From the Rav’s Desk: Tevila to microwave plate

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  1. Question: [Monday 23rd Teves 5782]

Is one required to immerse a glass microwave plate inside of a Mikveh?

 

Answer:

If you never plan on putting any food directly on the microwave plate, and rather plan on placing the food on a plate and then place the plate on the microwave plate, then it does not need to be immersed. If you do plan on sometimes using it directly with the food, or want to leave your options open, then simply immerse it without a blessing.

Explanation: A food vessel is only obligated to be immersed in the mikvah if it comes in direct contact with food, otherwise it is completely exempt. Now, the common use of microwave plates is not to place food directly on it, but rather to place the food on a separate plate and then place the plate of food on top of the microwave plate for it to heat up. Accordingly, typical microwave plates do not have any requirement of immersion. If, however, you do at times use it directly with the food then seemingly it is to be immersed without a blessing, to suspect for both the majority and minority usage.

Sources: See Michaber Y.D. 120:4; Ohel Yaakov Dinei Tevilas Keilim 35; Hakashrus Lemaaseh Tevilas Keilim p. 199; Mishmeres Habayis [Karp] 3:14

About The Author

Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein is a 6th generation descendent of the famous Chief Rabbi of Izhmir, Rav Yehoshua Avraham Krispin, who authored a number of Sefarim, and was a colleague of Rav Chaim Falagi, and father in-law of the Pesach Hadvir. He currently lives with his wife Shayna, and twelve children K”H, in Tzfas, Israel. Rabbi Goldstein received Semicha from Rabbi Schneur Zalman Labkowski of the Tomchei Temimim headquarters in 2005 and served as a chaplain in the Lotar/Kalatz and K9 unit of the IDF from years 2005-2008. He is also a certified Shochet, and has performed Hashgacha work in slaughterhouses. Rabbi Goldstein is the director of Shulchanaruchharav.com, the world’s leading web-based Halacha database, and is the director of the Home Study Semicha Program, a self-study web-based Semicha program. He is a prolific author of over 50 Sefarim studied by a wide range of readers throughout the world, which is used regularly in Semicha programs around the globe. He is a world renowned Posek, answering questions to a web-based market, and serves as a local Posek, Rav, and Lecturer, in the Tzemach Tzedek community Shul in Tzefas, Israel. His many classes can be heard both from his website, Vimeo and YouTube channel. Students can join live to classes given in the Tzemach Tzedek Shul, through the “בית חבד צפת Chabad Tsfat” YouTube channel.

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