Pesach Questions

What utensils may be kashered?

As a general rule, metal implements such as silverware, pots, and most other kitchen implements can be fairly easily kashered for Pesach use. Boiling water is the kashering medium we can use. Metal baking pans, baking sheets or frying pans however (unless you typically use the frying pans with very generous amounts if oil, making them more like pots), are more difficult to kasher, as they require the application of “direct heat” either in the form of a blowtorch or through being heated in the high heat of a self-cleaning oven. Both of these options come with potential hazards, but are theoretically possible. Please be in touch with the clergy if you are in need of kashering such an implement.

How does one kasher silverware, pots, etc.?

The basic process is that of immersion in boiling water.

• To begin, kasher your stove top, or at least the burner you will be using for kashering, FIRST. See “Kashering the Kitchen” below for how that’s done.
• Next, bring a large pot of water to a bubbling boil. It does not matter what kind of pot this is (Pesach or chametz, dairy or meat) as long as it is completely clean, and has not been used in the prior 24 hours.
• The items that you will be immersing in this boiling water should also be completely clean and, ideally, also unused in the prior 24 hours.
• The items should be immersed in the boiling water individually, so that the water touches the entire surface. It is not necessary to immerse the entire object all at once. You can immerse the bottom half, remove the item and then immerse the top half if this is necessary.
• When immersing a pot, you should first remove any removable handles, which should then be immersed separately. If the handles cannot be removed, extreme care should be used in cleaning the point where the pot and the handle meet. Same is true of the lids.
• It is customary to rinse the kashered items in cold water to conclude the process. You can cold rinse all the kashered items together, when you are done with the boiling water portion.
• If you want to kasher a pot that does not fit into your “kashering” pot, here’s the procedure:
  • Fill the pot and bring it to a boil.
  • Simultaneously heat a small object (a stone, a metal implement) on an adjacent burner.
  • When the water in the pot boils, use plyers to gently drop the heated object into the boiling water, causing the water to overflow and thus kasher the outside of the pot as well.
  • This can be a mess, so put towels down in the floor beforehand. Also it may cause the gas flame to extinguish, so be on alert for that.
  • It is not typically possible to kasher the lid of this pot though, as one cannot get the entire lid immersed, even in stages.

Kashering Glass:

• Glass baking pans cannot be kashered for Pesach.
• Glass into which hot liquids were poured (i.e. they were never on a stovetop, in a microwave, or in an oven) can be kashered in one of two ways. You can pour boiling water over and into them (at least 24 hours after their most recent "hot" use). Or you can fill them with cold water (again, at least 24 hours after their most recent "hot" use), empty the water after 24 hours, and then repeat that same process two more times. As a practical tip, it might be easiest to simply place the glass into a tub, fill the tub with cold water covering all the glass inside, drain and refill after 24 hours and after 48 hours.
• Drinking glasses that were never used with hot liquids at all simply need to be carefully washed for Pesach use, though the prevalent custom is to use the filling/soaking method anyway.

Cleaning the House for Pesach:

All of us (I hope) will be completing the Sale of Chametz form, and thereby transferring ownership of our chametz to righteous non-Jewish person. If that’s the case, why is there a need to clean for Pesach, a cleaning culminating in the Bedikat Chametz that we do the night before the seder? The answer is that we clean in order to remove from our house (and office and car) any chametz that we might otherwise accidentally discover and be tempted to eat on Pesach. As such, the rule of thumb is that we need to clean out all the places where we may be over Pesach where chametz might exist in edible form and quantity.

In addition, cleaning also insures the credibility of the "bittul" (the verbal nullification) of our chametz that we recite on Erev Pesach. We will be able to say the “bittul” without any reservation, knowing with confidence that there isn’t a bottle of expensive liquor (for example) in some closet that we neither cleaned out nor included in our Sale of Chametz.

Without a doubt, we have a generations-old custom of giving the house a thorough cleaning before Pesach, and this tradition should be honored. But we should understand what the halakhic objective is, and especially when there are so many other Mitzvot calling to us, to set our priorities and use our time appropriately.

KASHERING THE KITCHEN:

Oven: The oven should be cleaned carefully with oven cleaner, and then turned onto "broil" for as long as you typically broil food in your oven. The cavity of the broiler compartment may be kashered in the same manner as the oven, but the broiler pan itself needs to be covered with heavy-duty foil if you want to use it on Pesach. A self-cleaning oven is self-kashering. Allow 2 hours of self-cleaning for this purpose.

Stove top: The surface, grates and jets should all be cleaned well, and you should vacuum out the area beneath the stovetop. There is a custom to let the jets burn for 10 minutes after they have been cleaned. Any part of the range surface onto which you might place a pot or a food item during Pesach should be covered for Pesach.

Counter tops: If they are of kasherable material (stainless steel or stone) kasher them by pouring boiling water over them, or by "steaming" them with a steamer. In the latter case, be sure that the steamer is producing a coating of boiling water upon the counter. For non-kasherable counter materials, cover the counters throughout Pesach.

Sinks: If they are stainless steel, kasher by (a) not using hot water in the sink for 24 hours and then (b) pouring boiling water over them. If not, you need either to line the sink (with contact paper) or use a sink insert.

Cabinets, drawers, fridge, and freezer: that will be used to store Pesach food should be carefully cleaned so that no "chametz" remains. No covering is necessary, though some people do have the custom of lining shelves and drawers.

Table tops: should be carefully cleaned and then covered (with a freshly-laundered tablecloth) throughout the holiday.

Microwave: Assuming that you use your microwave as most of us do, primarily for defrosting and warming as opposed to actual cooking, you may kasher it in the following way: Carefully and thoroughly clean all surfaces. The grate-like area on the inside wall should get special attention. After at least 24 hours have elapsed since the microwave's most recent use, bring a cup of water to boil in the microwave, so that the microwave fills with steam. Finally (an extra "chumra" for Pesach), cover the surface onto which you place the dishes inside the microwave. Wax paper is good as long as you replace the wax paper should it become wet.

Urn: After cleaning both interior and exterior surfaces, and at least 24 hours after its most recent use, fill the urn, plug it in, and allow it to reach its maximum temperature. After you empty and unplug the urn, bring it over to the sink and simply pour boiling water over the sides, taking care to keep the water away from the electrical component.

Blenders: Carefully clean the appliance to the point at which you are completely confident that is free of any food particles or residue. If you have used the appliance with hot food, then all detachable metal or glass components should be kashered. Metal can be kashered via "hag'alah" (boiling water), and the glass can be kashered according to the information about glass, above.

Dishwasher: Carefully and thoroughly clean all surfaces (including the drain). After at least 24 hours have elapsed since the dishwasher's most recent use, run the dishwasher - with soap - on the longest, most powerful cycle it has.

Pesach Products

Here are the links to two fine publications:

OU Passover Guide: https://oukosher.org/passover/passover-guide/

Rabbi Eidlitz’ Guide: https://kosherquest.org/kosher-conscience-magazine/

Video of Rabbi Eidlitz’ Pesach Products Review https://www.anshe.org/rabbi-eidlitz-pesach-products-review-2020/

Are there other foods that fit in same category as milk & eggs (i.e. can only be bought without a KLP hechsher before the holiday starts)? What about other foods that don't require a pesach hechsher such as black tea, coffee, salt, or sugar? Can these all be bought on the holiday without a pesach hechsher?

The custom pertains exclusively to milk and eggs, due to their proximity to grains that might be ubiquitous on farms. All other foods that can be purchased without special Pesach certification may equally be purchased before and during Pesach.

RYK

I have an open bottle of grape juice that I used at chametz meal. Can I use it for Pesach too? I only poured from the bottle and I did not stick any utensils into the bottle. How about fruits, vegetables and eggs that have been in my fridge with my chametz items from pre-pesach. Can I use them for pesach or toss?

If the grape juice is Kosher L'Pesach and there is no chance chametz came in contact with it, it could potentially be used. But the predominant practice is not to use packaged foods that have been opened before Pesach, even if they are Kosher L'Pesach.

Eggs, fruits , and vegetables purchased before Pesach may be used. 

Do the following need to be specifically marked kosher l'Pesach: Campbells Tomato juice (added salt and vitamin C) TJ canned artichoke hearts in water (added sea salt, citric acid and calcium chloride) Pure roasted walnut oil (star K) TJ's organic triple filtered organic coconut oil Also, can I kashering my Blech by putting it into the oven on self cleaning? Should I put it under the broiler?

All of the food you listed needs to be marked kosher l'peach. If you can get another blech, that is ideal. But if not, you can kasher the blech with libun gamur (self-clean oven --approx 850 degrees-- until it glows). You don't have to wait 24 hours and you don't have to clean it thoroughly, but if there is a lot of stuff on it, cleaning is advised.

RATN

Some items are ok to have or mix before Pesach, but not allowed if bought on Pesach. Which items are these, and why are they in this unique category? Thanks so much!

Are you referring to things like milk and eggs?     In general, chametz (like other substances) is nullified 1:60 in mixtures. But if the mixture occurs on Pesach itself, the law is stringent, and the chametz is not nullified at all.

RYK

Yes, I was referring to lactaid etc, which can be put into milk before Yom Tov, but not on Pesach. Now I understand why. Thanks for everything you're doing to help!!!!!

Last year was the first time I had a self-cleaning oven (we'd purchased it during the previous year) and using it to kasher the oven for pesach was a bit of a disaster. Can I just do what I used to do before I had a self-cleaning oven and just clean it with oven cleaner and then put it to the highest temp it goes for a couple of hours? Please let me know what you think.

Yes you may do what you have done in the past. Clean all surfaces (walls, floor, doors and racks) thoroughly and then do not use the oven for 24 hours. With the racks in the oven, turn to broil (highest heat) for 60 minutes.

Are pumpkin seeds and cashews considered kitniyot?

They are not kitniyot and those that are kosher year-round are ok as long as they are raw without any additives. 

From the OU (CRC agrees): "Raw nuts in their shell do not require Passover certification.
Shelled nuts that list BHA or BHT (preservatives) in the ingredients require special Passover certification. The preservatives are sprayed on the nuts using corn derivatives (kitniyot). If no additives are added, most nuts may be used without special Passover certification. That includes pasteurized nuts. Pecans are only acceptable with special Passover certification."

I have a question regarding pesach. I live with a Jewish family that is not orthodox. They do observe passover I'm some level, but not very strictly. For example, they don't clean the house for chametz. I usually help them gather up the cereals, etc and sell them through the nearby Chabad. Last year they ended up taking some of the chametz bags out from the garage and using some of the oatmeal, pretzels, Etc. So the first part of my question is- am I actually HELPING by gathering the chametz and arranging the sale, or is it worse somehow if they end up eating some of the stuff they sold?! Second question is there dogs eat food that is not kosher for pesach. (One is on a Rx food, the other is not.) I usually feed the dogs. Is this going to be an issue for me during pesach? The dogs don't belong to me, obviously, but am I still considered to be benefitting from it if I physically feed them this food...? I could ask them to get kosher for pesach food, but I'm afraid it might trigger some intense things that I'm not prepared to handle.

It is fine for you to be around chametz as long as you don't own it. It sounds like they own it, and also that your helping them gather it up is a kiddush Hashem. So it is fine to continue helping them. They can make their own decisions. But you should still clean your room fully from chametz and sell your chametz.

There is an issur of hanaah from chametz such that feeding our dogs with it would be considered a way of benefiting ourselves. But these dogs are also not yours, so it is not for your benefit. Consequently, there is no problem with you feeding the dogs. RATN

We have several young kids coming to the seder this year and we want them to see as much of it as they can. I know Rav Yosef wrote a halachic how-to but I am still confused on the particulars. Candle lighting is at 7:03 (this question is about the first seder) Does that mean we cannot do kiddush until after 8 p.m.?

It is wonderful that you want to include the kids in the seder~~ that's what it's all about!

You are right that Kiddush cannot be done until 8:02pm. 

I am including the halacha how-to you are referring to, as in it Rav Yosef provides great alternatives. RATN

Thanks to daylight saving time, nightfall will be occurring rather late on the nights of the Sedarim this year. As you may know (and as is indicated on the BDJ Pesach schedule) we actually need to wait until nightfall to begin the Seder. This is because all of the mitzvot of the Seder, including the drinking of the 4 cups, can only be performed when it is halachikly “night”. This effectively pushes Kiddush to 8:02 PM this year. All of this creates a potential problem relative to children’s participation in the Seder. By the time we reach the eating of matza and maror, they may already be asleep. Let me make the following suggestion if none of the more conventional solutions (e.g., afternoon naps) proves successful. Begin the seder at 8:02, but break the Magid section into 2 parts, with one part done before the meal, and the other part after. The pre-meal part should include the sections specified by the Talmud as the bare bones of the Magid. These sections are: • Mah Nishtana • Avadim Hayinu • At first our ancestors were idolaters • The section from “My father was a wandering Aramean,” through the ten plagues • From “Rabban Gamliel” to the end If this dividing of the Magid will enable the children to participate in matza and maror, it is well worth doing. If this too won’t do the trick, I’d suggest a “model seder” for the kids before the officially appointed hour.

I bought a couple of the instant Pesadik mashed potatoes and soups that come in cups for the days we are out of the house. Just add boiling water. But it occurred to me that if I had to kasher my urn, is it OK to accept boiling water wherever we might find it on the road?

It's not a good idea to use hot water on the road, by which I assume you mean the kind of place that sells coffee and other snacks . On the other hand, I wouldn't worry about one of those sink systems that produces boiled water but which obviously does not come into contact with food. 

I'm finding it hard to get some of the foods that I believe are important to eat only-organic Kosher for Pesach. For example, Apple juice. Can I use Lakewood Organics apple juice? The ingredients list is very specific "contains only organic apple juice and purée from Whole Ripe Organic Apples" It specifically says on the bottle "Certified Unsweetened, No additives, No preservatives, gluten free, casein free, GMO free"and it has chaf K pareve heksher. I hope it's not too late to ask- my charoset recipe calls for apple juice!

Apple juice does require Kosher Le'Pesach certification. Enjoy your charoset! MATN 

Is there a way to kasher a (glass) smoothie blender? It's got a plastic base and it's only been used for cold drinks (and ice cream).

Since the blender has only been used for cold food, there is no need to kasher it. It needs to be cleaned thoroughly (take all the pieces apart and wash each one individually), and then you're good.

RYK

What does infestation mean? I bought this quinoa: 

La Bonne Quinoa from Queens Some containers of LaBonne Quinoa UPC Codes 0-43427- 0080-6 and 0-43427-88802-8 labeled with an OU P symbol were found to contain infestation. Any possibly affected product may be returned to the stores for a refund. (Under proper storage conditions, it is unusual to find infestation in these products sold in the United States. However, consumers should be aware that grains could develop infestation when stored in warm areas. To determine whether quinoa (or any other grains) are possibly affected, spread them evenly on a white surface and visually inspect them under good light prior to use)

I believe this means that there was a bug infestation. I would return it. It would be very hard to get all of the bugs from an infestation out of quinoa. MATN

You gave directions for kashering a microwave, assuming that it is used for defrosting and warming, rather than cooking. What if it actually is used for cooking (without a convection feature)?

The truth of the matter is, that the thinking about microwaves keeps changing and evolving (as a historical survey of Pesach Kashrut bulletins and magazines would reveal), and it may be that the distinction made above is actually dated and should be changed. There is still not consensus, with some holding that microwaves need no kashering at all (just thorough cleaning), and others (see the Star-K guide for example) agreeing with this position assuming a case in which the walls of the microwave don't become too-hot-to-touch during its typical use. Yet others prescribe the steaming process, again only assuming that the walls don't typically become excessively hot, as above.

Bottom line (for now :)) is that typical Pesach practice still revolves around your particular microwave, and whether its walls tend to become too-hot-to-touch, or typically do not. If the latter, you can feel comfortable cleaning it thoroughly and replacing or covering the glass turntable. Or, if you want to be more machmir, also steaming it per the instructions in the Halacha How To. 

RYK