Tevilas Keilim

In the days leading up to Pesach many of us are busy purchasing new pots, pans and various other utensils in preparation for the upcoming Yom Tov. This presents a special opportunity to fulfill the mitzvah of tevilas keilim, dipping our newly obtained utensils into the mikvah.

In fact, even a temporary use of a utensil¹ which has a tevila requirement that has not yet been performed is forbidden. This is true even at a hotel or restaurant, where the user does not even own the utensil.

Here are some general guidelines to keep in mind in the performance of Tevilas Keilim.

Ownership

The utensil must have been previously owned by a non-Jew and have been obtained by a Jew either by a gift, sale, or other type of transaction². If while after purchase, even a part owner of the utensil is not Jewish, then there is no Mitzvah of Tevilas Keilim³.

When one sells their Chametz for Passover to a non-Jew, the custom is not to sell the actual Chametz utensils as this could present a problem after the Holiday is over when acquiring the utensils back from the non Jew⁴.

A utensil that is constructed while under Jewish ownership does not require tevila.

Intent

There is a common misconception that a utensil used only for food preparation is exempt from tevila. However, this is not accurate. The defining characteristic is that the owner must have the intent to use the utensil as klei seudah. This is defined as a utensil that is used either to serve a finished food product or to prepare food.

That being said, if a utensil only contacts food in an inedible state then tevila should be done without a beracha⁵. Thus a peeler used strictly for potatoes (which cannot be eaten raw) would require tevila without a beracha. However, a peeler used for carrots, or a baking pan (utensils that normally come into contact with edible food) requires tevila with a beracha.

A container used strictly for storage but not for food preparation or serving food, such as a wine barrel or cookie jar, should have tevila performed, although without a beracha⁶.

Some Jewish owned stores have a special mikvah for toiveling on the premises. However, one should be careful. Store merchandise is not purchased by the store owner with the intent to be used with food; rather it is bought to sell and turn a profit. In such a situation it is not clear if the utensil has a requirement for tevila, for on the one hand it will eventually be used for food by the purchasing consumer but in its present state it is merely “klei schorah.” One should be careful to toivel these items only after purchasing for personal use; if they are toiveled before being purchased, the tevila may not be effective.

The same issue may apply to utensils purchased to be given as a gift (something to look out for when receiving shalach manos that have bowls and dishes that don’t directly come into contact with the food of the shaloch manos.) Ask your Rav for guidance.

The Blessing

The bracha made when toiveling a utensil is “al tvilas kli”. If toiveling more than one utensil at a time, we recite “al tvilas keilim”. When performing tevila for items which do not require a beracha (see examples below) it is good practice to first toivel an item that requires a beracha and have the rest of the items in mind.

If one forgets to recite the beracha, the tevila is still valid.

Performance of the Mitzvah

The utensil should be submerged completely in the water of the mikvah at one time and the waters of the mikvah should come in complete contact with the utensil, both inside and out.

One should wet their hands in the waters of the mikvah before grasping the utensil. The item should be held loosely when dipping in the mikvah⁷.

Utensils should be clean: any stickers, residue or glue attached to a utensil should be removed before tevila is performed.

Materials That Require Tevila

Utensils made of metal, glass, as well as Pyrex and Correle (which are types of glass) require tevila with a bracha⁸. Wood, stone, porcelain, and synthetic utensils do not require tevila.

Utensils that are made of two or more layers of material, one that requires tevila and one that does not, should be toiveled without a bracha. An example would be a metal frying pan covered with teflon.

Single use aluminum pans do not require tevila.⁹

Food Contact

A utensil that does not come into intentional contact with food does not require tevila¹⁰. Thus the burners and grates of a gas stove do not require tevila. However,the grates of a grill do require tevila, as they come into direct contact with food under normal use.

Items which are covered with a layer of tin foil or baking paper still require tevila, as this covering is considered insignificant.

An item which under its normal use does not come into contact with food, but sometimes will be used in a way that does have food contact, does not require tevila¹¹. An example of this would be a pocket knife which on occasion will be used to slice fruit, or the grates of an oven which might be used to toast bread.

A lid for a pot will require tevila; since the steam rises and touches the lid, it considered to have direct contact with the food.

How fitting it is that as we prepare to celebrate and commemorate the Redemption from Egypt, where our ancestors were extracted from a land bereft of Kedusha, into the service of Hashem; that we now take our utensils purchased from non-Jewish ownership and sanctify them in the pure waters of the mikvah¹².

May we soon merit the Ultimate Redemption.

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