3

I recently bought a hot and cold water cooler for our house. I thought it was a simple gift. I bought one with a stainless steel water basin to help avoid possible health issues with plastic (and also taste)

However, after it arrived, I realized that this stainless steel basin might need to be toiveled. I tried to take it out, and see that it's attached to wires, that are probably soldered. In addition, there is another metal basin (and I believe heating coils) to hold the hot water= Same problem. The steel makes it a possible shailah on a d'oraisa. I did some research (personal research please don't rely on in practice) and found the following options - in order of personal preference::

  • (A) Take it apart and rebuild it- thus making it a utensil made by a Jew. I'm not clear on how much I can take apart that would satisfy this requirement and not break it. i.e. I can unscrew things, but would that suffice to make it "rebuilt"?
  • (B) Sell it to a non-Jew, and then pay him a nominal amount to use it. Though a concern is that years later if/when I dispose or sell it - it's not mine, and that would be stealing. I can ask my shul's Rabbi to broker the deal with the person that he sells the chometz to. My LOR advised this.
  • (C) Buy one with a removable reservoir - I found that crystal mountains glacier and storm have removable cold water steel basin (great feature for cleaning). And the hot water basin is also metal, but I called their tech support and he said that it could be removed (approx 10-15 minute job).
  • (D) Buy one with a plastic reservoir - not the best for health and taste, also doesn't solve the heating basin issue. Also difficult to find as it seems that stainless steel is the norm (for good reason I suppose)
  • (E) Do nothing - Rely on opinions that it doesn't need to be toiveled if it's plugged in - considered מחובר לקרקע. However, I was planning to keep it unplugged for Shabbos to avoid ny refrigerations Q's. I am lenient to use a refrigerator. However, I was hoping to avoid that with the water cooler as it's much less critical and simply unplug it. However, doing so would break the chain to the ground.
  • (F) Toivel it - too big for standard store כלים mikvah. (*edit - though could go into a person mikvah (e.g. men's mikvah)
  • (G) Rent - I'm guessing this is like (B) and what most people do(?)

Bottom Line Q I'm leaning towards (C), but wondering what everyone does as it seems far from simple and a Q of a d'oraisa. Can anyone provide guidance on what's needed to "rebuild" (re: option (A))

Chaim
  • 745
  • 3
  • 14
  • 2
    Regarding F, I don't know what a "store mikva" is but there are mikvaot that fit entire humans in every community – Double AA Jun 22 '21 at 19:37
  • Are you worried about ruining the elecrtical heating/cooling elements, or is it simply a question of the size of the object fitting in the mikvah? – יהושע ק Jun 23 '21 at 00:04
  • @DoubleAA - thanks, embarrassingly so, I didn't think of that. – Chaim Jun 23 '21 at 01:43
  • @Josh K - correct, I'm apprehensive about ruining the electrical parts. I imagine that I have to force it under water so that the air bubbles get out and the water can fill it up (needs to fill to the very top of the upper (cold) basin, in order to be able to fill the lower (hot water) basin. That's a pretty thorough drowning. If I have no other acceptable choice, I'll do it and let it dry out for 3 days and hope. – Chaim Jun 23 '21 at 01:46
  • 1
    It should be known that there are poskim who hold that an item that will be destroyed due to tevilah can be used without Tevilah,also see Minchas Asher , – sam Jun 23 '21 at 03:50
  • 1
    מו”ר ר’ היינעמאן שליט”א אמר שאם בודאי יתקלקל הכלי ע”י טבילה וא”א לטבלו ולהשתמש בו אח”כ, א”כ הרי הוא אנוס שא”א לקיים המצוה, וכיון שכל האיסור להשתמש בכלי מאכל בלי טבילה נובע מהחיוב דאורייתא לטבלו א”כ במקום שפטור מטבילה מחמת אונס שוב מותר להשתמש בכלי זה לכתחלה. – sam Jun 23 '21 at 03:51
  • 1
    What leads you to think that immersion under water for a few seconds will ruin it? Presumably, a water cooler is meant to be used with water, which often spills, so it must be built to withstand some water projections. – mbloch Jun 23 '21 at 05:16
  • Many appliances have an instruction not to immerse in water. You may then invalidate the guarantee if you do immerse it. You could enquire of the manufacturer. 2) We have used (B) in the past - and our LOR did not mention paying a fee.
    • – Avrohom Yitzchok Jun 23 '21 at 11:35
  • I was about to "take the plunge" and toivel it in the shul's men's mikvah - however my wife said no way would she drink from it afterwards - don't question. So I'm debating between getting the Crystal Mountain one with removable basin or asking the Rav of my shul if he can contact the non-Jew that we sell chometz to and sell this to him. Another option is to rent from a water delivery service, which I'm guessing is what most people do to avoid the issue - but I think that is more $ than I'd like to spend. – Chaim Jun 24 '21 at 02:38
  • @Chaim Most "men's mikvas" are not valid for utensils, so be sure to check with the supervising rabbi and/or find a women's mikva. – Double AA Jun 25 '21 at 17:20
  • @DoubleAa - thanks! – Chaim Jun 27 '21 at 13:47
  • Do items that aren't meant to be portable require tevila? It's gonna stay in place and be plugged in right? – Dude Jul 29 '21 at 02:17