Kashrut – Rosh Yeshiva Responds

21 06, 2021

Accidentally Cooked Possible Dairy in a Meat Air Fryer

June 21st, 2021|Kashrut, Yoreh De'ah|

QUESTION

Riverdale, NY

A nanny accidentally used an air fryer, which is fleishig, to cook fish sticks. The fish sticks are Tablet K-D, and there is a food warning label about milk on the package. There is no milk in the ingredients, but in the “contains less than 2% of the following” ingredients listing, “whey” is included. What is the status of air fryer?

ANWER

Let’s first assume that the fish sticks were on aluminum foil or in a pan. There is a debate if whey is milk mide’orayta or only miderabanan. See Shulchan Arukh YD 87:6, 8. I also assume that a “D” […]

27 05, 2021

Status of Keilim Used With Tablet-K Cheese

May 27th, 2021|Kashrut, Yoreh De'ah|

QUESTION

Riverdale, NY

Dear Rabbi Linzer,

You previously addressed the the satus of keilim after making macaroni and cheese with non-hekhshered butter. I’d like to ask a similar question with regard to a keli in which one cooked with Tablet-K cheese. I am assuming one does not rely on Rabbeinu Tam’s leniency, particularly given the Rema’s position in YD 115:1 that gevinat akum makes keilim prohibited. What if one is a roommate and the keilim belong to someone else? Assuming that any new food cooked in those keilim (which are no longer ben yomo) uses cheese with a proper hashgachah, can one consider that bedieved and kosher (based on Taz YD 115:12) if […]

11 04, 2021

A Sandwich Maker of Unknown Kashrut Status That Has Not Been Used in Over a Year

April 11th, 2021|Kashrut, Yoreh De'ah|

QUESTION

Canada

A sandwich maker hasn’t been used in over a year and the owner doesn’t remember if it was milkhig or fleishig or for anything at all!

Can he rely on the sevara of the Chacham Tzvi/Maharsham and assume there’s no ta’am at all and not kasher it and then use it for whichever he wishes, since I imagine kashering it would require a blow torch and ruin it?
If he can kasher it without a blow torch, how?

ANSWER

On the one hand, it is not serious hefsed at all. On the other hand, we are talking about heter, not issur. And […]

2 04, 2021

Washing Pareve and Dairy Keilim Together in a Dishwasher

April 2nd, 2021|Kashrut, Yoreh De'ah|

QUESTION

Chicago, IL

Is there any reason not to wash pareve keilim alongside gendered keilim in a dishwasher? That is, if we use our dishwasher for dairy, are there any consequences from washing pareve pots or casseroles, etc. in the dishwasher along with the dairy items?

ANSWER

If there’s no be’ein it’s obviously not a problem. It is all nat bat nat. If there is be’ein then if the milkhig is not touching the pareve plate then also not a problem. It becomes nat bar nat in the water which then won’t transfer to the pareve keli. The only issue is if the milkhig keilim are directly on the pareve plate and they […]

22 03, 2021

Kashering a Griddle for Pesach

March 22nd, 2021|Kashrut, Orach Chayim, Pesach, Yoreh De'ah|

QUESTION

Chicago, IL

Can this be kashered for Pesach? Griddle for making pancakes used with batter.

ANSWER

In general, we rule that chameitz, even during the rest of the year, is considered to be איסורא בלע, and when absorbed directly via the fire requires libun chamor (Shulchan Arukh OC 451:4). That is normally defined at about 700 degrees. I imagine that that is not possible here and that a blow torch or the like would destroy it.

There are, however, poskim who rule that libun chamor is the same as the hottest temperature the object got to. According to this you […]

21 03, 2021

Defining Kitniyot

March 21st, 2021|Kashrut, Orach Chayim, Pesach|

QUESTION

Washington, D.C.

Rav Linzer, can you weigh in on why (or why not) sesame seeds and mustard seeds are kitniyot?

ANSWER

It is hard if not impossible to nail down a definition of what type of produce is included in kitniyot. Rav Moshe Feinstein (Iggrot Moshe OC 3:63) acknowledged that the two reasons given for the prohibition of kitniyot, (1) that these foods can be used to make flour and, (2) that wheat and barley often get mixed in with these foods, do not explain the list of what is included and excluded. There are foods that fit into one of these categories, such […]

21 03, 2021

Peanut Oil On Pesach

March 21st, 2021|Kashrut, Orach Chayim, Pesach|

QUESTION

Chicago, IL

An Ashkenazi woman discovered a Pesach recipe that belonged to her grandmother. One ingredient is peanut oil. Is she entitled to return to that prior Minhag of her family?

ANSWER

See Rav Moshe (Iggrot Moshe OC 3:63), who allows peanuts for those that don’t have a practice otherwise. He specifically mentions at the end that he has seen that they give a kosher-li-Pesach hekhsher on peanut oil. OU states that only “some” have the practice to not use peanut oil, see here.

I would say that unless she was consciously adopting a Minhag to not use peanut oil then she […]

21 03, 2021

Eating Egg Matzah On Erev Pesach

March 21st, 2021|Kashrut, Orach Chayim, Pesach|

QUESTION

Riverdale, NY

Rav Linzer, If one is using egg matzah for lechem mishnah for Shabbat/Erev Pesach, can it be eaten after the point that one can no longer eat chameitz? Also, does one need to avoid putting egg matzah in hot soup (keli shelishi) on Shabbat Erev Pesach, if it’s in Pesach keilim?

ANSWER

The Shulchan Arukh (OC 462:1-2) writes that matzah ashirah can be eaten on Pesach, but only when no water was used, as that creates a chameitz concern. Rema OC 462:4 says that our Minhag is not to eat it even without water unless in a case of choleh or similar sha’at hadechak. The Shulchan Arukh OC 471:2 rules that […]

14 03, 2021

Eino Ben Yomo Kitniyot Keilim On Pesach

March 14th, 2021|Kashrut, Orach Chayim, Pesach, Yoreh De'ah|

QUESTION

New York, NY

What concerns should we have about cooking and eating kitniyot (rice, for example) on Pesach keilim on Shabbat-Erev Pesach. Is this mutar lekhatchilah?

ANSWER

Yes. You will use them on Friday, and not use them again until Saturday night. They will be eino ben yomo, and there is no issur to use kitniyot eino ben yomo pots, since even if they are ben yomo, they will definitely be bateil. This follows the general principle that we don’t forbid X lest it lead to Y if even Y is mutar bedieved. See Gra YD 35:10 and Taz YD 91:7,

דכל שמותר בדיעבד לא חיישי’ מתחלה שמא ישכח וזה מוכח בסימן א’ בטור גבי ומיהו לכתחלה יכולין […]

14 03, 2021

The Status of Utensils Never User With Chameitz That Are Stored in Proximity to Chameitz

March 14th, 2021|Kashrut, Orach Chayim, Pesach, Yoreh De'ah|

QUESTION

Chicago, IL

What is your guidance for kashering kitchen utensils that are never used for chameitz but are kept in the kitchen during the year. For example, a French press for making coffee that sits on the counter top and is washed with chameitz in the sink or dishwasher (with soap)? What about a special rack for roasting liver which is only used for liver and never with chameitz in the oven at the same time?

ANSWER

If it sits in the kitchen, but never comes in hot contact with anything chameitz, then you can use it. Just wash it off and you are […]

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Riverdale, NY

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Riverdale, NY

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Canada

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Chicago, IL

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Chicago, IL

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Washington, D.C.

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Chicago, IL

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Riverdale, NY

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New York, NY

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Chicago, IL

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