Compiled by Rabbi Moishe Dovid Lebovits who can be reached at [email protected]

Reviewed by Rabbi Ben-zion Schiffenbauer Shlita

All Piskei Harav Yisrael Belsky Shlita are Reviewed by Harav Yisrael Belsky Shlita

Volume 6 Issue 6

6-30-11

What Constitutes Yotzei V’nichnas L’chatchilah

The l’chatchilah situation to leave a non-Jew in the home or store is when the Jew will be returning within eighteen minutes.⁶³ 

Concern of Switching

The only time a seal is required is if there is a concern that the non-Jew will exchange the kosher item for a non-kosher item. There are many details as to what it means “concern of being switched” which we will begin to discuss.  

Benefit From the Switching

One main factor which determines whether or not a food requires a seal is whether the non-Jew will benefit from switching the kosher item with a non-kosher item.⁶⁴ Some say that if the non-Jew will not benefit then one can send the food with him l’chatchilah (see below). However, others say one should try to avoid this when possible.⁶⁵ As stated above, the halachos regarding benefiting from switching pertain to leaving a non-Jew alone in one’s home as well.⁶⁶  

In any case, the halachos of switching apply as long as the non-Jew will benefit in some way from switching the kosher for non-kosher.⁶⁷ 

The Non-Jew Does it to Spite

There is a discussion in the poskim if the non-Jew will switch the food just to spite the Jew even if there is no real benefit from the switching.  

The opinion of most poskim is that there is no concern about this issue.⁶⁸