"Don’t Touch That - It's for Pesach!"

My son was taking some meat out of the freezer, and I told him, “Don’t touch that, it is for Pesach.” He said that by saying this, I made the meat unusable for Pesach. What is he talking about? Is this correct?

Your son was partially correct, but not fully.

Shulchan Aruch (OC 469:1) rules that one may not use the phrase “for Pesach” with respect to meat, because it may be construed to mean that the meat was sanctified to be used for the korban Pesach (Paschal lamb). Some extend this prohibition to chicken and fish as well. However, one may use that phrase with respect to non-meat items, such as matzah. Also, one may say that we will be eating this meat “on Pesach,” since this language does not connote that the meat was sanctified. Although one should not say that meat is for Pesach, if one did so, the meat does not become forbidden, and it may still be served on Pesach.

Your son was correct that you should not have said, “the meat is for Pesach”, but after the fact, it is okay to eat the meat.

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.