Tevilat Keilim: Difference between revisions

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The Torah commands us to immerse metal  <Ref> Gold, silver, copper, iron, tin, and lead are all types of metal. </ref> utensils that are purchased or otherwise acquired from a non-Jew in a mikva prior to their first use.  <ref> Bamidbar 31:23;Rashi, Avoda Zara 75b </ref> This mitzva is referred to as "tevilat keilim", the immersion of utensils. It is suggested that tevilat keilim, which appears in the Torah following the battle with the Midianites, was a mitzva intended to remove impurity from the utensils which had been in the presence of the dead. <ref> Rashi;Bamidbar 31:23 </ref>

# One who is unsure whether or not one's utensils were purchased from a Jewish owned company should immerse them without reciting the accompanying blessing. <Ref> Igrot Moshe Y.D. 3:21 </ref>

# It is actually a matter of dispute amongst the authorities whether the mitzva of tevilat keilim has the status of a Torah commandment or a rabbinical one. <Ref> Yabia Omer Y.D. 2:9 </ref>Nevertheless, most halachic authorities treat tevilat keilim as a Biblical mitzva for all intents and purposes. <Ref> Aruch Hashulchan Y.D. 120:4, Sh”t Yechave Daat 4:64 </ref>

==Which vessels require Tevilah?==

# While the immersion of metal utensils is required by Torah law, glass utensils must be immersed only by rabbinic enactment. Glass was incorporated into the mitzva of tevilat keilim because glass and metal share a common characteristic - they are both materials which can be melted and reconstructed when needed. <ref> Aruch Hashulchan Y.D. 120:25 </ref>

# Utensils which one is certain that they contain no glass or metal components need not be immersed.  <Ref> Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 37:3 </ref>

# Due to the doubt whether or not Corelle dishes are halachically similar to glass dishes, they too should be immersed, though the accompanying blessing is not recited. <ref>[http://www.star-k.org/tevilas%20list.pdf Star K] and [http://www.oukosher.org/index.php/passover/article/tevilat_keilim/ OU] write that corelle dishes require tevilah with a bracha. [http://www.kashrut.com/articles/tevilas_keilim/ Rabbi Binyamin Forst] and [http://www.torah.org/advanced/weekly-halacha/5762/vayera.html Rabbi Doniel Neustadt] agree. [http://www.torahlab.org/doitright/dipping_your_dishes/ Rabbi Tzvi Haber of Los Angeles]writes that the obligation to immerse corelle is questionable and so one should dip it without a bracha. </ref>

# The mitzva of tevilat keilim only requires one to immerse those utensils which are intended to be used in food preparation or consumption.  Although disposable utensils, such as aluminum pans, need not be immersed,  <ref> Rambam Keilim 7:5, Igrot Moshe Y.D. 3:23 </ref>one who intends to re-use them a number of times should do so. <ref> Minchat Yitzchak 5:32 </ref>

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# One of the most famous practical issues of tevilat kelim is glass bottles like Snapple. This seems to be a big issue as it is a vessel that we drink from (so it is klei [[Seudah]]), so it should require tevilah. Some think that one use would be allowed even without tevilah, but that seems to be made up. So just because we are richer than we used to be and throw out (or recycle of course) this perfectly good glass bottle, should that exempt us from tevilas keilim?

# Rav Hershel Schachter (Ten Minute Halacha - Practical Tevilas Keilim Issues by Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz, min. 8) says that in fact it is forbidden to drink from these bottles. Rather, when you open the bottle, you must pour the contents into another vessel before drinking. On the other hand, Rav Moshe (Igrot Moshe YD 2:40) writes that it is not an issue to drink from the Snapple bottle since the Jew who opens it is considered the one who created the vessel and then it would not require tevilah. Chacham Ben-Zion Abba Shaul (Or Litzion OC 1:24) agrees. Alternatively, R' Yechiel Yaakov Weinberg (Sridei Esh YD 2:29) suggests a different solution. He says when you buy the Snapple, just have in mind not to acquire the bottle and then you have no issue as you do not own the vessel and you can drink from the bottle. Rav Menashe Klein (Mishne Halachot 4:107) writes that it is permissible since one doesn’t have in mind to acquire the bottle because nobody wants to buy something prohibited.

==Electric appliances==

===Microwave===

# Some say that a microwave (glass) tray which does not touch food doesn't require Tevilah, and if it does touch food then it requires Tevilah.<ref>[https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kof-k.org%2Farticles%2F040108090413W-3%2520Tevilas%2520Keilim.pdf Kof-K] </ref> However, some say that one should dip it without a bracha in all cases. <Ref>[http://www.star-k.org/cons-appr-tvilaskelim.htm Star-K] </ref>

==If one didn't immerse a utensil==

# A utensil may not be used, even once, before it is immersed in a mikva.  <Ref>  Rema Y.D. 120:8 </ref>

# If foods were placed upon or served with utensils which were not immersed in a mikva, it does not render the food non-kosher,  <ref> Rema Y.D. 120:6, Beiur Halacha 323 </ref>though one should not eat off such utensils.  <Ref> Igrot Moshe 3:22 </ref>

# Kosher food which was cooked in utensils which were not immersed in a mikva but is then served on dishes that were (or disposable dishes) may be eaten without hesitation.  <Ref> Rama Y.D. 120:16, Igrot Moshe Y.D. 2:41 </ref>

==Links==

# http://www.oukosher.org/index.php/passover/article/tevilat_keilim/