Cheres - Glass (Cont'd.)

QUESTION: May glass utensils be used interchangeably with both milchigs and fleishigs, or may a non-kosher glass utensil be used without kashering?

ANSWER: In a previous Halacha Yomis, we discussed a disagreement between the Shulchan Aruch and Rema as to whether chametz glass utensils may be used on Pesach. Shulchan Aruch permits their use so long as they are clean, but the custom of Ashkenazim, recorded by Rema, is to be strict even if they were kashered with hagalah. Is this custom only a chumra of Pesach, or does this apply all year as well?

It is forbidden to daven or recite berachos in front of an earthenware commode, even if it is clean and does not have a bad smell. Shulchan Aruch (YD 87:1) writes that this does not apply if the commode is made of glass, since glass does not absorb. However, the Taz (OC 87:2) writes that since the Rema in Hilchos Pesach ruled that glass absorbs, a glass commode has the same status as one made of earthenware and even hagalah would not help. It is clear that the Taz understood that the ruling of Rema was not limited to Pesach but applies to all areas of halachah. However, the Pri Megadim (MZ 451:31) cites the Knesses Hagedolah who writes that we are only strict regarding glass for Pesach, but not in other cases. The Minchas Yaakov (85:12) as well writes that there is a seeming contradiction as to whether glass absorbs, since in Hilchos Yayin Nesech the Rema does not require kashering glass holding tanks that stored non-kosher wine. He suggests that perhaps Rema was only strict regarding Pesach. Igros Moshe (OC 5:32) seemingly accepted the opinion of the Minchas Yaakov. However, Rav Belsky zt”l maintained that since the Rema did not specify that his ruling is limited to Hilchos Pesach, one must assume it was meant across all areas of halacha, as per the Taz, with the exception of yayin nesech, for which we find many other leniencies. Nevertheless, Rav Belsky agreed that when there are other mitigating factors one may kasher glass for year-round use (not for Pesach), since even the Rema agreed that bidi’eved kashering works for glass.

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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.