Situation A sticker or something similar is found on a plate or other utensil after tevila.
What to Do
- If the sticker is less than half of the surface area and does not bother you by being there, the tevila is valid.
- If the sticker interferes with your use of the utensil or if you just want it removed, it must be removed and the tevila must be repeated.
- Made by a Jew,
- Sold by a Jew, and
- Not owned by a non-Jew in between.
To tovel a utensil, you may go to any kosher natural mikva (see section on natural mikvas) or to a mikvat keilim (a small mikva for utensils, often attached to the outside of a regular mikva building). To tovel several items, some of which require a blessing and some on which there is doubt whether a blessing is necessary, say the blessing over the item that requires the blessing and have in mind that the blessing will cover all the rest of your items.
Remember to remove all stickers, rust, etc., before you begin. Nail polish remover may help with stubborn stickers. Say the blessing al tevilat keilim and then let the item free fall through the water. Unlike with hagala, during which the item may be immersed in sections, when you tovel a utensil, the entire item must be in contact with the water at the same time, even if only for an instant.
Toveling: Utensils: What Gets Toveled?
Say the blessing al tevilat keilim on metal or glass items--including Pyrex, Duralex, and Corelle-- that come in contact with food. Items that require toveling include:
- Bowls
- Cups
- Forks
- Knives
- Pans
- Plates
- Pots
- Spoons
- Storage containers (only if they are brought to the table).
Utensil | Tevila Guideline | Utensil | Tevila Guideline | |
Aluminum Pans, Disposable if intended to be used more than once |
Tevila with Brocha |
Meat Tenderizer Hammer, Metal |
No Tevila | |
Aluminum Pans, Disposable to be used only once |
Tevila w/o Brocha | Melamine | No Tevila | |
Blech | No Tevila | Metal Cutlery | Tevila with Brocha | |
Blender with metal blade on bottom | Tevila with Brocha |
Metal Flour and Sugar Storage Canisters |
Tevila w/o Brocha | |
Bone | No Tevila |
Metal Pots Coated with Teflon, Enamel or Plastic |
Tevila w/o Brocha | |
Brush, Pastry | No Tevila | Metal Spoon Specifically for Medicine | Tevila w/o Brocha | |
Brush for Grill, Metal | No Tevila | Microwave Turntable, Glass | Tevila w/o Brocha | |
Can Opener | No Tevila | Mixer Beaters | Tevila w/o Brocha | |
Cans, Reusable Empty if opened by a Yehudi |
No Tevila | Paper | No Tevila | |
China, Bone | Tevila w/o Brocha | Peeler, Vegetable | Tevila with Brocha | |
China, Glazed | Tevila w/o Brocha | Plastic | No Tevila | |
Colander, Metal | Tevila with Brocha | Porcelain Enamel | Tevila w/o Brocha | |
Cookie Cutters, Metal | No Tevila | Racks, Cooling | Tevila w/o Brocha | |
Cookie Sheets, Metal | Tevila with Brocha | Racks, Oven | No Tevila | |
Cork Screw | No Tevila |
Rolling Pins Metal or Wood |
No Tevila | |
Corningware | Tevila w/o Brocha | Sandwich Maker | Tevila with Brocha | |
Crockpot Ceramic Insert | Tevila w/o Brocha | Silicone | No Tevila | |
Crockpot Glass Lid | Tevila w/o Brocha | Sink Racks, Stainless Steel | No Tevila | |
Crockpot Outside Metal Shell | No Tevila | Spatula, Metal | Tevila with Brocha | |
Dish Rack, Metal | No Tevila | Stoneware | Tevila w/o Brocha | |
Dishes, Ceramic | Tevila w/o Brocha | Stoneware, Non-Glazed | No Tevila | |
Earthenware, Non-Glazed Dull Finish, e.g. Flower Pot |
No Tevila |
Storage Utensils, Glass not brought to the table |
No Tevila | |
George Foreman Grill | Tevila w/o Brocha | Styrofoam | No Tevila | |
Glass (including Pyrex, Duralex & Corelle) |
Tevila with Brocha | Tea Kettle, Corelle | Tevila with Brocha | |
Grater, Metal used for foods that are ready to eat, eg, apples, onions |
Tevila with Brocha |
Toaster which will not break |
Tevila w/o Brocha | |
Grater, Metal used only for foods that need further cooking,eg potatos |
Tevila w/o Brocha |
Toaster Oven rack & tray only |
Tevila with Brocha | |
Hamburger Maker | Tevila with Brocha | Trivet, Metal | No Tevila | |
Hot Air Popcorn Maker, Metal | Tevila with Brocha | Waffle Iron | Tevila with Brocha | |
Hot Water Urn, Metal | Tevila with Brocha | Warming Tray | No Tevila | |
Knife, Arts & Crafts | No Tevila | Wood | No Tevila | |
Knife Sharpener | No Tevila |
Wooden Cask with Metal Straps |
Tevila w/o Brocha | |
Meat Thermometer | No Tevila |
Ba'alei teshuva often have problems with issues of kashrut in their parents' homes. Pots, dishes, and utensils might not be kosher or toveled. Consult a rabbi. Questions of bishul akum (cooking that was done by a non-Jew) might apply to non-shomer Shabbat parents, but the custom is to be lenient.
If the parent's kitchen is known to be non-kosher, food must be prepared with care (see How To Use a Non-Kosher Kitchen). If the parents do not lie to their children, they may be trusted as to the source of food and its kosher status.
Since we may not eat from dishes or utensils that have not been toveled (immersed in a mikva), you may want to consider toveling your parents' dishes or utensils, or using disposable goods. In such cases, it is OK to use china that has not been toveled.
- Finish eating where you begin eating, or
- Intend, when saying the fore-blessing, to continue eating while traveling.
- You are already involved in doing a mitzva, or
- If you will incur a large loss of money, or
- By the time you would return to where you ate, it would be past the latest time to say the after-blessing.
What To Do
- If, when you said the fore-blessing, you had consciously intended to return to the vehicle and continue eating either along the way or at the next stop, you may say the after-blessing wherever you are when you finish eating.
- If, when you said the fore-blessing, you had not consciously intended to return to the vehicle and continue eating while traveling, it is assumed that you will continue to eat and you do not need to say a new fore-blessing.
- If you intended NOT to continue eating in your car or along the way, you need to say a new fore-blessing in the vehicle.