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 ofkeili”). [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

Utensil Req tevilah Req brochah Notes
Aluminum tevilah no b'rachah 1
Apple slicer/corer if made of metal tevilah b'rachah  
Apple slicer/corer if made of plastic/wood tevilah no b'rachah  
Barbecue grill tevilah b'rachah  
Blender (blades) tevilah b'rachah 2
Bone china (glazed) tevilah no b'rachah 3
Bottle warmer no tevilah   4
Bottles (glass) being reused tevilah b'rachah  
Bowl (metal or glass) tevilah b'rachah  
Brass tevilah b'rachah  
Bread box (metal) tevilah no b'rachah 5
Broiler tray (steel) tevilah b'rachah 6
Butter dish (glass) tevilah b'rachah  
Cake decorator with metal spout tevilah b'rachah 7
Cake plate cover no tevilah   4
Can opener no tevilah   8
Canister (storage) tevilah no b'rachah 5
Canister cover no tevilah   4
Cast iron pots tevilah b'rachah  
Cheese slicer tevilah b'rachah  
Chicken shears tevilah b'rachah 9
Chopper tevilah b'rachah  
Coffee pot tevilah b'rachah  
Coffee mill tevilah no b'rachah 10
Coffee maker tevilah b'rachah 11
Colander tevilah b'rachah  
Cookie baking sheet tevilah b'rachah  
Cookie shaper tevilah no b'rachah 10
Cork no tevilah    
Corkscrew no tevilah   4
Corn popper tevilah b'rachah  
Corn-on-cob holder tevilah b'rachah  
Corning ware tevilah no b'rachah 29
Creamer tevilah b'rachah  
Creamer (ceramic) tevilah no b'rachah 3
Crock pot (glazed) tevilah no b'rachah 12
Crystal tevilah b'rachah 13
Cutting board no tevilah   14
Decanter (glass) tevilah b'rachah  
Disposable goods not being reused no tevilah    
Double boiler tevilah b'rachah 15
Dough hook (metal) tevilah no b'rachah 10
Drinking glasses tevilah b'rachah  
Earthenware no tevilah    
Egg yolk brush no tevilah    
Egg cup (ceramic) tevilah no b'rachah 3
Egg beater tevilah b'rachah  
Egg separator (metal) tevilah b'rachah  
Egg slicer tevilah b'rachah  
Electric Knife tevilah b'rachah 16
Electric Urn (see important note) tevilah b'rachah 30
Enameled pots tevilah no b'rachah 17
Flatware (stainless) tevilah b'rachah  
Flour canister (metal) tevilah no b'rachah 5
Flour sifter (metal) tevilah no b'rachah 10
Food processor tevilah b'rachah 16
Fork tevilah b'rachah  
French fry cutter tevilah b'rachah 18
Fruit basket (metal) tevilah b'rachah  
Frying pan (teflon) tevilah no b'rachah 17
Frying pan tevilah b'rachah  
Glass tevilah b'rachah  
Grater tevilah b'rachah  
Grill (barbecue) tevilah b'rachah  
Honey dish (china) tevilah no b'rachah 3
Honey dish (glass) tevilah b'rachah  
Hot water urn tevilah b'rachah  
Hot plate no tevilah   4
Ice cream scooper tevilah b'rachah 19
Immersion heater tevilah no b'rachah  
Ivory no tevilah    
Juicer (electric) tevilah b'rachah  
Kiddush cup tevilah b'rachah  
Kneading hook (metal) tevilah no b'rachah 10
Knife sharpener no tevilah    
Knife tevilah b'rachah  
Ladle (metal) tevilah b'rachah  
Measuring cup (metal) tevilah b'rachah  
Measuring spoon (metal) tevilah b'rachah  
Meat grinder tevilah no b'rachah 10
Meat tenderizer tevilah no b'rachah 10
Meat slicer tevilah b'rachah  
Meat thermometer tevilah no b'rachah  
Melon baller (metal) tevilah b'rachah  
Mir tevilah b'rachah 20
Mixing spoon (metal) tevilah b'rachah 21
Nut cracker tevilah no b'rachah  
Onion chopper tevilah b'rachah  
Oven rack no tevilah 4  
Pancake flipper (metal) tevilah b'rachah  
Parsley shredder tevilah b'rachah  
Pasta machine tevilah no b'rachah  
Peeler (electric) tevilah b'rachah  
Peeler made entirely of metal tevilah b'rachah  
Peeler made mostly of plastic/wood tevilah no b'rachah  
Pepper mill tevilah b'rachah 22
Percolator tevilah b'rachah  
Pizza cutter tevilah b'rachah  
Plastic no tevilah    
Pocket knife no tevilah   23
Porcelain tevilah no b'rachah  
Pot cover tevilah b'rachah  
Potato peeler tevilah b'rachah 18
Poultry shears tevilah b'rachah 9
Pyrex tevilah b'rachah 24
Pyrex kettle tevilah b'rachah  
Rolling pin no tevilah   25
Rubber no tevilah    
Salt shaker tevilah b'rachah  
Sandwich maker tevilah b'rachah  
Saucer no tevilah   26
Scale (for food, metal) tevilah b'rachah  
Shabbos blech no tevilah   4
Shredder tevilah b'rachah  
Sieve tevilah b'rachah  
Silver tevilah b'rachah  
Skewers (metal) tevilah b'rachah  
Spatula (metal) tevilah b'rachah  
Spoon (metal) tevilah b'rachah  
Spoon rest (metal) no tevilah    
Stone no tevilah    
Stoneware (glazed china) tevilah no b'rachah 3
Stove grate no tevilah   4
Strainer tevilah b'rachah  
Sugar canister (metal) tevilah no b'rachah 5
Sugar bowl (metal, glass) tevilah b'rachah  
Tea kettle tevilah b'rachah  
Tea cups (glass) tevilah b'rachah  
Tea cups (china) tevilah no b'rachah  
Tea pot (ceramic) tevilah no b'rachah 3
Tea pot (metal) tevilah b'rachah  
Teflon coated pan tevilah no b'rachah 17
Thermos bottle tevilah b'rachah  
Toaster tevilah no b'rachah 27
Toaster oven tevilah b'rachah 28
Tongs tevilah b'rachah  
Tray no tevilah   4
Tupperware no tevilah    
Vegetable steamer tevilah b'rachah  
Waffle iron tevilah b'rachah  
Washing cup no tevilah    
Wine bottle tevilah b'rachah  
Wood no 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.