1. Question: [Sunday, 12^th Adar 5783]

For the Mishloach Manos gift basket that I am distributing to friends and neighbors I purchased a small glass bowl which I will fill with candies and chocolates. Do I need to immerse these glass bowls in a mikvah before I put the candy into them? Or should I not immerse them at all and have the people receiving it immerse it, and what if they are not religious and will not immerse it?

Answer:

You should not immerse the glass bowls and should rather have it immersed by the recipient. You should write a note on the item stating that it needs to be immersed. You should avoid packing food directly into the vessel, and should rather place the food in a plastic bag. [Thus, for example, rather than place chocolates directly into the glass bowl put in a plastic bag and then place it in the glass bowl.] If you are gifting it to a non-frum Jew who you cannot bring to Toivel it in a Mikveh, then you should Toivel it without a blessing.

Explanation: A vessel which is purchased from a gentile by a Jew for the sake of selling and business, and not for personal use, is not obligated in Tevila. Hence, it does not suffice for a seller to immerse a vessel, and it must be immersed by the buyer. Many Poskim conclude that the same applies regarding a present, that the person who purchases the gift is not obligated in the Tevila, and it is only valid when immersed by the receiver of the gift.

Sources: Michaber 120:8; Minchas Yitzchak 7:43; Yabia Omer Y.D. 7:9; Minchas Shlomo 2:66-20; Koveitz Mibeis Levi Inyanie Y.D. p. 148; Teshuvos Vehanhagos 1:452; Pesakim Uteshuvos 120:32-4