22) CUTTING HOT MEAT WITH A SHEINO BAT YUMA MILK KNIFE

If one inadvertently cut a hot piece of meat (above 45 degree centigrade) with a SHEINO BAT YUMA[1] milk knife, the meat is permissible for eating. This is because the invisible TAAM (taste) absorbed within the knife is PAGUM (‘blemished’ or inactive), and therefore cannot affect the meat in any way.

However, one would have to remove KDEI KLIPAH (the thinnest slither we can cut from the meat without it flaking), from both sides of the cut.

The reason for removing KDEI KLIPAH is because we assume that a common knife has SHAMNUNIT (a fatty residue on the surface), and this fat may be absorbed up to a maximum depth of a ‘slither’. [2]

Regarding the knife itself (whether it was BAT YUMA or SHEINO BAT YUMA, and whether or not there was SHISHIM (60 times more meat to cancel out the effect of the milk) – the knife always has to be KASHERED by boiling. This is because in every situation (even where the meat is permissible), the knife absorbed the TAAM (taste) of meat.[3]

In a case where we are uncertain as to the BEN YUMA status of the knife (or any other vessel such as a spoon, fork, plate or pot)[4], we can rely on the (lenient) assumption that the average vessel is SHEINO BAT YUMA (and was last used more than 24 hours ago.[5]   

[Daf 34, Seif 3,4,5]

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[1] A milk knife that was last used to cut something milchik more than 24 hours ago.

[2] See previous post for further explanation.

[3] It would be most unlikely to have a situation where there is 60 times more knife against the meat.

[4] i.e. we are uncertain as to when last the vessel or implement was used.

[5] HEBREW; STAM KEILIM EINAM BNEI YOMAN.

21) CUTTING HOT MEAT WITH A BAT YUMA MILK KNIFE

21) CUTTING HOT MEAT WITH A BAT YOMO MILK KNIFE

If one inadvertently cut a hot piece of meat (above 45 degrees centigrade), with a BAT YOMO[1] milk knife, the heat of the meat will cause the invisible milk TAAM (taste) present within the knife, to be expelled and be absorbed into the meat.

(Because the knife was last used within 24 hours for cutting milchiks, the milk taste is considered to be active, and when it makes contact with the hot meat, it gets absorbed within the meat.)

To remedy the situation, we require 60 times more meat against the section of knife that made contact with the meat.[2]

If the person is uncertain as to how much of the knife contacted the meat, the assumption is made that ALL of the knife did indeed touch the meat, EXCLUDING the handle. We would thus require 60 times more meat against the cutting section of the knife.

However, assuming we do have 60 times more meat against the TAAM (taste) of milk in the knife, the meat would not yet be permitted for eating until we remove KDEI KLIPAH (the thinnest slither we can cut from the meat without it flaking). KDEI KLIPAH would have to be removed from both sides of the cut.

The reason for removing KDEI KLIPAH is because we assume that a common knife has SHAMNUNIT (a fatty residue on the surface), and this fat may be absorbed up to a maximum depth of a ‘slither’. This assumption is based on the idea that people are not as concerned about cleaning knives as they are about cleaning forks. Forks enter into the mouth and therefore people are more concerned about their cleanliness – whereas many are less fussy about knives which are sometimes shared.

{There is a stricter view that maintains that it is insufficient to remove KDEI KLIPAH (a slither), and requires KDEI NETILAH (approximately 2cm or ¾ inch) to be removed from both sides of the cut. The reason for this stricter opinion is the assumption that perhaps not all the TAAM (taste) of the milk will spread throughout the entire piece of meat. It may only spread locally (up to 2cm on either side of the cut), and in that relatively small area there certainly would not be 60 time more meat against the milk. Thus the entire 2cm area are would have to be removed.

According to the first view, the assumption is that the TAAM (taste) does spread throughout the entire piece of meat, and is nullified by SHISHIM (60), and all we are concerned about is the absorption of fat up to KDEI KLIPAH (a slither).}

[Daf 33, Perek 4, Seif 1,2]

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[1] A milk knife that was last used to cut something milchik within the last 24 hours.

[2] There is a view that, in such a case, we would not rely on simply asking the person if he remembers how much of the knife made contact with the meat. This is because of the principle which states that ‘unless the object in question is actually in front of the person at the time, he is not precisely aware of all the details surrounding it.’