7

How does one do Hagalah above 12,000 feet, where water's boiling point falls below 190°F? Under normal circumstances, the water will not be Rochsim, and therefore unsuitable for Hagalah.

Using a pressure cooker would be impractical, as it cannot be opened to put an item in. (Besides, the water would not reach an actual boil – safely. Furthermore, at higher altitudes, even a standard pressure cooker cannot keep water's boiling point above 190°F.) Leaving the item on a platform while the water heats, later to be shaken down, would present a problem of steam in an enclosed space.

Would one have to forgo Hagalah altogether, and default to Libun Kal?

Community
  • 1
Adám
  • 6,801
  • 21
  • 54
  • http://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/6802/hagalah-in-denver – Gershon Gold Feb 06 '14 at 17:20
  • @GershonGold That is linked to already in the question – Double AA Feb 06 '14 at 18:24
  • How is this not just a duplicate of that linked question?? – Double AA Feb 06 '14 at 18:24
  • @DoubleAA Because a valid answer there applies only to locations below 12,000'. I am asking about above that. – Adám Feb 07 '14 at 15:12
  • @NBZ That's just not true. The question makes no such requirement. – Double AA Feb 07 '14 at 15:29
  • @DoubleAA I don't understand. The accepted answer there is valid, both for Denver (which was the question), and for every other location where water boils above 190, i.e. below 12,000'. Since the question was specific to Denver, it did not get answers to extreme situations. – Adám Feb 07 '14 at 15:54
  • "For example, in Denver..." It was not specific to Denver. – Double AA Feb 07 '14 at 15:59
  • @DoubleAA Oh, I see what you mean. The title was misleading me! You are right. GershonGold's answer just doesn't address the issue of Rochsim being unattainable at higher altitudes. JeffK's answer does in principle, but I would question if R' Tendler would agree at any temperature as long as the water is boiling. Would one be able to do hagalah at room temperature by using a vacuum chamber? Maybe it has to be boiling at ambient pressure? Certainly there is what to clarify... – Adám Feb 07 '14 at 16:08
  • @NBZ If you want to improve the answers on a question you should set a bounty, not ask a duplicate. – Double AA Feb 28 '14 at 06:21

1 Answers1

4

Mishna Berura Orach Chaim 452:8 would allow B'Dieved if it is not used as a Kli Rishon to do Hagala without Rochsin. However with a Kli Rishon there seems to be no option if it is not Rochsin.

Gershon Gold
  • 139,471
  • 12
  • 231
  • 553
  • No option (for hagalah), i.e. libun kal necessary. Maybe you should put that into your answer? – Adám Feb 07 '14 at 15:13