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The Brochah (Blessing) Before Tevilah

  1. The blessing recited before immersion of a utensil requiring a blessing is: Baruch Ata Ado-nai Elo-heinu melech haolom asher kidshanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu al tevilat keili. If more than one utensil is to be immersed the last word is changed to “keilim” (instead of“keili”). [Translation: Blessed are You, L-rd our G-d, King of the universe who has sanctified us with His commandments and has commanded us concerning the immersion of a vessel (vessels).]
  2. There should be no talking or unnecessary delay between the completion of the blessing and the immersion of the utensil. If more than one vessel is being immersed there should preferably be no unnecessary interruption between the blessing and the immersion of all the utensils.
  3. A utensil that does not require a blessing should preferably be immersed together (and after) a utensil that does require a blessing. This is particularly so if there is a question as to if a blessing needs to be recited or not. In such a case one may recite the plural form of theblessing even if there is only one vessel that definitely requires a blessing.
  4. There are restrictions regarding reciting the blessing in a mikveh that people use regularly in a state of undress. Consult your Rav for the conditions required in such circumstances.

The following list of halachos and “vessel classification” is based upon the wonderful work of Rabbi B. Forst sh'lita, who drafted the list with his high school class in The Torah Academy for Girls, Long Island, NY. I have made my own changes, and accept full responsibility forthat which follows.

—Rabbi Sprung

UtensilReq tevilahReq brochahNotes
Aluminumtevilahno b'rachah1
Apple slicer/corer if made of metaltevilahb'rachah 
Apple slicer/corer if made of plastic/woodtevilahno b'rachah 
Barbecue grilltevilahb'rachah 
Blender (blades)tevilahb'rachah2
Bone china (glazed)tevilahno b'rachah3
Bottle warmerno tevilah 4
Bottles (glass) being reusedtevilahb'rachah 
Bowl (metal or glass)tevilahb'rachah 
Brasstevilahb'rachah 
Bread box (metal)tevilahno b'rachah5
Broiler tray (steel)tevilahb'rachah6
Butter dish (glass)tevilahb'rachah 
Cake decorator with metal spouttevilahb'rachah7
Cake plate coverno tevilah 4
Can openerno tevilah 8
Canister (storage)tevilahno b'rachah5
Canister coverno tevilah 4
Cast iron potstevilahb'rachah 
Cheese slicertevilahb'rachah 
Chicken shearstevilahb'rachah9
Choppertevilahb'rachah 
Coffee pottevilahb'rachah 
Coffee milltevilahno b'rachah10
Coffee makertevilahb'rachah11
Colandertevilahb'rachah 
Cookie baking sheettevilahb'rachah 
Cookie shapertevilahno b'rachah10
Corkno tevilah  
Corkscrewno tevilah 4
Corn poppertevilahb'rachah 
Corn-on-cob holdertevilahb'rachah 
Corning waretevilahno b'rachah29
Creamertevilahb'rachah 
Creamer (ceramic)tevilahno b'rachah3
Crock pot (glazed)tevilahno b'rachah12
Crystaltevilahb'rachah13
Cutting boardno tevilah 14
Decanter (glass)tevilahb'rachah 
Disposable goods not being reusedno tevilah  
Double boilertevilahb'rachah15
Dough hook (metal)tevilahno b'rachah10
Drinking glassestevilahb'rachah 
Earthenwareno tevilah  
Egg yolk brushno tevilah  
Egg cup (ceramic)tevilahno b'rachah3
Egg beatertevilahb'rachah 
Egg separator (metal)tevilahb'rachah 
Egg slicertevilahb'rachah 
Electric Knifetevilahb'rachah16
Electric Urn (see important note)tevilahb'rachah30
Enameled potstevilahno b'rachah17
Flatware (stainless)tevilahb'rachah 
Flour canister (metal)tevilahno b'rachah5
Flour sifter (metal)tevilahno b'rachah10
Food processortevilahb'rachah16
Forktevilahb'rachah 
French fry cuttertevilahb'rachah18
Fruit basket (metal)tevilahb'rachah 
Frying pan (teflon)tevilahno b'rachah17
Frying pantevilahb'rachah 
Glasstevilahb'rachah 
Gratertevilahb'rachah 
Grill (barbecue)tevilahb'rachah 
Honey dish (china)tevilahno b'rachah3
Honey dish (glass)tevilahb'rachah 
Hot water urntevilahb'rachah 
Hot plateno tevilah 4
Ice cream scoopertevilahb'rachah19
Immersion heatertevilahno b'rachah 
Ivoryno tevilah  
Juicer (electric)tevilahb'rachah 
Kiddush cuptevilahb'rachah 
Kneading hook (metal)tevilahno b'rachah10
Knife sharpenerno tevilah  
Knifetevilahb'rachah 
Ladle (metal)tevilahb'rachah 
Measuring cup (metal)tevilahb'rachah 
Measuring spoon (metal)tevilahb'rachah 
Meat grindertevilahno b'rachah10
Meat tenderizertevilahno b'rachah10
Meat slicertevilahb'rachah 
Meat thermometertevilahno b'rachah 
Melon baller (metal)tevilahb'rachah 
Mirtevilahb'rachah20
Mixing spoon (metal)tevilahb'rachah21
Nut crackertevilahno b'rachah 
Onion choppertevilahb'rachah 
Oven rackno tevilah4 
Pancake flipper (metal)tevilahb'rachah 
Parsley shreddertevilahb'rachah 
Pasta machinetevilahno b'rachah 
Peeler (electric)tevilahb'rachah 
Peeler made entirely of metaltevilahb'rachah 
Peeler made mostly of plastic/woodtevilahno b'rachah 
Pepper milltevilahb'rachah22
Percolatortevilahb'rachah 
Pizza cuttertevilahb'rachah 
Plasticno tevilah  
Pocket knifeno tevilah 23
Porcelaintevilahno b'rachah 
Pot covertevilahb'rachah 
Potato peelertevilahb'rachah18
Poultry shearstevilahb'rachah9
Pyrextevilahb'rachah24
Pyrex kettletevilahb'rachah 
Rolling pinno tevilah 25
Rubberno tevilah  
Salt shakertevilahb'rachah 
Sandwich makertevilahb'rachah 
Saucerno tevilah 26
Scale (for food, metal)tevilahb'rachah 
Shabbos blechno tevilah 4
Shreddertevilahb'rachah 
Sievetevilahb'rachah 
Silvertevilahb'rachah 
Skewers (metal)tevilahb'rachah 
Spatula (metal)tevilahb'rachah 
Spoon (metal)tevilahb'rachah 
Spoon rest (metal)no tevilah  
Stoneno tevilah  
Stoneware (glazed china)tevilahno b'rachah3
Stove grateno tevilah 4
Strainertevilahb'rachah 
Sugar canister (metal)tevilahno b'rachah5
Sugar bowl (metal, glass)tevilahb'rachah 
Tea kettletevilahb'rachah 
Tea cups (glass)tevilahb'rachah 
Tea cups (china)tevilahno b'rachah 
Tea pot (ceramic)tevilahno b'rachah3
Tea pot (metal)tevilahb'rachah 
Teflon coated pantevilahno b'rachah17
Thermos bottletevilahb'rachah 
Toastertevilahno b'rachah27
Toaster oventevilahb'rachah28
Tongstevilahb'rachah 
Trayno tevilah 4
Tupperwareno tevilah  
Vegetable steamertevilahb'rachah 
Waffle irontevilahb'rachah 
Washing cupno tevilah  
Wine bottletevilahb'rachah 
Woodno tevilah  

Notes

  1. There is reason to question whether aluminium requires tevilah, therefore a b'rachah should not be recited (R' S. Z. Auerbach zt"l).
  2. The blade and glass jar only.
  3. Porcelain and china require tevilah without a b'rachah, see section a.
  4. A vessel that does not touch the food requires no tevilah, see section c.
  5. A vessel that is used for storage only requires tevilah without a b'rachah, see section e.
  6. A disposable pan requires no tevilah.
  7. See section b.
  8. It is not meant to touch the food.
  9. Assuming it is used for roasted chicken as well. If, however, it is used for raw chicken only, a b'rachah is not recited.
  10. See section d.
  11. Electric coffee makers (e.g., Mr. Coffee) require tevilah.
  12. Ceramic insert only. A glass or metal insert requires tevilah with a b'rachah.
  13. Crystal is glass.
  14. If wood or plastic.
  15. Often the bottom pot is used for food as well, if not, no tevilah is required.
  16. Blades only.
  17. The surface that touches the food is not a material requiring tevilah.
  18. If used to cut other vegetables as well. If, however, it is used exclusively for potatoes, no b'rachah is recited on the tevilah.
  19. If metal.
  20. Only the beaters.
  21. If wooden, no tevilah is required.
  22. Some poskim contend that a b'rachah should not be recited.
  23. If one plans to usually use it for food, tevilah is required.
  24. Pyrex is glass.
  25. If wooden or plastic.
  26. If to be used as saucers only. If, however, they will be used as plates, tevilah is required.
  27. Some poskim contend that it requires no tevilah.
  28. Only the shelf and tray.
  29. White CorningWare shares characteristics of both glass and earthenware.
  30. In situations where one is concerned with electrical hazard, electric urns need not be immersed (relying upon the electrical conection as rendering the vessel halachically connected to the ground.