Halachot for the Bein Hazmanim Period

Countertops, Faucets, and Sinks

Aleph Aleph. Countertop — one must ensure that the countertop is clean; then hot pots and the like may be placed on it. However, hot food without a utensil may not be placed on it even after cleaning.1
Faucets — according to the basic law during the year one may be lenient and use them, and they need not be kashered. One who wishes to be stringent should open the hot-water tap and pour boiling water over the outside, but there is no obligation to do so.2
Sinks — most sinks nowadays are made of earthenware/ceramic, and therefore cannot be kashered [for an earthenware vessel never fully releases its absorption]. Therefore one may not wash dishes in the sink with hot water at yad soledet temperature [40°C], nor leave utensils in it with water for 24 hours, so that it not be considered kavush.3 

Ovens [Trays and Racks]

Bet Oven — it may be used by covering the food with two coverings, or by running the oven at its highest heat for one hour; after doing so, the food may be covered with one covering.4
Oven trays — the trays are usually coated with enamel, and may be kashered by placing them for one hour in an oven running at its highest heat. However, if there is concern that these trays were used for non-kosher foods, they require severe libun, and therefore cannot be kashered.5
In pressing circumstances one may place a disposable tray on the oven trays [specifically when it is known that the oven trays were immersed].6
Oven rack — it may be kashered by placing it for one hour inside an oven running at its highest heat [and if the food is placed on the rack itself, even with baking paper as a separation, it may be used after kashering only when it is known that the rack was immersed].
Toaster oven — it may be kashered by running it for one hour at the highest heat setting.7 

Electrical Appliances

Gimel Electric / ceramic / induction cooktop — according to the basic law, it is enough that they be clean; some are stringent to cover them with foil, but this is not obligatory. 8
Microwave – food should be heated with two sealed coverings [for example, placing the food in a closed container inside a tied bag]. If one wishes to kasher it, do as follows: after 24 hours of non-use, place a cup of hot water inside and run it until the water evaporates. Some are stringent that even after this kashering, foods be heated only covered. [It should be noted that a home microwave should initially not be used for both meat and dairy, even with two coverings].9
Microwave plate — food may not be placed on the plate itself, but only inside a covered utensil [covering with a plastic bag does not help in this case, unless the plate is immersed without a blessing].10
Toaster / sandwich press — kashering does not help it, and it may not be used.11
Electric kettle — it may be used and need not be kashered. Regarding immersion: if the owner is a non-Jew, it does not require immersion; if the owner is Jewish, it requires immersion, and it is forbidden to use it without immersion.12 

Tables

Dalet Table (all types of tables) — if it is clean, it may be used as usual and need not be kashered. 13

Eating and Drinking Utensils

He Cutlery — it may be used only after hagalah and immersion.14
Glass cups — they may be used cold, but require immersion.15   Plastic cups — they may be used cold and need not be kashered.16
Plates and serving utensils — they may not be used without hagalah and immersion. Some utensils cannot be made fit by hagalah, such as porcelain utensils, and glass utensils according to the Rema; regarding plastic utensils, some are stringent that hagalah does not help them.17 

Kitchen Utensils

Vav Peeler — it may be used after immersion and does not require hagalah.18
Cutting board — it may be used if clean, but hot and sharp foods should not be cut on it.
Saltshaker — a glass or metal saltshaker requires immersion (without a blessing; if it is brought to the table, it requires immersion with a blessing) before use, but one made of plastic does not require immersion.19
Can opener — it requires neither hagalah nor immersion.
Scouring pad used for non-kosher items — it may be used only with cold water.

Barbecues

Zayin All types of barbecues — the base may be used without concern, but the grates must be kashered by severe libun; since it is difficult to perform severe libun on them (they must become red-hot), they may not be used, and new grates are needed and must be immersed.20 
A reusable barbecue grate requires immersion even for its first use, even if it is used once and then discarded (and according to the stringency to perform hagalah on new utensils, place it on the fire for a few minutes). See below [in the laws of immersing utensils] regarding one who is in a place with no nearby mikveh: he may declare the utensil ownerless before three people and use it for less than one day.
Disposable barbecue — a disposable barbecue does not require immersion, but if reused the grates require immersion.

Using Kitchen Utensils in Vacation Places Owned by a Non-Jew

Chet When the vacation place is owned by a non-Jew, since the utensils are owned by the non-Jew, they do not require immersion.21 

Eating and Drinking Utensils

Tet Cutlery — it may be used without immersion, but requires hagalah.22
Glass cups — they may be used cold and do not require immersion.23
Plastic cups — they may be used cold and need not be kashered.
Plates and serving utensils — they may not be used without hagalah; some utensils cannot be made fit by hagalah, such as porcelain utensils, and glass utensils according to the Rema; regarding plastic utensils, some are stringent that hagalah does not help them.

Kitchen Utensils

Yod Peeler — it may be used and requires neither hagalah nor immersion.
Cutting board — it may be used if clean, but hot and sharp foods should not be cut on it.24
Saltshaker — it may be used and need not be kashered, and it also does not require immersion; if it contains salt, one may sprinkle from it.

Barbecues

Yod-Aleph All types of barbecues — the base may be used without concern, but the grates must be kashered by severe libun; since it is difficult to perform severe libun on them (they must become red-hot), they may not be used, and new grates are needed and must be immersed.
A reusable barbecue grate requires immersion even for its first use and even if it is used once and then discarded (and since we are stringent to perform hagalah on new utensils, place it on the fire for a few minutes). See below [in the laws of immersing utensils] regarding one who is in a place with no nearby mikveh: he may declare the utensil ownerless before three people and use it for less than one day.

Where Immersion Is Not Possible

Yod-Bet If one is in a place where utensils cannot be immersed, there is no permission to use a reusable utensil without immersion, even for the first time. However, it is uncertain whether one may be lenient and use the utensil [for a short time only] by declaring it ownerless before three people. Where the owner declares it ownerless and another uses it without intent to acquire it, this is effective even initially.25 

Popcorn / Slush / Drink / Sugar / Coffee Machines and the Like Regarding Immersion

Yod-Gimel  A cotton-candy machine, coffee machine, slush machine, and popcorn machine, where the seller prepares/pours for the customers, should be immersed without a blessing; it is difficult to rely on those who are lenient that this is considered merchandise equipment.26 

Hot-Water Urns and Coffee Machines

Yod-Dalet Utensils/hot-water urns in hospitals, hotels, and guest cabins, as well as street coffee machines, should be immersed without a blessing, and may not be used without immersion; one who is lenient in pressing circumstances should not be protested.27 

Wedding Halls and Restaurants

Tet-Vav A restaurant or wedding hall that did not immerse its utensils — it is forbidden to use them [and if his plate has already been filled, there is room to discuss leniency to eat with a disposable spoon, as it is considered emptying it, and this requires study].28 

Immersion in a Lake

Tet-Zayin  It is permitted to immerse utensils in a natural lake that contains forty se’ah, but not in an artificial lake.29 

One Who Sees the Sea

Aleph  One who sees the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea, or the Kinneret recites 'Oseh Ma‘aseh Bereshit' — 'Who makes the work of Creation,' provided he has not seen the sea for thirty days. If he has seen it, he does not bless, even if he did not bless at the first sighting.30 
Therefore, a person who saw the Kinneret, whether he blessed or not, does not bless again on the Mediterranean Sea within thirty days, and likewise the reverse.31 

The Dead Sea

Bet One who sees the Dead Sea does not bless, because there is doubt whether it was created at the time of Creation or only at the overturning of Sodom, when Lot’s wife became a pillar of salt [these are two explanations in Rashi to Bereshit].32 One who wishes to bless should look at the Judean Desert, and then he can bless and cover both — the desert and the sea — because on both one recites 'Oseh Ma‘aseh Bereshit' — 'Who makes the work of Creation.'33 

The Jordan

Gimel One who sees the Jordan does not recite 'Oseh Ma‘aseh Bereshit' — 'Who makes the work of Creation,' because there is concern that over the years it was diverted from its course and does not flow where it was created at Creation.34 

Mountains and Hills

Dalet On mountains and hills one recites 'Oseh Ma‘aseh Bereshit' — 'Who makes the work of Creation' only on very high mountains whose sight impresses a person, such as the Alps and the like; therefore, regarding Mount Hermon it seems that one should bless.35 

Where It Is Recited

Aleph This blessing is uncommon, because one does not bless over animals unless he has never seen an elephant or a monkey.36 

Never Saw Before

Bet  One who has never seen a monkey ]and one should discuss a case where he saw one in a picture, for perhaps it is no longer such a novelty to him, and this requires study[, should bless with the Name and kingship: 'Baruch Atah... Meshaneh HaBriyot' — 'Blessed are You... Who varies the creatures.'37 

Elephant and Monkey Together

Gimel If he sees an elephant and a monkey together, he recites one blessing on both; if he sees each separately, he should intend not to exempt the other and recite two blessings.

Owl

Dalet One does not bless over an owl, because there is doubt regarding this blessing.38 

Has Not Seen for Thirty Days

Aleph If one has not seen the Old City or the site of the Temple for thirty days, he is obligated to tear.39 

Where to Tear

Bet Ideally one should tear when seeing ancient Jerusalem. Therefore, one who sees the wall of the Old City on the northeastern side between the Lions’ Gate and the Damascus Gate tears [but seeing the other parts of the wall does not obligate tearing]. After tearing over the destruction of Jerusalem, he must tear again when he sees the site of the Temple [and he may tear the same garment, as below].40 

One Who Is Lenient Not to Tear upon Seeing Jerusalem

Gimel One who is lenient not to tear upon seeing Jerusalem cannot be protested. When he tears at the Kotel, he should intend with his tearing to fulfill also the tearing for Jerusalem. It is proper that one who does not tear for Jerusalem not look at the Old City until he reaches the Kotel, and then tear for both.41 

Garments That Require Tearing

Dalet  Tzitzit and undershirt are not torn. Jacket and shirt: according to the Shulchan Aruch42  the obligation of tearing at the Kotel is equal to tearing for the death of a father or mother, and therefore one must tear both the jacket and the shirt (but not the tzitzit or undershirt). However, the custom follows the Raavad43   that only the upper garment is torn; therefore, if at the time of tearing he is wearing a jacket, he must tear the jacket, and if he removed the jacket, he tears the shirt. [Ideally he should remove the jacket before seeing the Old City or the Kotel; after the fact, even after seeing, he may remove it and tear the shirt].
Many Sephardim customarily tear the shirt even when wearing a jacket. It is more correct to remove the jacket before tearing the shirt, and then one may put the jacket back on.

The Laws of Tearing

He Ideally one should tear on the left side of the garment, but if this is not possible, he should tear on the right side.44
The tear may be started with a knife or scissors, and one may also begin tearing at home and continue tearing with his hands.45 
One must tear while standing; one who tears while seated does not fulfill his obligation.46 

From Where to Tear

Vav One begins tearing from the collar downward47 , and tears by hand a length of 10 cm; in pressing circumstances he may tear not from the collar but from the edge of the garment below it.

Changing the Garment

Zayin  One may change into another garment immediately after tearing, or wear a jacket over the torn garment.48 

Those Obligated to Tear

Chet A minor does not tear.49 
Women are obligated to tear; they should wear two garments and tear the upper garment. After tearing, the torn garment may be removed or fastened with a safety pin.

A Garment That Is Not His

Tet If he is wearing a jacket and shirt that are not his but borrowed from his friend, he is exempt from tearing; however, it is proper not to do this but to tear.

One Who Transfers Ownership to His Friend

Yod If one transfers his garment to his friend through a kinyan sudar, and his friend lends him the garment and explicitly says, I do not agree that you tear the garment, it is not clear that this exempts him from tearing.50 

A Yeshivah Boy

Yod-Aleph  A young man whose clothes belong to his father, and whose father informed him that he does not agree that he tear, is exempt from tearing; but it is not proper for the father to be particular about this. Whenever the father did not reveal that he objects, one may rely on the assumption that he certainly wants his son to tear and fulfill his obligation.

Days on Which One Does Not Tear

Yod-Bet On Shabbat, Yom Tov, and Chol HaMoed one does not tear.51 

Order and Text of the Tearing

Yod-Gimel Before tearing for the Old City, he should say: “עָרֵי קָדְשְׁךָ הָיוּ מִדְבָּר צִיּוֹן מִדְבָּר הָיָתָה יְרוּשָׁ לים שְׁמָמָה” (Your holy cities became a wilderness; Zion became a wilderness; Jerusalem, a desolation), and he should also say: “כִּלָּה השם אֶת חֲמָתוֹ שָׁפַךְ חֲרוֹן אַפּוֹ וַיַּצֶּת אֵשׁ בְּצִיּוֹן וַתֹּאכַל יְסוֹדֹתֶיהָ” (Hashem exhausted His wrath, poured out His fierce anger, kindled a fire in Zion, and it consumed its foundations), and tear.

Seeing the Mosque

Yod-Dalet  If he sees the mosque, he should say: “בֵּית גֵּאִים יִסַּח השם וְיַצֵּב גְּבוּל אַלְמָנָה” (Hashem will tear down the house of the proud, but He will establish the boundary of the widow).52 

Seeing the Site of the Temple

Tet-Vav When seeing the site of the Temple, he should bow toward it and say: “בֵּית קָדְשֵׁנוּ וְתִפְאַרְתֵּנוּ אֲשֶׁר הִלְלוּךָ אֲבֹתֵינוּ הָיָה לִשְׂרֵפַת אֵשׁ וְכָל מַחֲמַדֵּינוּ הָיָה לְחָרְבָּה” (The house of our holiness and our glory, where our fathers praised You, has been burned by fire, and all that we cherished has become a ruin), and bless without the Divine Name but with kingship, in the formula: “ברוך אתה מלך העולם דיין האמת” (Blessed are You, King of the world, the true Judge). After the blessing he should say: “כִּי כָל־מִשְׁפָּטָיו צֶדֶק וֶאֱמֶת, הַצּוּר תָּמִים פעֳלוֹ כִּי כל דְּרָכָיו מִשְׁפָּט, אֵ-ל אֱמוּנָה וְאֵין עָֽוֶל צַדִּיק וְיָשָׁר הוּא, וְאַתָּה צַדִּיק עַל כָּל הַבָּא עָלֵינוּ כִּי אֱמֶת עָשִׂיתָ וַאֲנַחְנוּ הִרְשָׁעְנוּ” (For all His judgments are righteousness and truth; the Rock, His work is perfect, for all His ways are justice; a faithful God with no injustice, righteous and upright is He; and You are righteous in all that has come upon us, for You have acted truthfully and we have acted wickedly).53 

The Tearing

Tet-Zayin After saying these verses, he should stand and tear according to the law explained above. If he already tore when he saw the Old City, he should distance three fingers, which is 7.5 cm, and tear again a tefach, and say Psalm 79 with great concentration, weep, and awaken his heart to lament, mourn, and worry over the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash like one whose dead lies before him. As stated, after tearing he may change the torn garment or wear another garment over it.54 

Order of Priority for Shacharit

Aleph Aleph. The order of priorities for a person in the final minutes before the end time for
Shacharit:
A. Prayer in its time takes precedence over prayer with the congregation.55
B. The blessings of Keriat Shema in their time take precedence over Shemoneh Esrei in its time.56 
C. The blessings of Keriat Shema and Shemoneh Esrei in their time take precedence over the morning blessings and Baruch She’amar and Yishtabach.
D. Prayer in its time takes precedence over putting on tefillin during Keriat Shema and Shemoneh Esrei.57 

Woke Up and Dozed Off Again

Bet  If one woke from sleep and should have gotten up to pray, but dozed a little more, woke again and fell asleep again several times, and finally slept until the prayer time passed, even though this is like negligence, he should pray tashlumin because he was not willful.58 

Went to Sleep Late

Gimel If one went to sleep late and knew he would not wake in time for prayer [although by law it is forbidden to go to sleep], and indeed he did not wake for prayer, even though he was negligent by going to sleep, he is nevertheless not considered willful and therefore should pray tashlumin.59 

Taking an Early-Morning Flight

Dalet One taking an early-morning flight with absolutely no possibility of praying afterward should begin praying at the second alot hashachar [- 72 minutes before sunrise] until Yishtabach. After Yishtabach [before 'Yotzer Or'] he should wait until the time for tzitzit and tefillin [- one hour before sunrise, and some are stringent for 50 minutes before sunrise], put on tallit and tefillin, and continue until the end of the prayer.60 

The Blessing

He One who sees Jewish graves recites the blessing 'Asher Yatzar Etchem Badin.' This is provided that he has not seen another cemetery in the last thirty days; if he has, he does not bless, even if he did not bless when he saw it the first time.61 

Leaving Bnei Brak for Jerusalem

Vav  One who left Bnei Brak for Jerusalem and saw the cemetery when leaving but did not bless,62  has lost the blessing, and does not bless again when passing near Har HaMenuchot.63 

One Grave

Zayin  This blessing is also recited over the graves of tzaddikim, but not over one grave; only over several graves together.64 

Text of the Blessing

Chet The corrected and clarified text of the blessing: BaI AMH asher yatzar etchem badin, vezan etchem badin, vechilkel etchem badin, vehemit etchem badin, veyode’a mispar kulchem ve’atid lehachayotchem ulehakimchem badin lechayei haolam haba, BaI mechayeh hametim (Sefer Beit David).

Pregnant Woman

Tet A pregnant woman may go to a cemetery for a need [such as a yahrtzeit or to the graves of tzaddikim], but she should be careful not to touch the graves.65 

Pregnant Wife of a Kohen

Yod The pregnant wife of a kohen may go even if she knows she is carrying a boy.66 

Whether There Is a Mitzvah

Yod-Aleph  There is a mitzvah to go up to the graves of tzaddikim. Although some wrote that there is no mitzvah in this, in halachah it appears that there is a mitzvah.67 

Going to Graves at Night

Yod-Bet Whether at the graves of tzaddikim or ordinary graves, there is no prohibition to go at night; however, Tehillim are recited only after chatzot, unless it is for a sick person, in which case Tehillim may be said before chatzot, and the Thirteen Attributes after chatzot.

The Preferred Time

Yod-Gimel The preferred time for prayer at the graves of tzaddikim is the eve of Rosh Chodesh, the 15th day of the month, the eve of Rosh Hashanah, the eve of Yom Kippur, and the yahrtzeit of the tzaddik.