Chasamos - Open Package

Q. I left an open package of hot dogs in my car with the doors unlocked. If someone would have taken my hot dogs and exchanged them with similar looking non-kosher ones, I would have no way to know. Is there any issue with eating these hot dogs?

A. The hot dogs are fine. The requirement to seal kosher packages applies only when food is entrusted to someone who is not kosher observant. However, in this case, the hot dogs were not given to anyone to watch. Although the meat was not well protected, and theoretically could have been taken by anyone, we can assume that if a person would steal the hot dogs, they would not bother to replace them. The concern that the meat might be replaced with non-kosher is relevant only for a watchman or a delivery person. Since they are responsible for the food, if they would be hungry and take a portion of meat, they would be compelled to replace what is missing, and might do so with non-kosher product. In our case, since no one is in charge of the hotdogs, there is no reason to suspect that it was switched with a non-kosher variety.

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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.