Is nail polish remover Kosher for use on Pesach?

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  1. Question: [Thursday, 19th Nissan, 5781]

May I use nail polish remover that contains wheat derivatives within its ingredients? I don’t have any other alternative nail polish remover available right now, and my nail polish has begun to peel off my nails in a very visible way and forms a Chatzitza for washing for bread.

Answer:

Yes, it may be used even if it contains Chametz ingredients, such as Hydrolyzed wheat protein which is a common ingredient used by some companies. However, if the nail polish remover is non-toxic and nonpoisonous for human consumption [something which would usually be explicitly stated on the bottle as a feature of that brand], then it should not be used.

Explanation: Nail polish remover typically contains ingredients, such as acetone, which are both poisonous and inedible and therefore makes it fall under the category of an inedible mixture which contains Chametz, of which its law is that it may be owned and benefited from throughout Pesach. Thus, although this nail polish remover contains actual wheat derivatives, it nevertheless remains permitted in use. Furthermore, being that its purpose is simply to clean nail polish from the fingernails and not to be smeared on the body, therefore it would be permitted to use even according to those who are stringent to treat smearing like drinking during Pesach. It is worthy to note, that when dealing with mixtures of other ingredients that contain Chametz, it is not necessary for the mixture to be inedible to dogs, and being inedible for human suffices to permit its ownership and benefit.

                                                                             

Sources: See regarding owning: Admur 442:22; Michaber 442:1 and 4; Rambam 4:12; See regarding benefiting: Admur 442:24; M”A 442:7 regarding the Tiraka; Chok Yaakov 447:13 and 18; Implication of Terumos Hadeshen 113

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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