עברית
Halachot and Customs
Is it permitted to eat onions cut with a meat knife with cheese?
Question
Hello Rabbi, I am getting confused about the laws of kosher regarding sharp foods. For example, if I cut an onion with a meat knife, is it permitted to eat it with cheese? My question is, if I cut an onion with a meat knife and fried it in a pan that is not *ben yomo* (that I used to fry schnitzels yesterday), and I make a casserole from it in the oven which is currently *pareve*, does the oven become meat? Can I then make a cheesecake in that oven? Thank you in advance! Shabbat shalom and blessed!
Answer
Hello and blessings,
Regarding onions cut with a meat knife and whether it is permissible to eat them with cheese: It depends on whether the knife is *ben yomo* or not. That is, if you cut with a hot meat knife, and within 24 hours you used the knife for cutting onions - it is forbidden to eat the onion with cheese. But if more than 24 hours have passed since the last use of the meat knife until cutting the onion - it is permitted to eat the onion with cheese. (Shulchan Aruch Yoreh De'ah, Siman 96, Sif 1. Halichot Olam, Vol. 5, page 578 and onwards).
I emphasized "cut with a hot meat knife" because if you cut with a cold meat knife, then there is no meat status on the knife. (Kaf HaChaim, Siman 96, Sif Katan 48).
Regarding whether you can bake a cheesecake in the oven that you fried the casserole with the onion; it depends on the previous answer—if the onion is considered meat, then do not bake cheese in this oven, but if the onion is not meat, then the oven remains *pareve*.
However, if the casserole contains *sixty times* the weight of the knife blade. For example, if the weight of the knife blade is 5 grams, and the casserole weighs 300 grams, then even if the onion is meat, the casserole is still *pareve*. (Shulchan Aruch there).
Best regards,
Menashe Ben Porat
