Tevilas Keilim: Guidelines & Chart

By: Rabbi Mordechai Frankel

Updated February 2026

For a more in-depth treatment of this topic, please refer to The Mitzvah of Tevilas Keilim by Rav Moshe Heinemann shlit”a.

Tevilas Keilim – Basic Guidelines

Utensil to be immersed must be completely clean and free of dirt, dust, rust, stickers, labels or glue. (Practical Tip: WD-40 is very effective in removing adhesive.)

One wets his hands in the mikvah water, holds the vessel in the wet hand and says, “Baruch…asher kideshanu b’mitzvosav v’tzivanu al tevilas keili” (substitute keilim for keili if toveling multiple utensils) and immerses the vessel(s).

If one forgot to recite the bracha, the immersion is valid.

The water of the mikvah must touch the entire vessel, both inside and out.

The entire vessel must be under water at one time, but it does not have to be submerged for any prolonged period of time.

It is advisable that after toveling an electric appliance that requires tevila, the appliance be thoroughly […]

The Mitzvah of Tevilas Keilim

By: Rabbi Moshe Heinemann

Reviewed February 2023

Click HERE for a convenient summary of tevilas keilim guidelines and a handy chart.

In His infinite wisdom, Hashem Yisborach has spiritually elevated the mundane activity of eating and has vested it with special sanctity (kedusha). The food we eat must be kosher, the table upon which we eat our meals represents the holy altar (the mizbe’ach). Similarly, the vessels and utensils (keilim) used for preparing food and for dining must be given special holiness. When these dishes and/or utensils have been previously owned by an aino Yehudi, we have to immerse these keilim in a mikvah before their first use.

Keilim (vessels/utensils) can be categorized into three halachic groupings:

utensils requiring tevila (immersion) with a bracha

utensils requiring tevila without a bracha

utensils not requiring tevila at all

Utensils require tevila with a bracha when they have direct contact with food during preparation or meal time, and when […]

Using an Oven on Shabbos and Yom Tov

By: Rabbi Avrohom Mushell

Reviewed March 2024

To download and print a handy summary of these halachos, click here.

Cooking in the modern kitchen is a whole new experience. Technological advances have taken the old stovetop and oven and upgraded them to be safer, more efficient, and “smart” for today’s lifestyle. They are also far more complicated. With these transformations, the observant Jew is faced with challenges that did not confront him in the past.

To understand how these changes affect the halachic use of ovens and cooktops on Shabbos and Yom Tov, it is worthwhile to review some laws and concepts as they relate to cooking on Shabbos and Yom Tov.

A. Terms and Prohibitions Pertaining to Food Preparation on Shabbos and Yom Tov

Definitions of Basic Terms

Melacha A melacha is a Torah prohibited act derived from the constructive acts performed in erecting the Mishkan . These forbidden acts are known […]

STAR-K Appliance-Related Articles & Videos

The STAR-K site offers a variety of informative articles and videos related to the general use of cooking and refrigeration appliances; various Sabbath Mode features in STAR-K certified models; the halachic implications of using them on Shabbos and Yom Tov; appliance pre-purchase advice; as well as articles about other Sabbath Mode technologies, such as medical devices and elevators.

CHART

STAR-K Guide to Using Ovens on Shabbos & Yom Tov (PDF)

ARTICLES ABOUT COOKING APPLIANCES

Article on Oven Use (Published in Yeshurun, Vol. 36) – HaRav Moshe Heinemann shlit”a

Teshuva on Oven Use on Yom Tov – HaRav Moshe Heinemann shlit”a

Using an Oven on Shabbos & Yom Tov – Rabbi Avrohom D. Mushell (March 2024)

Oven Kashrus 101: Using the Same Oven for Meat, Dairy, Fish and Pareve – Rabbi Dovid Heber (Spring 2016)

Oven Kashrus: For Shabbos Use – Rabbi Avrohom D. Mushell (Winter 2005)

Oven Kashrus: For Yom Tov […]

Passover: Year-Round Halachos Related to Pesach