Must One Check Vegetables for Insects with a Magnifying Glass?

Is someone required to check vegetables for insects with a magnifying glass?

The OU maintains that there is no obligation to check vegetables for insects with external visual aids, but they may be used if it will make the checking easier.

Rav Shlomo Kluger in Tuv Taam V’Daas (Kuntres Acharon) and Aruch HaShulchan (Yoreh Deah 84:36) write that there is no requirement to use magnification to identify insects. The basic rationale not to require magnification is “lo nitna Torah le’malachei hashares” (The Torah was not given to angels). The consensus of contemporary poskim including, Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l (Igros Moshe, Yoreah Deah II: 146), Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach zt”l (Halichos Shlomo, Moadim (Pesach) p. 176) and Rav Ovadia Yosef zt”l, (Yechaveh Daas 6:47) is to follow this lenient approach.

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.