Spring 2025

For many years, Rav Moshe Heinemann shlit”a instructed STAR-K to advise consumers that electric appliances which require tevila – such as toasters, waffle makers and hot water kettles – can be toveled and left to dry for three days. I have given this advice probably thousands of times and never once had a call back that the appliance was ruined.

There are, however, appliances that have both electric and electronic components. Electric devices convert electrical energy into other forms of energy, while electronic devices control the flow of electrons to perform tasks. Once exposed to water, damage to electronics begins within seconds – and the longer the exposure, the worse the damage.

Printed circuit boards consist of a laminate containing fiberglass and copper-clad epoxy, which forms the circuit’s wiring. This creates the perfect environment for galvanic or two-metal corrosion. Water contains minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium and salt, which accelerate […]

Spring 2025

We are an Am Kadosh, a Holy People, who are mandated by Hashem to imbue all aspects of our lives with holiness. We elevate even the mundane activity of eating and vest it with special kedusha (sanctity): the food on our plates must be kosher and the table on which we eat is likened to the holy mizbe’ach. The plates themselves, and all keilim (vessels and utensils) used to prepare our food, must likewise be infused with kedusha.

Just as an aino Yehudi must tovel in a mikvah in order to become Jewish, so too must keilim acquired from an aino Yehudi undergo tevila in a mikvah before being used by a Jew. This is the mitzva of tevilas keilim.

If a kli requires tevila, it may not be used even once before it is toveled. If a kli was used numerous times without tevila, one is still required to immerse […]