Q. I recently bought a Keurig coffee maker and realized that I might need to toivel it. The instructions say it should not be submerged in water. What is Rav Shlomo Miller's opinion on it?
Thank you
A. Some Poskim (Beis Avi 1: 114, Chelkas Yaakov 1: 126, 2: 61) maintain that no tevila is required for electrical utensils, since they are to be connected to the electrical circuitry constructed into the walls of the house or building, they are considered as attached to the ground and don't need tevila.
Others assert that if the tevila will ruin the utensil, then they are exempt from tevila. (See Minchas Shlomo 3:68:2, Avnei Nezer O.C. 418:11 and Beis Meir 120:11). Keurig type coffee machines have digital displays and would be ruined by immersion.
Although Poskim disagree, many maintain that you may be tovel kelim that are liable to tevila only rabbinicaly in snow, (See Beis Yosef Y.D. 201), Horav Shlomo Miller's Shlit”a opinion is that besides the above issue, in practice it is difficult to achieve proper tevila in utensils such as the Keurig coffee maker that contain small cavities, since the snow needs to be in complete contact. You also have to have the correct amount of snow available in one place (forty seah).
If you are handy or know someone that is, you may disassemble the coffee maker to a point of no use and then reassemble it. It will be then considered as if made by Jewish hands and exempt of tevila. Caution is advised, since the disassemble should not be just superficial but rather what would normally require a professional handy man to repair, it is recommended to handle with knowledge and care. (Tevilas Kelim 4: 16)
Horav Shlomo Miller's Shlit”a opinion is that the best option is to sell the coffee maker to a Gentile for a small amount e.g. a dollar (using both the money given and his lifting the coffee maker as a kinyan), and then borrowing it from him for use. (See Minchas Yitzchok 2: 72). Although one still has to tovel such utensils rabbinically, adding this premise to the ones mentioned above in regards to electrical equipment, one may be lenient.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit”a
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