Kashering Quartz

Q. Can I kasher my quartz (stone aggregate) countertops for Pesach?

A. In each case, one must determine the materials that the counters are made from. Engineered quartz countertops, such as Caesarstone or Silestone, are made from a combination of stone, synthetic resins and pigments. Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 451:8) writes that stone can be kashered. But there are differences of opinion regarding whether one may kasher synthetic materials for Pesach. The Majority of poskim permit kashering synthetic materials such as plastic, however, Rav Moshe Feinstein, zt"l was strict, and many have the custom to follow this ruling. Rav Belsky, zt”l said that even those that have the minhag not to kasher synthetic materials, as per the psak of Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l, can still be lenient and kasher these counters. This is because these counters are primarily made of stone and the resin is only a small amount used to bind the stones together. Achronim debate whether we can define a material based on the majority of its components (See Minchas Yitzchak 4:114:4), which in this case is stone. Since not kashering synthetic materials is itself a chumra (stringency), Rav Belsky, zt“l said that one may rely on the poskim that view this material to be like regular stone. However, on a practical level, it is difficult to properly clean and kasher a countertop. Rav Belsky, zt”l would recommend that instead of kashering, countertops should be covered for Pesach. It should be noted that some engineered stones such as Silgranit contain ceramic as well. Since one cannot kasher ceramic (cheres), these counters should be covered and not kashered for Pesach. It is therefore, important to determine the materials that the counters are made from. 

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The Gerald & Karin Feldhamer OU Kosher Halacha Yomis is dedicated to the memory of Rav Yisroel Belsky, zt"l, who served as halachic consultant for OU Kosher for more than 28 years; many of the responses in Halacha Yomis are based on the rulings of Rabbi Belsky. Subscribe to the Halacha Yomis daily email here.