Cheres - Self Cleaning Oven

QUESTION: Is a self-cleaning oven considered libun?

ANSWER: Rav Belsky zt”l (Shulchan HaLevi 24:18) writes that he heard from Rav Yaakov Kamenetzky zt”l and many other poskim that running a self-cleaning oven is acceptable as libun. A typical self-cleaning oven will reach about 900ºF which is acceptable as libun. Rav Belsky explained that although some self-cleaning ovens do not achieve this high of a temperature, but rather reach a maximum of 850 or even 800 degrees, this too is acceptable. This is because the self-cleaning cycle lasts for several hours and succeeds in reducing all stains to white ash. Rav Belsky reasoned that this elongated kashering at near glowing temperatures is equivalent to burning off a layer of metal which was the original definition of libun as per the Gemara in Avodah Zorah (76a).

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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.