The  Basur  IS  Asur

Tevilas Keilim

compiled by Alex Weiser and Tamar Snyder

Tevillas Keilim is defined in English as the ‘Immersion of Vessels’. The Gemara (Avodah Zara, 75B) says, " Tevilah is a process that purifies and uplifts the utensil." In this report, we will discuss what needs to be toiveled and what doesn’t, as well as the actual process of Tevilas Keilim and many different Halachot that pertain to it.

Source of Tevillas Keilim

There is a Machlokes between many Poskim and the Rambam over whether the source for Tevilas Keilim is Deoraysa or Derabanan. Alfred S. Cohen from the RJJ Journal and Chaim Meiersdorf both say that most Poskim attribute the source for Teveilas kelim as MeDoraysa. They quote the pasuk in Bamidbar (31:23), “Everything that may come into fire, you shall pass through the fire and they shall be clean, except it must be cleansed with the water of separation.”

These vessels captured from Midyan need an additional purification, after Libun or Hagalah. They need Tevilah, to be immersed in a Kosher mikvah. Rashi explains on the words, “Ach Bimaih Nidah Yotchatah,” that the Torah made immersion a necessity especially for metal vessels. Elazar tells Bnei Yisrael, “The vessels need purging to purify them of that which is forbidden, and sprinkling (Tevilah) to purify them of impurity (from contact with non-Jews)”. The Rabbi’s interpret “mai Nidah” as waters which are fit for a woman who is a Nidah, which is 40 Se’ah. Rashi gets the fact that the depth of the water needs to be 40 Se’ah and that it has to be Mei Nidah, water that a Nidah can go into as well, from the Gemara (Avodah Zara 75B). The modern equivalent of the se’ah measurement range between 2.25 and 4 gallons. 

            Rambam (Hilchot Maachlot Asurot, ) says, that the mitzvah of Tevilah is "mdivrei Sofrim". Sofrim is explained as Rabbanim, and it seems as if the Rambam holds that Tevilas Keilim is a Mitzvah Derabanan. The Rashba says that when Rambam says “MiDivrei Sofrim,” he means to say that Tevilas Keilim is not explicitly stated in the Torah, but the Rabbi’s derived it from the Torah. Therefore, it is a Mitzvah MeDoraysa that we know through the teachings of the Rabbi’s. Practically, a Jew considers Tevilas Keilim to be a Mitzvah MeDoraysa and is Machmir is questionable situations (Cohen).

What needs to be toiveled

Vessels and utensils that have been previously owned or manufactured by non-Jews and will be used for eating require Tevilah. Both metal and glassware are not destroyed by fire, and therefore are included in the mitzvah Deoraysa to be toiveled. R’ Ashi (Gemara Avodah Zara 75 B) says that glassware has the same Takanos as metal and therefore requires toiveling. The Shulchan Orach agrees with this psak(Yorah Dayah, 120, 1). The Bracha is recited when performing Tevilah on metal and glassware (Meiersdorf).

When a part of a Kli needs Tevilah (ex. Handle), and the rest of the Kli doesn’t, one should immerse the entire Kli (Cohen). If a vessel is made out of wood and has a metal handle, it only needs to be toiveled of the metal part comes in contact with food (Shulchan Orech, Yorah Dayah, 120:6). If one sells a Kli to a non-Jew and he takes it back, then he is required to Toivel it.

What doesn’t need Tevilah

Not every vessel requires Tevilah. Vessels made of earthenware and plastic do not require Tevilah. Tevilah is also not necessary for porcelain and glazed china. A toaster does not need to be toiveled, according to the psak of R’ Moshe Feinstein (Meiersdorf). Disposable utensils do not require tevillah unless you plan to use them several times (Cohen).

Actual Process of Tevilah

When one is performing the mitzvah of Tevilas Keilim, he should have in mind that the process is removing the impurity of the non-Jew that handled that Kli. However, even if one does not have this Kavanah, the Tevilah is still valid (Cohen).

The minimum amount of water that must cover the Kli one is immersing has to be enough to moisten other utensils. It is enough to be Toivel a Kli only once if done correctly (Cohen).

Immediately before performing the Tevilah, one recites the Bracha of “Al Tevilas Keilim." If one has vessels that don’t require a Bracha, it is preferable to immerse them at the same time as he is immersing those that do require a Bracha.

Halachot involving the process of Tevilas Keilim

All parts of the utensil have to be covered in water. If you want to grip the Kli tightly, then you should Toivel it with your hand on one spot of the Kli and then change your hand position and dip it into the water again. This is called Chatzizah (Shulcan Orach, Yorah Dayah, 120: 2).

Another way to do this without dropping your Kli into the Mikvah, is to moisten your hands with the water first and then grip it tightly and put it in.  A good idea is to shake the Kli while it is under the water, so that the water can reach all parts of the Kli. If one wants to tie the Keilim that require Tevilah together, one must use a loose knot.

The Keilim could be placed into a netted sack, basket, or another utensil and then dipped into the Mikvah. The utensils can be in the same sack or basket, but they cannot be placed one on top of another, therefore preventing the water from getting on each Kli. If you want to Toivel both a spoon in a pot, the pot must be at least 2 inches in diameter. One can perform Tevilah using a netted sack or basket even when the opening is not 2 inches. 

When a Kli has detachable parts, it is best to immerse it when it is fully assembled (ex. Meat grinder, thermos). If one decides to immerse the parts separately, each part should be taken totally apart. This includes minute details such as screws. However, only the disassembled parts that require Tevilah should be immersed. Utensils which come with substitute parts should be put on the Kli one by one and then immersed.

A pocketknife should be open when it is immersed. If the knife has many blades, they should be opened one by one and immersed so that the water reaches each and every blade.

Glasses may be immersed sideways or face up, and not face down. This is because an air pocket may form and prevent the water from reaching inside the glass, therefore making the Tevilah invalid. Utensils with wide openings, like plates or shallow pots, may be immersed face up or face down. Utensils that have narrow openings such as bottles should either be filled with tap water before the immersion or left in the mikvah long enough so that the water may reach inside (Cohen).

Vessels Which Have Not Undergone Tevilah

It is Asur to use utensils or vessels that have not undergone Tevilah. However, if accidentally food has been prepared with a vessel that has not yet been toiveled, the food is mutar to eat. Still, the vessel is required to be Toiveled, as it is never too late to immerse a vessel (Alfred Cohen).

In conclusion, Tevilas Keilim is a very practical mitzvah in which a person is required to immerse his vessels and utensils that are made out of metal and glass into a kosher mikvah. The person says the beracha, “Al Tevilas Keilim”. The many halachot involved in this process have all been explained, in this paper, and need to be understood before one toivels their Keilim.  

Sources:

Rambam, Hilchot Maachlot Asurot 17, Halachah 5

Gemara Avodah Zara, 75B.

Shulchan Orach, Yorah Dayah; 120, 1.

Tevillat Keilim, A Comprehensive Guide. Rav Zvi Cohen. Pages 107-113.

Tevilah of Utensils. Rabbi Alfred S. Cohen (from the RJJ Journal).