Kashering Pre-Seasoned Cookware - Continued

Q. I bought a brand new pre-seasoned cast-iron skillet. I understand that it requires kashering. Should I kasher it first and then toivel the pan, or do I toivel it first and then kasher it afterwards?

A. Shulchan Aruch (YD 121:2) writes that if one buys a vessel that requires kashering, it should be kashered and then toiveled. What if one toiveled before kashering? Shulchan Aruch writes that this is a matter of dispute. Some maintain that the tevila is valid. Others rule that tevila must be repeated after hagolah because tevila before kashering is akin to immersing in a mikvah while still grasping a sheretz (the carcass of an unclean animal). Shach (121:5) rules that the vessel should be toiveled again without a beracha.

It can be assumed that all agree that tevila of a pre-seasoned cast iron skillet is invalid if it proceeds the kashering. This is because the layer of fat applied for seasoning is a chatzitza (barrier) which prevents the mikvah water from touching the pan. As such the pan must be toiveled again after kashering. In this instance, a beracha must be recited on the second tevila since the previous tevila was unquestionably invalid.

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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.