Kashering a Smart Oven for Pesach

Can I kasher my yearly oven to use for Pesach? I have been having discussions with my friends about it, and I would like an authoritative Pesak.

Thank you for your question.

HaGaon Harav Fried, shlita, writes that it would depend on which oven you have and even if you have a self-cleaning oven, it would further depend on what model it is, which I will soon explain.

Ordinary oven

One cannot kasher an ordinary oven for Peasch and there are a number of reasons why not;

Libun Chamur:

In order to kasher an oven, one needs to perform what is called 'libun chamur,' meaning one has to do libun using heat close to 500 degrees, and the average oven does not reach such heat. The maximum it can reach is 300/250 degrees, which is not enough to perform libun chamur.

Glass Door:

The average oven has a glass door, which according to the opinion of the Rema, one cannot kasher glass.

Rubber Seals:

Around the door of the oven, there are rubber seals that ensure no heat escapes the oven, and in the world of halacha, they have the status of plastic, which we are stringent about, and say hagalah or libun kal would not kasher them.

The Interior Walls of the Oven:

The interior walls of the oven are coated with enamel, which we are stringent about, and say that one cannot kasher it for Pesach (this is based on the psak of the Sha'ar Ha'Tsiyun, Siman 451, Ot 191).

Because of all the reasons mentioned above, one cannot kasher the yearly oven for Pesach. One should clean it out before Pesach and sell the chametz that may be stuck in the oven to a non-Jew. Optimally, if one wants to be mehader, one should check the oven before selling it to the non-Jew to see that there is no chametz stuck in the oven, or one should turn on the oven for some time that one estimates that if there was any chametz in the oven, it would be burnt and nullified.

Of course, one should also move the oven from its place and check underneath it for chametz since it’s a place where chametz can be found.

Self-Cleaning Oven:

The optimal option is to sell even such an oven.

However, if one chooses to kasher it, then it is important to follow these instructions:

There are types of ovens which are called self-cleaning ovens, and they reach a heat of 500 degrees, which can be considered as 'libun chamur.' However, there is a problem that not all models are the same, and I would like to explain that some models do reach 500 degrees, but the heat is concentrated to the middle of the oven and not the interior walls of the oven, which, therefore would be problematic. There are models where the heat does reach even to the side interior walls of the oven.

Therefore, one should not use a self-cleaning oven until consulting a competent Rav who can advise you about the model of the oven that you have, or you can send us the make and model number of your oven, and we will advise you whether one can use it on Pesach.

Even with approved models, the trays must be replaced since one cannot kasher them because there is a concern they might get damaged, and whenever there is such a concern, one may not kasher them; therefore, one should remove them before koshering. The tracks that one cannot remove should be covered with aluminum foil.

However, there are companies that, according to the manufacturer's instructions, the trays, grates, and tracks would not be damaged when using the self-clean mode, and therefore one can include them in the oven to kasher them. And the oven door should be wrapped in thick aluminum foil.

In a case that one plans to sell the oven and use the surface to place the Pesach gas stove, then one should add in the 'mechirat chametz' document that one sells the oven (to the non-Jew) besides the permission to use its surface.

Wishing you a Chag Kasher Ve’Sameach.

Azamroh Lishmech Moadim Pesach