By Rabbi Eli Gersten
ChaNaN does not apply to a davar heter. This is because chatichah na’ases neveila, as it name implies, means that the entire item that absorbed ta’am of issur becomes like a neveila. Since one must refrain from eating the item, we view it as becoming 100% assur. This sevara obviously does not apply to a davar heter such as kosher milk, kosher meat or kosher fish. Therefore, if 1 gallon of kosher milk is mixed with 10 gallons of water, and this mixture is then mixed into 100 gallons of water, we would not say ChaNaN and the milk would be batel b’shishim. Although, we would still insist on labeling this product as dairy, however there would be no need to kasher the equipment that came in contact with the mixture since the milk is already batel.
By Rabbi Eli Gersten
The minhag of Ashkenazim is to apply the halachos of Chatichah Na’ses Nevaila (ChaNaN) to all issurim, not just to basar b’cholov; (Rema Y.D. 92:4). Therefore, if one kezayis of any issur is cooked with 9 kezaysim of heter, we would have 10 kezeysim of issur. If these 10 kezaysim of issur, are subsequently cooked with 90 kezaysim of heter, although this is more than 60 times the original kezayis of issur, nevertheless because we say ChaNaN the entire mixture becomes assur. However, there is a distinction between the original 10 kezaysim and the subsequent 90 kezaysim. The original 10 kezaysim are assur mid’oraisah because they were mikabel ta’am issur (ta’am k’ikar); however, the later 90 kezaysim are only assur mid’Rabbanan because of ChaNaN b’shar issurim.
By Rabbi David BistricerJune 2011By Rabbi David Bistricer
OU Kosher Rabbinic Coordinator
To submit questions for future columns, please send them to , or call the Kosher Consumer Hotline, at 212-613-8241.
May 2011
By Rabbi Chaim Goldberg
OU Fish Expert
To submit questions for future columns, please send them to , or call the Kosher Consumer Hotline, at 212-613-8241.
By Rabbi David Bistricer
The Pesach holiday is a time where we have an opportunity to reflect on our rich heritage and affirm our commitment to the continuity of our many traditions. The geulah from Mitzrayim was the point in our great history when we were freed from bondage to man, and culminated with our becoming a nation with the subsequent acceptance of the Torah at Har Sinai. What has sustained us and preserved us throughout the millennia? Observance of Torah and mitzvos is replete with many intricate details that require us to be highly meticulous in our performance, in order to properly fulfill what is required by religious law. During Pesach, this notion expresses itself through required measurements of the special foods we eat during the holiday. These basic measurements and their careful observance are very much a part of our heritage. Indeed, the Talmud states that halachic measurements are a part of the unique laws that were given to Moshe Rabeinu at Sinai[1].
By Rabbi Eli Gersten
The Gemara Avoda Zara (76a) differentiates between kailim used to roast kodshim and those used to roast other issurim. For the former, it is sufficient to kasher with hagalah, because when they had absorbed ta’am it was still heter (heteira bola), while the latter requires libun because when they absorbed ta’am it was already issur (issura bola).
By Rabbi Eli Gersten
The Gemara (A.Z. 55b) says that wine becomes susceptible to mageh akum only after hamshacha. Before this point mageh akum will not make this wine assur. Hamshacha takes place when some amount of clear juice is separated from the peels and pits. Even if only a tiny amount of juice is separated, all the remaining juice that is still mixed with the peels and pits is now susceptible to mageh akum. This is brought in Shulchan Aruch (Y.D. 123:17). Even if we are uncertain as to whether hamshacha took place, Shulchan Aruch (Y.D. 123:19) rules that we must be machmir and assur the wine. Therefore, a full barrel of crushed grapes although it appears that hamshacha did not take place, if left in the possession of a non-Jew, becomes assur. We must suspect that some clear juice was removed by the non-Jew, thus invalidating all the remaining wine.
By Rabbi Eli Gersten
Shulchan Aruch (Y.D. 134:5) paskens that yayin nesech is batel in 6 parts water. Although bitul usually require 60 parts, wine is an exception. Wine that is diluted 6 times loses its status of wine, and is viewed as becoming nifgam. However, this is not true in all situations. The Gemara (Menachos 87a) relates that Rav Yosef had a vineyard which was so flavorful that standard meziga required dilution in 6 parts water. Likewise, grape juice concentrate can require many dilutions just to reconstitute to single strength, and will clearly not be batel in 6 parts water. Because grape juice concentrate is used so widely as an ingredient in both foods and drinks, it raises many questions regarding bitul and kashering kailim.
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