Aino Ben Yomo - Non-Kosher Pots

QUESTION: May one cook in a non-kosher pot provided it is an aino ben yomo (has not been used in the past 24 hours)?

ANSWER: Although there is no Torah prohibition to use a non-kosher pot that is an aino ben yomo (because the absorbed flavor is stale), there is a Rabbinic prohibition to do so. The Rabbis forbade cooking in such a pot because they were concerned that one might be confused and cook in the pot without first waiting 24 hours. Nonetheless, bidieved (after the fact), if one accidentally cooked in a clean non-kosher pot that was an aino ben yomo, the food is permitted under most circumstances. If one cooked in the pot deliberately, there is a difference of opinion regarding the status of the food. Pri Megadim (M.Z. OC 451:2) writes that Chazal penalized the individual and forbade eating the food. Igros Moshe (YD 2:41) ruled that although it is forbidden to cook in such a pot, if one did so, there is no penalty, and the food may be eaten.

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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.