04 Jul KASHRUS QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK WITH RABBI MOSHE ELEFANT

Can one buy frozen fruits that are not checked like
strawberries, blackberries etc and blend it for a fruit
shake? How about vegetables unchecked for a shake?
Any fruit or berry that needs to be checked should not be bought without
a reliable hashgacha. If it’s bought with a reliable hashgacha, then part of
what the hashgacha does is check it, as well. I speak for the OU, but I’m
sure that that’s the case for all reliable hashgachas. What the hashgacha
is taking responsibility for is not just for the strawberry, but they’re taking
responsibility for its washing to make sure that there’s no infestation issue on
the fruit or on the vegetable and you could therefore buy it. If it doesn’t have a reliable hashgacha,
then you can’t be sure what kind of a washing system is in place and because you can’t be sure
what kind of a washing system is in place, you need to be concerned that they’re not properly
cleaned and therefore may not be eaten. That’s in terms of strawberries, berries etc. So, if it has a
reliable hashgacha you’re okay, if they don’t have a reliable hashgacha, I would avoid it.
In terms of vegetables, canned
vegetables or frozen vegetables, there
are those that used to believe that there
couldn’t be anything wrong with peas
and carrots. The reality is that we have
seen over the years that the equipment
that’s used for these vegetables could
also be equipment that’s used for meat
and other vegetables or foods that are
really not kosher. We therefore strongly
recommend that only something with
a reliable hashgacha be used.

If one runs a dishwashing cycle going
into Shabbos, is one allowed to open the
dishwasher on Shabbos & use what’s inside
of it, for their Shabbos meal?
The answer depends on what you’re doing. If nothing
electronic happens when you open up the dishwasher
on Shabbos, the halacha is that you’re allowed to open
it up. Everybody has to know and look at their own
dishwasher. In some dishwashers, when you open it up,
lights go off. If a light will go off or change colors when
you open up the dishwasher, then you are not allowed
to do it on Shabbos and Yom Tov. If nothing like that will
happen, then you’re allowed to open it on Shabbos and
Yom tov.

Is the minimum amount of dough needed for
hafrashas challah equal for wheat, barley,
spelt, oats and rye?
The short answer is yes. Whenever you make dough, you should
take challah. The only difference is that if you’re making dough
from five pounds of flour or more, then you make a bracha
when you take the dough. If it’s less, then you don’t make the
bracha. Once you have five pounds of flour that you’re using, it
doesn’t make a difference what kind of flour you’re using; you
should always take challah and make a bracha. If it’s less than
five pounds, take challah but don’t make a bracha.