The Communal Hechsher Keilim
Discussion: Before Pesach, many communities have a communal hechsher keilim, where many people bring their utensils for kashering. This generally involves hagalah for utensils such as pots, pans, and silverware, and libbun for utensils directly used with open fire or other forms of intensive heat. Although hagalas keilim (הַגְעָלַת כֵּלִים; immersing utensils in boiling water), in particular, can easily be performed at home — by boiling water in a larger Pesach pot or electric kettle, and immersing smaller utensils within it in a way that the water remains bubbling throughout — people who are unfamiliar with the relevant halachos often prefer to have someone who is more knowledgeable kasher their utensils on their behalf. Additionally, kashering larger utensils at home can often be impractical; the community hagalas keilim generally uses industrial-sized hagalah pots, in which such large kitchen utensils can easily be immersed. Since the halachos of hechsher keilim are complex, Mishnah Berurah (Chapter 452, note 8) states that, to ensure that everything is done properly, a Torah scholar who is well-versed in the laws of hechsher keilim should be present at the communal hagalas keilim.
Not Kashering Between Meat and Dairy
Question: Is it permitted to kasher a meat utensil in order to use it for dairy?
Discussion: The minhag is, as stated by the Poskim,86 that one does not kasher meat utensils in order to use them for dairy (or vice versa). This is out of concern that the utensil will mistakenly be used for what it has been used for in the past. The Acharonim note that, if a utensil is anyways being kashered for other reasons — for example, it became non-kosher and is now unusable — then the owner, in fact, may change the designated use of this utensil. Chasam Sofer 87 offers a practical suggestion for someone who wishes to re-designate a utensil that he owns: kasher it from year-round use for Pesach use; while doing so, he is free to re-designate the utensil’s use from meat to milk (or vice-versa) as well.
Chametz Utensils Not Being Used for Pesach
Question: Am I obligated to kasher my chametz utensils for Pesach?
Discussion: No. Most people in our times in fact have separate sets of utensils for Pesach and only kasher a few, if any, chametz utensils for Pesach use. Although the option of kashering one’s utensils is available, people commonly keep separate sets of utensils for the following reasons:
There are several types of utensils that cannot be kashered, such as those made of ceramic, porcelain, and (according to Ashkenazic custom) glass. Additionally, some utensils have crevices which make the kashering process either very difficult, or even impossible, as will be discussed below.
Kashering is a time-consuming process. The more utensils you need to scrub, the more time it takes. Someone who has special utensils for Pesach does not need to go through this time-consuming process.88
Some Poskim rule that there is halachic preference to use new utensils for Pesach instead of kashering old ones.89
Question: What should I do with the utensils that I am not kashering?
Discussion: If one does not intend to kasher his chametz utensils for use on Pesach — for instance, because he has a separate set of utensils for Pesach — then the chametz utensils only need to be washed and put away. Additionally, the place they are stored should be locked, so that someone will not forget himself and come to use them.90 This can be achieved by locking them in a room, or by simply tying or taping shut the cupboards or drawers that contain these utensils. If there is a utensil that one wishes not to clean for whatever reason, he may sell the chametz on the utensil (not the utensil itself) and put it away with the rest of the chametz that has been sold.
86 The source of this minhag is Magen Avraham 509:11, cited in Mishnah Berurah Chapter 451, note 19.
87 Cited in Mishnah Berurah Chapter 451, note 19.
88 Although all utensils need to be cleaned (but not kashered) before Pesach to ensure that no actual chametz is stuck to them — including utensils that will not be in use (see Shulchan Aruch 451:1) — less scrutiny is needed for utensils that are not being used on Pesach. This is especially true in those communities that have the custom to sell all of the chametz in one’s possession, including those stuck to these utensils.
89 Mishnah Berurah 451:19 writes this regarding knives. Sefer Hagalas Keilim, pp. 45-46 discusses whether this applies to other utensils as well. See also Halachah Shel Pesach, Sha’ar 7, 3:1; and Piskei Teshuvos 451:2, for a compilation of the relevant sources.
90 Shulchan Aruch and Rema 451:1.