Halachot and Customs
Can One Give Utensils to a Non-Jew to Avoid Immersing Them in a Mikveh?
Question
Hello, Rabbi,
I read in the Hidabroot Shabbat bulletin (Ki Tisa), in "Chidud Benaam," that if there is a utensil that was not immersed and one wants to use it on Shabbat, one may, from the outset, give the utensils to a non-Jew as a gift and then take them back as a "loan," and the utensils would never need immersion.
All the utensils in my home were not immersed. I am becoming more observant and, with Hashem's help, want to ask whether instead of tovelling all the dishes, one can do like on Shabbat, give them to a non-Jew and take them back "on loan"?
Thank you very much in advance.
Answer
Good week,
This solution is intended only for a pressing need, such as if one forgot and did not immerse a utensil before Shabbat or before Yom Tov. Then one may give the utensil to a non-Jew as a gift and borrow it back, and it is permitted to use it (Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah, end of siman 120), or even during the week where there is no mikveh (Rema there). However, one should not use this initially when it is possible to immerse the utensils in a mikveh.
And even one who used this solution in the above case of pressing need, the view of the Turei Zahav (there) is that it helps only as long as there is no possibility to immerse; however, once there is an opportunity, one should immerse it with a blessing. But since this is not explicit in the poskim, one should be careful to immerse another utensil together with it, out of concern for a possible doubtful blessing.
Much success,
Hillel Meirs
