredients, and also a person is justing tasting the toothpaste and spitting it out. [http://www.tzohar.org.il/?p=2422 tzohar.org] quotes Ama Dvar p. 155 quoting Rav Mordechai Eliyahu who agreed. They also quote Mishneh Halachot 9:153 who disagreed. [https://oukosher.org/blog/consumer-kosher/kashruth-issues-of-toothpaste/ OU] wrote that some rabbis don't feel one can rely on the Har Tzvi today since the toothpastes have a good taste. But others still rely on the Har Tzvi. They cited Rav Henkin responsa 75 who mostly agreed with the Har Tzvi but wouldn't be lenient with toothpastes with glycerin.</ref> | ||
# Some say that one shouldn't use mouthwash with glycerin in it since one might swallow some and glycerin can be made from teref animals.<ref>Rav Belsky (cited in article "Kashrut Rulings From Rabbi Belsky ZT"L" p. 37) held that since sometimes a person swallows some mouthwash it is forbidden to use it if there's an ingredient in it that isn't kosher such as glycerin (similar to Taz 98:2). He didn't consider mouthwash to be considered inedible. [https://www.ok.org/kosherspirit/fall-2007/students-questions/#:~:text=a%20kosher%20symbol%3F-,Answer%3A,not%20require%20a%20kosher%20symbol. The OK] is lenient on mouthwash and lipstick since they are not consumed. [https://www.crcweb.org/OTCMedicineReport.pdf CRC] quotes Rav Gedalya Dov Schwartz as holding that mouthwash doesn't need a hechsher but it is preferable to get one if it is possible. | # Some say that one shouldn't use mouthwash with glycerin in it since one might swallow some and glycerin can be made from teref animals.<ref>Rav Belsky (cited in article "Kashrut Rulings From Rabbi Belsky ZT"L" p. 37) held that since sometimes a person swallows some mouthwash it is forbidden to use it if there's an ingredient in it that isn't kosher such as glycerin (similar to Taz 98:2). He didn't consider mouthwash to be considered inedible.</ref> Others are lenient but still recommend getting a kosher one if available. See [https://www.crcweb.org/OTCMedicineReport.pdf CRC's list] for recommended mouthwashes and toothpastes.<ref> [https://www.ok.org/kosherspirit/fall-2007/students-questions/#:~:text=a%20kosher%20symbol%3F-,Answer%3A,not%20require%20a%20kosher%20symbol. The OK] is lenient on mouthwash and lipstick since they are not consumed. [https://www.crcweb.org/OTCMedicineReport.pdf CRC] quotes Rav Gedalya Dov Schwartz as holding that mouthwash doesn't need a hechsher but it is preferable to get one if it is possible. [https://www.koltorah.org/halachah/do-dental-products-require-a-hechsher-part-ii-the-kashrut-of-toothpaste-and-mouthwash-year-round-and-pesach-by-dr-ephraim-rudolph-98 Rav Jachter] quotes Rav Schachter as holding that mouthwash is considered inedible and therefore permitted even without a hechsher.</ref> | ||
==Credits== | ==Credits== | ||
