Kashrus

Dear Rabbi, What is the halacha regarding sprinkling spice directly from the spice bottle over fleishik food in a fleishik pot. Does the remaining spice in the bottle become fleishik. Similarly, does the remaining spice in the bottle become milchik if sprinkled over a cheese omlette while it is being cooked. If the status of the remaining spice is problematic, does the food, the pot and the utensil have to be discarded if the spice in question was used for both. Thank you.

Shalom, Thank you for your question. In the work "HaKashrut" by Rav Fooks shlitah, he writes "One should refrain from sprinkling salt directly into the cooking pot, especially if it is boiling" (chapter 2, 57). However, from the letter of the law the steam that rises from the pot will generally not make the salt (or spice) meat or milk. This is because the steam at the place where one sprinkles the spice is not hot enough to imbue itself into the spice (it is less than "yad soledet bo") – see Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah, 92,8, in the Rema there. Also, the spice container has a cover on it, and the steam would have to enter into it via the holes, but at the time one is sprinkling the spice, the holes are covered by the spice which is falling out at the time. (And the tiny amount of spice which is resting on the hole itself and maybe is touched by the steam, would by nullified by the vast amount of spice in the container). So, in conclusion, it is good and proper to have either separate spice containers for milk and meat cooking, or to pour the spice out onto a spoon etc, before pouring it into the food. But in the event that this was not done, then the spice is still parve. Blessings.