Kosher Without Borders: Coffee, Coolers, and More
Rabbi Shay Tahan
From the upcoming book “the traveler’s guide”.
Last week we spoke about the challenges of praying while traveling, and this week we would like to discuss a few common kashrut concerns on the road.
When traveling with a cooler, there are common mistakes people make that can render the food not kosher. With simple and careful attention, one can easily avoid these issues.
One must be careful not to place meat and dairy products together in the same cooler with ice, even for less than 24 hours and even if they are in separate packages or containers. Since the ice inevitably melts, the meat may become considered as soaked in milk, which halacha treats as if it were cooked together. Ideally, one should use separate coolers for meat and dairy products, thereby avoiding several halachic concerns.
Travelers commonly store food in coolers with ice to maintain freshness. However, once the ice melts, the resulting water can cause meat and dairy to become prohibited due to the principle that soaking (kavush) is like cooking (Shulchan Aruch, Y. D. 105:1). Some authorities even rule that food above the water becomes prohibited, since absorption at the bottom rises upward.
The Mishnah Berurah (467: S. HaTziyun 77) writes that the principle of soaking applies only in liquids, not in congealed substances. However, others are stringent and extend the prohibition even to ice (Beis Lechem Yehudah). Therefore, one should ideally avoid placing meat and dairy together in ice. Bedieved, (after the fact), the food is not prohibited until the ice has melted and 24 hours have passed.
Shu”t K’neh Bosem (II:15) cites opinions that soaking applies even when food is kept inside vessels, as explained by the Taz (105:1). According to these views, even sealed containers and packaging do not prevent prohibition, since absorption can occur through the vessel walls, and R’ Akiva Eiger (105:1) further explains that soaking causes absorption throughout the vessel.
Another concern can arise even when storing food without ice. If meat and dairy foods are placed together in a cooler, and a piece of meat comes into direct contact with a dairy item—such as cheese—one must rinse the area of contact, after which both foods are permitted.
The Shulchan Aruch (Y. D. 91:1) rules: “If meat and cheese touched one another, both are permitted, provided one rinses the place of contact. It is even permitted to wrap them in the same cloth, and we are not concerned that they may come into contact.” The allowance to wrap them in one cloth means that there must be some separation between them so that they do not actually touch (Chochmat Adam 42:3).
In the case of completely dry foods with no moisture at all, rinsing is not required (Shach 91:1).
One may buy ready-made coffee from a café, cafeteria, or gas station, including decaffeinated coffee, but should not purchase flavored coffee without a kosher certification. One should make sure to drink it from a disposable cup and not from a ceramic cup from a non-kosher establishment.
Although plain coffee does not generally pose a kashrut issue and does not require certification, there is concern when buying ready-made coffee from a non-kosher place. The coffee machine and filters may be washed in the same dishwashing machine as other dirty dishes containing non-kosher food which could cause the filter to absorb the prohibited taste.
There is debate whether to permit such utensils, as the Shulchan Aruch (Y. D. 112:6) permits: “Ordinary non-Jewish utensils are presumed not used today-(Within the last 24 hours); therefore, if they were used before koshering, the food is permitted.” In places like cafés or restaurants, the Pri Chadash (O. C. 49:5) rules that frequently used utensils are considered as “used today,” so a coffee machine in constant use is not considered exempt.
In practice, Rabbi Moshe Heinemann, of Star-K in Baltimore, permits it due to two doubts: perhaps the utensils were not washed the previous night with treif items, or perhaps they were washed alone without non-kosher items. Additionally, cleaning agents like soap may neutralize any absorbed taste (Shulchan Aruch Y. D. 95:4), and the water temperature may not reach yad soledet bo when washing by hand, which would not render the filter prohibited.
This leniency follows the ruling of the Noda B’Yehudah (Y. D. 1:36) for travelers under pressing circumstances. However, if kosher-certified coffee is available, one should not rely on this leniency, which applies only in pressing situations.
It is permitted to sit and drink a beverage in a café such as in rest area and starbucks, and there is no concern of mar’it ayin (appearance of wrongdoing).
Since coffee does not require kosher certification, sitting there to drink does not create the impression that one is doing something forbidden. The Ben Ish Chai (Terumah 8) notes that in his city of Baghdad it was customary to drink in cafés even on Shabbat, and the rabbis did not object.
If one is in a place of non-Jews where coffee is served, he may drink it, provided he requests that it be given to him in a disposable cup, or at least in a clean glass cup. If these are not available, he may drink it even in a regular cup, including porcelain.
Rav Ovadia Yosef (Yechaveh Da’at IV:42) wrote that a traveler on an airline that serves coffee in cups that previously held non-Jewish milk should request black coffee in a disposable cup or in a glass cup. If that is not possible, one may still drink it even in a regular cup, including porcelain. Although often the milk is poured from a keli rishon (a vessel directly on the fire) that would render the utensil forbidden, nevertheless, he permitted it since during travel it is considered bedi’avad. The Noda B’Yehudah (Y. D. I:36) also ruled leniently in practice for a traveler to drink coffee in the utensils of non-Jews, even though they are regularly used with their milk.
Some limit this leniency to a keli sheni, stating that in a keli rishon, even without another option, it is prohibited.
Rav Ovadia further relied on the opinion of the Pri Chadash (Y. D. 115), who held that since chalav akum was not forbidden by the Sages in their decrees, but only out of concern that it might be mixed with non-kosher milk, in places where non-kosher milk is not commonly found, there is room to be lenient.
One should not eat at a restaurant unless it has reliable kosher supervision, employing a mashgiach who is recognized as God-fearing and knowledgeable in the halachot pertaining to the foods prepared in the kitchen.
It is not sufficient to rely on the owner’s claim that the food is kosher. Although Chazal established that “one witness is trusted regarding prohibitions” (Gittin 2b), and Rashi explains that this applies because every Jew is trustworthy regarding terumah separation, slaughter, and the removal of forbidden fats and blood (Gittin 2b, d.h. ed), in practice one cannot rely solely on this principle in a commercial setting.
The Rambam (Ma’achalot Asurot 11:25-26) rules that one should only obtain food from establishments known to maintain reliable kosher standards.
The Tur (Y. D. 18, citing Rosh) notes that although one witness is trusted in matters of prohibitions, the established custom is not to rely on ordinary butchers and to appoint people known for proper slaughter and checking. Aruch HaShulchan (ibid. 114) clarifies that even though every Jew is trustworthy regarding prohibitions, a store that operates regularly requires proper supervision.
Rabbi Asher Weiss (Minchat Asher, Vol. 1, 37) emphasizes the necessity of establishing a reliable kosher supervision system to ensure that all food sold in stores and restaurants under its supervision is thoroughly checked. He cites Yeshuot Yaakov (Yoreh De’ah 15:1) that when regulations are enacted for the public, even minimal concerns must be considered.
Originally published in 5TownsCentral; also published in The Jewish Vues.
