Dose of Halacha

Question: How can one use one stove for both milky and meaty pots? Do we need to designate any of the burners milky or meaty or can we use them interchangeably for both? Answer: The Rema (Darchei Moshe YD 92:9) writes that there is a machlokes as to whether one can cook milky food in a pot next to a meaty one. According to the Mordechai (Chulin 691) no flavour gets transferred even if the pots are touching each other while R’ Yisroel Isserlin (Hagaos Shaarei Dura 51:3) maintains that some flavour will be transferred from one to the other. Thus, the Rema (YD 92:8) writes that while pots that touch do not transfer taste, lechatchila one should avoid doing so. Following this, the Chochmas Adam (74:4) writes that one must kasher a non-kosher tripod that one stands pots on, though bedieved if one didn’t do so, the food and pots are kosher. R’ Moshe Feinstein (Igros Moshe OC 1:124; YD 1:40; 59; 3:10 ) however, disagrees, writing that even lechatchila one can use a stove for coo...

Question: Do I really need a separate oven for milk and meat? Answer: The Gemara (Pesachim 76a) teaches that there is a machlokes as to whether we are concerned about aroma, reiach, being transferred between two foods that are cooked together in an oven. While Tosafos (Pesachim 76b) follows the stricter opinion, Rambam (Maachalos Asuros 15:33) and the Shulchan Aruch (YD 108:1) write that reiach from a non-kosher dish does not render the other non-kosher, though one mustn’t cook such foods together lechatchila . The Rema adds that the same halacha applies to cooking a meat dish alongside a milky dish. Thus, one cannot cook a milky dish and meat dish in the oven simultaneously. The Mishna (Machshirim 2:2) teaches that hot steam, zeiah, can render food tamei . Following this, the Rosh (Teshuvos 20:26) writes that one can’t cook a meaty dish above a milky one as the steam from the lower dish is considered to be like milk. The Shulchan Aruch (YD 92:8) paskens this way, though the...

Question: I recently bought an electric knife sharpener. Does it need to be tovelled ? Can I use it for my meaty and milky knives? Answer: The Rema (YD 92:8) writes that meaty and milky pots that touch each other do not contaminate each other. Thus, providing the lids are on, one can cook food in a milky pot next to that of a meaty pot. Thus, providing the knife and stone were clean when sharpening the knife, no taam , flavour, would be transferred from the sharpener to any future knives it is used for. The Beis Yosef (YD 122:9) quotes the Mordechai (Avoda Zara 833) who writes that one who left their knives with a non-Jewish person to sharpen them must kasher them as they may have been used for non-kosher food. If one saw them being sharpened, however, and then took them home, they do not need to be kashered. Based on this, R’ Shamai Gross (Shevet Hakehasi 4:192) writes that one may use the same knife sharpener for both meaty and milky knives. The Shulchan Aruch (YD 120:4...

Question: I’m baking a big batch of biscuits. The recipe doesn’t call for any water. Do I take challa from the batter? Answer: The Mishna (Challa 1:5) writes that one isn’t obligated to separate challa from a thin batter unless it takes on a thicker consistency when it is baked (See Rashi). Following this, the Shulchan Aruch (YD 329:2) writes that, providing it contains enough flour, one has to take challa when baking something from a liquid batter just as one does from a thick dough. R' Avraham Borenstein (Avnei Nezer YD 413) writes, however, that one shouldn’t separate challa until after the cake or biscuits have baked. The Aruch Hashulchan (YD 329:15) disagrees, writing that as cakes and biscuits are not considered to be bread, there is no need to separate challa from them in chutz la’aretz when separating challa is only miderabanan. R’ Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (Minchas Shlomo 68:n1; Shemiras Shabbos Kehilchasa 42:n41) disagrees, however. After all, if one were t...

Question: What is the best thing to do with the challa that one separates? Should one wrap and dispose of it or burn it in the oven? Answer: Rambam (Bikurim 5:13) writes that the challa which one is supposed to separate and give to the kohen is akin to teruma . Just as teruma which becomes tamei must not be eaten, so too challa nowadays may not be eaten as we are all presumed to be tamei . Likewise, any dough that came into contact with water or any of the other seven liquids would be tamei (See Mishna, Machshirin 6:4) . According to Rambam (Yom Tov 3:8), there is a mitzva mideoraisa to burn this tamei challa (See Tosafos, Shabbos 24b). In chutz la’aretz where this mitzva is only miderabanan, the requirement to burn it would also be miderabanan. Thus, the Rema (YD 332:5) writes that nowadays we burn this dough. As only kohanim may benefit from challa , it must not be baked together with other bread, though. While the Shach ( YD 108:1 quoting from the Issur Veheter) ...

Question: I forgot that I was still meaty and accidentally said a beracha on a cup of tea. What should I have done? Answer: The Gemara (Chullin 105a) writes that after eating meat, Mar Ukva would wait until the next meal before eating milky food. There is a machlokes however, as to how long this wait is. Rambam ( Maachalos Asuros 9:28) and the Shulchan Aruch (YD 89:1) writes that one must wait six hours after eating meat before eating cheese while the Rema writes that one only has to wait one hour, wash their hands and rinse their mouth first. While the Dutch community typically waits one hour and many wait three, the Taz (YD 89:2) notes that the main minhag is to wait six hours. The Gemara (Berachos 33a) writes that we learn from a passuk not to say a beracha levatala. According to Rambam (Berachos 1:15) and the Shulchan Aruch (OC 215:4), it is forbidden mideoraisa while Tosafos (Rosh Hashana 33a) holds that it is forbidden miderabanan (See Mishna Berura 215:20) . R’...

Question: Is it really necessary to check lettuce for bugs? Answer: The Gemara (Pesachim 24a; Makkos 16b) writes that one who eats an insect transgresses multiple aveiros . While mideoraisa certain prohibited foods in a mixture would be battul berov, annulled against the majority, Tosafos (Chullin 95a) writes that this wouldn’t apply when the forbidden item can be clearly seen. Additionally, the Shulchan Aruch (YD 100:1) writes that a beriya , whole creature, is not even battul in a ratio against one thousand kosher parts (See Gemara Chullin 99b). The Rema (YD 84:8) quotes the Rashba (Toras Habayis 3:3; Teshuvos 274) who writes that one only needs to check dates if there is a miut hamatzuy, reasonable chance, that they are infested. There is a machlokes , however, as to what constitutes a miut hamatzuy. R’ Yaakov Bruchin (Mishkenos Yaakov YD:17) writes that it refers to a 10% chance. There is a further debate as to how to calculate this (See Minchas Shlomo 2:61). R’ Shmue...

Question: I recently visited Israel and saw hechsherim on so many non-food products, even some bath products . Does it matter if body soap is made from non-kosher ingredients? Answer: Rambam (Maachalos Asuros 8:15) writes that while one isn’t allowed to eat non-kosher fats, one is allowed to have other forms of benefit from them. The Beis Yosef (YD 117; 123) writes that there is a machlokes as to whether one may rub non-kosher fats into their skin. As the Mishna (Shabbos 86a) teaches us that anointing oneself on Yom Kippur is akin to drinking, the Orchos Chaim holds that one mustn’t anoint oneself with such fats. The Rashba, however, holds that one may do so. Following this, the Taz ( YD 117:4) writes that one may only anoint oneself with such fats for medical reasons, etc. (See Kaf Hachaim YD 117:15). The Biur Halacha (326:10) quotes the Vilna Gaon ( OC 326:10) who sides with the Taz though writes that the minhag is to allow using non-kosher soap. Tosafos (Yoma 77a; Nidd...

Question: I tasted some chicken to see if it was too hot before feeding it to my baby. Am I now meaty? Answer: The Tur (YD 89:1) writes that there are two different reasons for why we have to wait between eating a meat meal and a milky one. Rambam (Maachalos Asuros 9:28) writes that we are concerned that there is some pieces of meat left stuck between one’s teeth. After a few hours, such food isn’t considered to be meat. Rashi (Chullin 105a), however, writes that the taste of the meat could linger on for a few hours. Thus, if one just bit into a piece of meat for a child but didn’t swallow it, then according to Rashi one wouldn’t have to wait, though according to Rambam one would. Likewise, if one found meat stuck between their teeth after six hours, Rambam wouldn’t require you to remove it, though Rashi would. The Tur writes, however, that we need to follow the stringencies of both positions. Thus, the Shulchan Aruch (YD 89:1) writes that one who chewed on a piece of meat m...

Question: I baked challos for Shabbos though forgot to separate challa before baking them. Can I take challa on Shabbos? Answer: The Gemara (Eruvin 83a) writes that one only needs to separate challa when making a dough that is the size of a tenth of an eifa . Thus, the Shulchan Aruch (YD 324:1) writes that one making a dough from the five grains with a volume of 43 (and one fifth) eggs, must separate challa. As there is a machlokes as to the size of kabeitza nowadays, there are different customs as to how large the dough must be. Common practice is to separate challa without saying a beracha if using 2.5lb of flour (See Shiurei Torah p158) and with a beracha only when using over 5lb of flour. The Shulchan Aruch (YD 327:2; 5) writes that ideally one should separate challa after kneading the dough, though if one didn’t do so then, they can still do so after baking it. One mustn’t eat the bread until they have separated challa. The Mishna Berura (339:26) writes that on...

Question: At what age should children begin waiting between meat and milk? Answer: The Shulchan Aruch (OC 343:1) writes that parents mustn’t feed their children non-kosher food. Thus, one can’t even feed a baby meat and milk together. How long children need to wait after eating meat before eating milky foods depends primarily on their age. The Rema (OC 328:17) writes that very young children have a similar halachic status as a choleh shein bo sakanah (a bedridden patient), who doesn’t need to wait long between eating one meal and the next. Thus, R’ Shmuel Wosner (Shevet Halevi 4:84) and R’ Moshe Stern (Be’er Moshe 8:36:4) write that one can feed babies milk just after they’ve eaten meat, though the baby’s mouth should be cleaned first (See Chochmas Adam 40:13). R’ Mordechai Yaakov Breish (Chelkas Yaakov YD:16; 17) writes that children only need to wait an hour until they’re nine. R’ Ovadia Yosef (Yabia Omer 1:YD:4; 3:YD:3) writes that if older children want to hav...

Question: I wanted to bake a milky bread loaf though was told that I couldn’t. Is that true and why? Answer: The Gemara (Pesachim 30a; 36a) writes that chazal instituted that one mustn’t bake a loaf of bread using milky or meaty ingredients as people may not realize and come to eat milky bread in a meaty meal, or vice versa (See Shulchan Aruch YD 97:1). The Aruch Hashulchan (YD 97:1) writes that this is so serious that if one accidentally baked such bread, one mustn’t eat it at all (See Kaf Hachaim YD 97:11; Yabia Omer YD 1:5). The Gemara writes that one may bake milky or meaty bread, however, providing that they bake it kaein tura, like the eye of an ox. According to Rashi (Pesachim 36a) this refers to baking a small quantity while Rambam (Maachalos Asuros 9:22) understands it to mean baking the bread in a different shape to regular bread. The Shulchan Aruch (ibid) writes that if either of these conditions were met, one could bake such bread. Thus, in Yerushalayim , all mi...

Question: We forgot to check our eggs while baking a cake, and found a blood spot in the mixture. We removed the blood and baked the cake. Can we eat it? Do we need to kasher our dish? Answer: The Gemara (Chulin 64b) writes that one mustn’t eat an egg with a blood spot as we are concerned that it is the beginning of an embryo. The Rema (YD 66:8) writes that as the majority of eggs don’t have blood spots, one doesn’t need to check them. Nonetheless, he writes, it is the minhag to check them. One may eat them if they weren’t checked, however (Aruch Hashulchan YD 66:32). As modern commercial eggs are produced through artificially stimulated hormones, they cannot develop into chickens. Thus, the poskim write that any blood found in them isn’t proper blood. While the Shach (YD 66:14) allows one to eat such eggs even with blood spots, R’ Moshe Feinstein (Igros Moshe YD 1:36; OC 3:61) writes that we should still abide by this minhag and throw out any eggs with blood spots particu...

Question: I have just been prescribed a new pill for my asthma. It comes in a capsule made from gelatine. Is that a problem? Answer: While gelatine, unless certified as kosher , comes from non-kosher animals (or animals not shechted ) there is a machlokes as to whether it is kosher or not. R’ Chaim Ozer Grodzinski (Achiezer 2:11; 3:33:5), R’ Yechezkel Abramsky (brought in intro to Tzitz Eliezer 4), R’ Eliezer Waldenberg (Tzitz Eliezer 6:16; 10:25:20:2) and R’ Ovadia Yosef (Yabia Omer 8:YD 11) all write that one may eat gelatine even from a non-kosher source (See Shearim Metzuyanim Behalacha 47:5). However, R’ Aharon Kotler (Mishnas R’ Aharon 1:16), the Chazon Ish (YD 12:7), R’ Yitzchak Yaakov Weiss (Minchas Yitzchak 1:52; 3:147; 5:5), and R’ Moshe Sternbuch (Teshuvos Vehanhagos 2:381) all write that one can only eat gelatine from a kosher source. R’ Moshe Feinstein (Igros Moshe YD 1:37, 2:23, 2:27, 2:32) writes that because of the doubt, one should not be lenient and eat ...

Question: I was most surprised when my wife told me that I shouldn’t have left half an onion in the fridge overnight. What are the criteria of this halacha and what should I do with the onion? Answer: The Gemara (Nidda 17a) writes that it is dangerous to leave peeled garlic, onion or egg overnight due to ruach ra’ah, evil spirit. This halacha only applies if the entire onion, garlic or egg is peeled. However, if part of it remains unpeeled, or if it has already been mixed with any other food, it may be eaten (Kaf Hachaim OC 504:1; YD 116:92). Some, therefore, add salt to remove this prohibition (See Tzitz Eliezer 18:46; Minchas Yitzchak 6:75). There is a machlokes as to whether cooking it helps. The Darkei Teshuva (116:74) and R’ Shmuel Wosner (Shevet Halevi 3:169) write that it doesn’t apply once it’s been cooked, though other poskim hold that it is only a problem when cooked (See Minchas Yitzchak 4:108). There is a further machlokes as to whether commercial cooks and ...

Question: What do I need to do between eating fish and meat? Answer: While the Gemara (Pesachim 76b) only warns against the dangers of eating meat that has been cooked together with fish, the Shulchan Aruch (YD 116:2) extends this prohibition to eating fish with meat or chicken (Pischei Teshuvah YD 116:2) together. As this danger seems to conflict with contemporary medical knowledge, the poskim debate as to whether this applies nowadays. The Mishna Berura (173:3) and Aruch Hashulchan (YD 116:10) quote the Magen Avraham (OC 173:1) who writes that this is one of many natural phenomena mentioned in the Gemara that no longer apply. The Chasam Sofer (YD 101) suggests that this may be why there is no mention of this in Rambam. Nonetheless, the Chasam Sofer concedes with the majority of poskim (Chochmas Adam 68:1; Maharam Shick YD 244; Kaf Hachaim OC 173:9), who write that this prohibition still applies even if we don’t understand the danger (See Yad Ephraim 116:3). The Tur (YD ...

Question: I inadvertently bought some yellow peppers that are from Israel. What should I do with them? Answer: There is a machlokes in the Gemara (Moed Katan 2b) as to whether the observance of shemitta nowadays is mideoraisa or miderabanan . According to the Ramban (Sefer Hazechus, Gittin 36) and the Raavad (Shemitta Veyovel 1:11) shemitta nowadays is mideoraisa, while according to the Baal Hamaor (Sefer Haterumos 45) it is only a midas chassidus (pious act). Most rishonim (Rashi; Tosafos, Gittin 36a) though, understand shemitta nowadays to be miderabanan (See Gra YD 331:6) . Regardless, during the shemitta year, we are forbidden to do business with shemitta produce (Avoda Zara 62a), to destroy it (Pesachim 52b) and to remove it from Israel (See Igros Moshe OC 1:186). As opposed to fruit, even though most of the vegetable growth may have been before shemitta, the determining stage for vegetables is the time it was picked. Thus, as the peppers you bought were picked...

Question: I’ve always waited three hours after eating meat before eating milky foods though was recently told that this custom has no basis and I must wait 6 hours. Do I need to change? Answer: The Gemara (Chulin 105a) relates that Mar Ukva would wait between eating a meat meal and a milky one. The poskim debate how long the interval between meals is. The Shulchan Aruch (YD 89:1) writes that this is six hours while Rambam (Maachalos Asuros 9:28) writes that this is about six hours. According to many poskim (Chochmas Adam 40:13, Pischei Teshuva 87:4, and Aruch Hashulchan 89:7) this means six complete hours, while others (Ohr Yitzchak YD 4) write that it means over five and a half hours. Dutch Jews follow the Rema (YD 89:1) and wait just one hour or seventy two minutes ( Kreisi Upleisi 89:3). M any Jews, especially in the UK, follow the German custom of waiting three hours, though there is a debate as to the origin of this view. Indeed, many of the German poskim themselves...

Question: I have just moved into a new home and need to kasher the kitchen. What is the halacha regarding the formica countertops? Is it the same for plastic utensils? Answer: There is a machlokes among the rishonim as to how to treat materials that aren’t mentioned in the Torah. Thus, for example, while most rishonim including the Shulchan Aruch (OC 451:26) hold that as glass is non-absorbent, it does not need to be kashered , the Rema follows the Mordechai (Pesachim 374) who writes that glasses can’t be kashered for Pesach because they are made from sand and therefore similar to earthenware. R’ Yechiel Yaakov Weinberg (Seridei Aish 1:46) writes that the acharonim are lenient regarding plastic and such utensils may be kashered through hagalah (placing in boiling water). R’ Eliezer Waldenberg (Tzitz Eliezer 4:6:3) compares plastic utensils to stone ones and permits kashering through hagalah. R’ Yitzchak Yaakov Weiss (Minchas Yitzchak 1:86; 3:67) writes that while on...

Question:  I want to buy gifts for our non-Jewish clients. Can I buy them non-Kosher food and wine? Answer: The Shulchan Aruch (YD 117:1) writes that one must not do business with any food which is forbidden to eat mideoraisa . The Rema writes that one must not, therefore, buy such food for one’s non-Jewish workers as one stands to benefit from giving such gifts (See Kaf Hachaim YD 117:28). The Taz (YD 117:2), however, allows buying such food for workers, arguing that such gifts do not constitute business (See Shach YD 117:3). The Shulchan Aruch (YD 87:1) writes that meat and milk that were cooked together are assur behanaah , forbidden to benefit from. Therefore, if one received such a food product, one may not even pass it on to a non-Jew. The Rema writes that this does not apply to foods that are assur miderabanan. Thus, one may buy food that is bishul akum , etc. Nonetheless, the Kaf Hachaim (YD 117:52) writes that even those poskim who are stringent would allow buyin...