Animal-Hair Utensils

Q. I bought a boar’s hair pastry brush. May this be used with food?

A. Rav Belsky zt”l ruled that this may be used. Although the Mishnah (Bechoros 1:2) presents us with a general rule that whatever comes from a non-kosher animal is non-kosher, there are many exceptions to this rule. Shulchan Aruch (YD 81:1,3,4) lists various animal byproducts which are completely inedible and thereby exempt from this rule. Rav Belsky reasoned that since hair is completely inedible, it too would be permitted. This would be like horns and hoofs of non-kosher animals. The Rambam (Maachalos Assuros 4:18) writes that only those areas of the horns and hooves that bleed when cut are forbidden, while the dried-out extremities are permitted. The same would apply to hair.

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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.