Tevilat Keilim: Difference between revisions

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, Avodah Zara 75b </ref> This mitzva is referred to as "[[Tevilat Keilim]]", the immersion of utensils.  

==Basics==

# It is actually a matter of dispute amongst the authorities whether the mitzva of tevilat keilim has the status of a Torah commandment<ref>Rabbenu Tam (Tosfot Yoma 78a), Rashba (Torat Habayit Ha'aroch 125b) </ref> or a rabbinical one.<Ref> Ramban on Parashat Bamidbar 31:23. See Yabia Omer Y.D. 2:9 for a list of both opinions. </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 4:44 </ref> All poskim agree that glass is only rabbinic.<ref> Pri Chadash 120:3 </ref>

==Procedure of Tevilah==

# One must make sure to remove all stickers, labels, and rust. <Ref>Yalkut Yosef YD 120:6, Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 37:10 </ref>

# The utensil is immersed once, ensuring that it is completely covered by the water of the mikva. <ref> Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 37:10 </ref>

# One should remove a knife from the case before immersion. <Ref>Yalkut Yosef YD 120:6 </ref>

# Ideally, a person should loosen his grasp of the kli for a second so that it leaves his grip for a moment. If a person is worried about it falling and breaking or getting lost, it is advisable to do the tevilat kelim over a basket. If that’s not possible such as with a large fragile kli, one should 1) first hold onto the kli with both hands, 2) remove one hand momentarily and then grasp it again, 3) remove the other hand and grasp it again.<ref>The Chelkat Binyamin 120:26 writes that there’s 4 opinions about whether holding onto the kelim poses as a chasisa:

* The Taz holes that if the hand was wet with mikveh water and didn’t leave the mikveh it is an effective tevilah even if she grabbed tightly. If the hand was wet with non-mikveh water or mikveh water but was removed from the mikveh and then it holds onto the kli tightly the tevilah is ineffective.  

* The Mahari Bruna holds that even if the hand was wetted with mikveh water and didn’t leave the mikveh if it is holding tightly the tevilah is ineffective. The halacha follows the Rama but one should be strict for the Taz unless it is an extenuating circumstance.</ref>

# A child under [[Bar Mitzvah]] can only do Tevilah in the presence of an adult. In such a case he can even make the Bracha. <Ref>Shulchan Aruch Y.D. 120:14, Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 37:12, Yalkut Yosef YD 120:25, Sh”t Yabia Omer 2:9(8). The reason for this is established by the Trumat Hadeshen that either no intention is necessary for Tevilat Keilim since it isn't similar to purification from impurity and also it is possible to teach a child to have the correct intention. </ref>  

# According to Sephardim, it is permitted to do tevilat keilim on Shabbat or Yom Tov but initially one should give it to a non-Jew and then borrow it back and at that point it won't be obligated in tevilat keilim<ref> The gemara Beitzah 18a provides four reasons why it is forbidden to do tevilah of a tameh kli on Shabbat or Yom Tov. These include: a person might come to carry in a public domain, if it is clothing one might squeeze it out, one might delay all of one's tevilah until then, and it looks like fixing the kli. The Rif (Beitzah 10a) only records the reasons of squeezing and delaying and the Rambam (Yom Tov 4:17) only the reason of delaying. The Rosh (Beitzah 2:3) writes that according to the Rif it would emerge that it is permitted to perform tevilat keilim on Shabbat. However, the Rosh argues that we should follow the other reasons that gemara gave and so it would be forbidden to do tevilat keilim on Shabbat. Shulchan Aruch 323:7 rules like the Rif and Rambam that it is permitted but initially one should give it a non-Jew and then borrow it back from him, at which point there's no obligation of tevilat keilim.</ref>, but after Shabbat or Yom Tov one should do tevilat keilim on it without a bracha.<ref>Mishna Brurah 323:36, Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 37:13</ref> According to Ashkenazim, one shouldn't do tevilat keilim on Shabbat or Yom Tov. Rather one should give it to a non-Jew and borrow it back. If it is a vessel that one could use to draw water one could use it to draw water from the mikveh and that is effective for tevilat keilim and doesn't appear as tevilat keilim.<ref> The Rama 323:7 writes that one should do it in a way that appears that you're only drawing water from the mikveh. Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 37:13 writes that in general it is forbidden to do tevilat keilim on Shabbat or Yom Tov but rather should give it to a non-Jew and borrow it back. </ref>

# According to most poskim, Tevilat Kelim doesn't need kavana. Therefore, if a vessel fell into the mikveh it doesn't need to be toveled again.<ref>The Trumat Hadeshen 257 writes that a katan can have kavana for tevilat kelim and also tevilat kelim is chulin and doesn't need kavana, it is just a mitzvah unlike niddah (where the Rama 198:48 requires kavana initially). Rashba in teshuva 3:255 is clearly compares niddah and tevilat kelim, but in his conclusion he cites the Rambam who holds that even for Niddah kavana isn't necessary. Radvaz 1:34 thinks that the Rashba agrees with the Rambam. He explains that the general topic of mitzvot needing kavana isn’t relevant here since tevila and shechita are matirin and not mitzvot. Both the Shach YD 120:20 and Taz 198:17 write that we accept the Truamt Hadeshen and kavan isn't necessary for tevilat kelim. However, the Gra 120:38 sides with the Bach who thinks that initially you need kavana just like niddah (based on the comparison of the Rashba).</ref>

# It is unclear whether or not one who converts to Judaism is required to immerse the utensils he already owns. <ref>Sh"t Shevet HaLevi 4:92, 6:245(2) holds that a convert is required to immerse his vessels. Sh”t Yabia Omer YD 8:7 writes that seemingly the convert wouldn’t be obligated to immerse the utensils and quotes the Sefer Devarim Achadim (Rav Eliyahu Kalskin Siman 196), Shem MeShmuel (Parshat Matot), Sh”t Nezer HaKodesh 17 who agree. Yabia Omer concludes that one should immerse metal vessels without a Bracha and one wouldn’t need to immerse glass vessels. See Tzitz Eliezer 8:19-20, 22:49.</ref>

==Beracha==

# For one vessel the Bracha is Al Tevilat Kli and for multiple vessels the Bracha is Al [[Tevilat Kelim]]. After the fact, if one switched Kli for Kelim or the opposite one has fulfilled one’s obligation. <Ref>Yalkut Yosef YD 120:7 </ref>

==Which Vessels require Tevilah?==

# If one has utensils that a majority of them had tevilat kelim and one that didn't have tevilat kelim got mixed in and it isn't discernible which didn't have tevilah, one should do tevilat kelim on all of them. If it would be a major exertion of effort ask one's rabbi as there might be what to rely on.<ref>The Teshurat Shay 2:104 writes that if a store bought utensils made by Jews and also utensils made by non-Jews and the majority are from the Jews then still the utensils need tevilat kelim. His reasoning is that it is a dvar sheyesh lo matirin since they can be put in the mikveh (similar to Shulchan Aruch YD 102:3). Even though the Maharshal Chullin 8:86 says that there's no dvar sheyesh lo matirin if an action is necessary that is qualified by the fact that nedarim are a dvar sheyesh lo matirin. Since nullifying a neder is a mitzvah it is a dvar sheyesh lo matirin even though it is an action. So too, to dip utensils in the mikveh is a mitzvah. Anyway, the Maharshal is against the Rashba Torat Habayit Haaruch 12b and Torat Habayit Hakatzar 8a, Shulchan Aruch 102:2, and Shach 102:8. [http://www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=37782&st=&pgnum=263 Ruach Chaim YD 122:1] comes to the same conclusion. Halichot Olam v. 7 p. 276 and Darkei Teshuva 122:36 quote these poskim. Yabia Omer 2:9:3. (See Mayan Omer v. 4 p. 404 who quotes Rav Ovadia that it was only glass then one wouldn't need to actually dip it in a mikveh. In the footnote he discusses it potentially not being a dvar sheyesh lo matirin in light of the Tzlach Pesach 9b.) Nonetheless, it wouldn't be considered a dvar sheyesh lo matirin if it would cost a lot of money to do the tevilat kelim (Shulchan Aruch 102:3). Additionally, in general, Badei Hashulchan 102:33 quotes the Pri Chadash and Chayei Adam that if someone would require a great deal of effort to do it wouldn't be considered a dvar sheyesh lo matirin.</ref> No bracha should be recited.<ref>Har Tzvi 93, Shevet Halevi 4:93. See however, Divrei Dovid 2:23 who argues that one should recite a bracha since we don't accept the Tzlach we hold that it is a dvar sheyesh lo matirin and as such it isn't batel and requires tevilah.</ref>

# If a utensil from a Jew is mixed into a majority of utensils from non-Jews there is an obligation to do tevilat kelim with a bracha. If one is only doing the tevilat kelim on one of the utensils at one time one wouldn't recite a bracha.<ref>Teshurat Shay 2:104 writes that if the majority of the utensils are from non-Jews there is an obligation to do tevilat kelim on all of the utensils. He adds that there’s no bracha for the one which was originally from a Jew since we don’t follow rov for brachot (Zachor Lavraham OC 3:60 s.v. eych). Also, since it is a dvar sheyesh lo matirin bitul is ineffective (see Magen Avraham 513:13 quoting the Maharshal). However, there is still a bracha for the ones that are from a non-Jew.</ref>

==Links==

# [https://www.star-k.org/articles/kosher-lists/1170/tevilas-keilim-guidelines/ Tevilas Keilim Guidelines by the Star-K]