Duchka D'Sakina - Cutting Board

QUESTION: I cut an onion with a pareve knife on a clean fleishig cutting board. What is the status of the onion and the knife? [In other words, do the halachos of “duchka d’sakina” apply to a cutting board?]

ANSWER: The Chochmas Adam (56:2) writes that the halachos of “duchka d’sakina” apply to a cutting board as well. He writes that he has heard that others are lenient, since the pressure from the cutting board is not similar to that of a knife, but he disagrees. Sefer Davar Charif (p. 13) writes that the opinion of Rav Elyashiv zt”l and most poskim is that lechatchila (before the fact) one should follow the ruling of the Chochmas Adam. However, bedi’eved (after the fact), the lenient opinion is the accepted ruling. Therefore, lechatchila, a pareve knife should be used with a pareve cutting board. If one accidentally cut an onion with a pareve knife on a fleishig cutting board, the pareve knife would remain pareve. However, the onion itself should be treated as fleishigs if this will not cause too much difficulty or loss.

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