Specific Items placed directly on the door or racks ing or others who are nearby. All methods of kashering noted in this once the oven has been kashered. 5. Place an uncovered pot of boiling KosherKopy section presuppose that the equipment was If the oven has a separate broiler water directly under the faucet so that thoroughly cleaned, as described above. chamber, it should be kashered in the hot steam will rise and come in contact same manner as the oven chamber. A with the entire underside of the faucet. Silverware, Pots and Other Small broiler pan that comes in direct con- 6. Rinse the sink and faucet with Items tact with food cannot be kashered. cold water. Small items are kashered with Note: The method of kashering 7. Put a new filter over the drain. hagalah, which involves: described above is based on the ruling of One should also purchase new sponges The Quintessential 1. Not using the utensil for any- Rav Aharon Kotler. However, Rav Moshe and a fresh bottle of dishwashing liquid. thing, including non-chametz, for held that the oven must either be kashered twenty-four hours. This also applies to with a blowtorch, or an insert must be Kashering a Porcelain Sink: Kashering Primer the (non-Pesach) pot in which the placed into the oven for the duration of Since a porcelain sink cannot be hagalah water will be boiled. Pesach. Consult your rabbi for guidance. kashered, one should kasher the faucet For the Pesach-phobic, Dovid Cohen presents the basics of preparing the Pesach 2. Submerging the utensil in boiling and knobs as outlined above and, for water that is over the fire. The water Stovetop the duration of Pesach, place a basin kitchen. must be at a rolling boil before the uten- The grates of a gas stovetop should (or insert) into the sink. All dishes, sil- sil to be kashered is put into it, and the be kashered in the oven chamber in the verware, et cetera, should be placed water must touch every surface of the same manner described above. For an and washed in the basin, and wash- utensil. Therefore, each item should be electric stovetop, just clean the coils and water can be disposed of through the kashered individually, and the water turn on high for ten minutes. If you sink’s drain. One should be careful not should be allowed to return to a boil have a glass-topped stovetop you should to allow the sink to fill with hot water One of the many preparations one that cannot easily be cleaned, cannot flavor from the most common items. before the next item is placed into the consult your rabbi for directions on while the basin is in the sink. must make for Pesach is kashering (a be kashered for Pesach. Therefore, the Utensils made from the following pot. Large utensils may be submerged if/how it can be used for Pesach. process to prepare a non-kosher vessel following cannot be kashered: materials cannot be kashered: in the water one part at a time. For a gas or electric stove, it is Microwave Oven for kosher use or a chametz vessel for •Colander •Ceramic—all types—including 3. Removing the utensil from the preferable to replace the drip pans that Where needed, one can use a chametz use on Pesach). Most people only •Decanter or baby bottle (due to brick, china, coffee mugs and enamel water and rinsing it in cold water. are under the burners; if this isn’t pos- microwave on Pesach by kasher their utensils in preparation for their narrow necks) •Glass—all forms—including sible, the area should be covered with 1. Placing a “Pesach plate” on the floor of Pesach; however, the following direc- •Filter/screen over drain in sink Corning Ware, Corelle, fiberglass, Oven aluminum foil. The work area between the microwave and 2. Double-wrapping tions apply to kashering utensils year- •Grater porcelain enamel (for example, porce- Kashering a Self-Cleaning Oven: the burners should be cleaned and the food on all sides before placing it into round as well. As with all areas of •Knife (or other utensil) where food lain sinks and enamelized pots), Pyrex 1. Remove any large pieces of food covered with two layers of foil. The the microwave. (Be sure that the outside of halachah, those who are unsure of how or dirt can get trapped between the or thermoses. (or other items) from the oven. knobs and handles of the oven and the wrapping and all sides of the “Pesach to apply the rules of kashering to their blade and handle •Plastic—Many American rabbis 2. Go through one complete self- stovetop should be wiped clean. plate” are completely dry.) There are situation should consult with their •Slotted spoon follow the approach of Rav Moshe cleaning cycle with the racks in place. halachic questions as to if/how one can local Orthodox rabbi. •Sponge Feinstein, z”l, who held that one can- It is preferable that the racks be cleaned Sink kasher a microwave. One could consult •Toothbrush not kasher plastic and other synthetic and remain unused for twenty-four hours Kashering a Stainless Steel Sink: with his rabbi. General rules Additionally, the common custom is materials (including Teflon). It is note- before they and the oven are kashered. 1. Remove the filter covering the There are two steps in kashering. to cover tables, counters, refrigerator worthy that many Israeli rabbis take a drain and put it away for Pesach with Refrigerator, Freezer, Food Shelves 1. Cleaning—removing all tangible shelves and other areas where one more lenient position. However, one Kashering a Non-Self-Cleaning Oven: the chametz dishes. and Pantry traces of chametz and 2. Purging— might not have been able to clean should consult with his local rabbi. 1. Clean walls, floor, door, ceiling 2. Clean the sink, faucet and knobs, These areas should be thoroughly using heat to remove all absorbed away every trace of chametz. As a rule, materials such as fabric, and racks thoroughly with an abrasive and don’t use the sink for anything other cleaned—paying special attention to the chametz flavor. metal, wood, rubber and stone (for exam- cleaner (for example, Easy-Off) to than cold water for twenty-four hours. edges where crumbs may get trapped— Purging ple, granite and marble) can be kashered. remove tangible chametz. Pay special 3. Boil water up in one or more and the shelves should be lined with Cleaning In addition to cleaning utensils, most It is not practical to kasher the fol- attention to the temperature gauge, large pots (clean pots that have not paper or plastic. The refrigerator and All chametz utensils that will be used items require some form of hot purging lowing items since they require libun the window in the door and the edges been used for twenty-four hours). The freezer will operate more efficiently if for Pesach must be thoroughly cleaned. in order to remove the flavor that has gamur (an intense form of kashering of the oven chamber. Black discol- pots may be chametz pots. one pokes a few holes in the lining. This includes the removal of all food, been absorbed. As a rule, any utensil that usually requiring a blowtorch). orations that are flush with the metal 4. Dry the sink, then pour the boiling rust, dirt, calcium deposits and any- came in contact with hot food, was •Barbeque and barbeque accessories do not have to be removed. water over every spot on the walls and Tablecloths, Kitchen Gloves, Aprons thing else that protrudes; this does not washed with hot water or was used to •Frying pan 2. Once the oven is clean, it is floor of the sink and on the faucet and and Other Items Made of Fabric include the removal of discolorations. store liquids requires purging. A compre- •Sandwich maker preferable that it remain unused for knobs. One may kasher part of the sink Any item made of fabric can be Items that contain narrow cracks, hensive analysis regarding when purging •Spatula twenty-four hours. and then boil more water for the rest kashered by washing it in a washing crevices, deep scratches or other areas is required and how one determines •Toaster 3. Place the racks back into the oven, of the sink. Extreme care should be machine set on “hot” and then checking which form of purging is effective is •Toaster oven and turn the oven to broil for one- taken during this type of kashering to to make sure that no pieces of food Rabbi Cohen is an OU rabbinic coordi- beyond the scope of this article. I will •Waffle iron and-a-half hours. ensure that none of the boiling water remain attached to it. Vinyl and plastic- nator. describe the standard method of purging •George Foreman Grill 4. Pesach food or pans may be splashes onto the person doing the kasher- lined tablecloths cannot be kashered. JA Spring 5764/2004 JEWISH ACTION JEWISH ACTION Spring 5764/2004