Kashrus - Soap

QUESTION: I bought a hand soap that is made with tallow (animal fat). Is there any problem with using this soap?

ANSWER: Although one may derive benefit from non-kosher animal fats, smearing tallow on your hands may be problematic. Regarding Yom Kippur, the Gemara states that “sicha k’shtiya” (anointing oneself is like drinking). Just like one may not drink on Yom Kippur, one may also not anoint oneself with oils. The Vilna Gaon (Beiur HaGra OC 326) applies this principle all year round to anointing oneself with non-kosher oils. However, not all poskim agree. Rabbeinu Tam held that the concept of sicha k’shtiya is limited to Yom Kippur. The Rashba quoted by the Beis Yosef (123:2) writes that there is no source to forbid smearing oneself with non-kosher fats and oils.

The Mishnah Berurah (Beiur Halacha 326, s.v. b’she’ar) writes that the prevailing custom is to be lenient, but there are some individuals who are stringent not to use soap made from animal fat. However, the Aruch Hashulchan (YD 117:29) writes that nowadays the fats in soap become completely inedible. Therefore, today all would agree that there is no concern in washing oneself with such soap.

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The Gerald & Karin Feldhamer OU Kosher Halacha Yomis is dedicated to the memory of Rav Yisroel Belsky, zt"l, who served as halachic consultant for OU Kosher for more than 28 years; many of the responses in Halacha Yomis are based on the rulings of Rabbi Belsky. Subscribe to the Halacha Yomis daily email here.