Q. I share a kettle with a group of people. It has been brought to my attention that someone in the group may have poured hot water from the kettle into a cup containing a non-Kosher substance. What is the status of the kettle? If I used the kettle, what is the status of my coffee mug? The kettle is plastic.
A. Remoh (Y.D. 105: 3) permits after the fact pouring liquid kosher fat into a lighted non-kosher candle. Hagro (ibid. 21) explains that only in regards to tumah we say "nitzok chibur" or that the contact created by the pouring stream is considered to be a blending or amalgamation since tumah is created by contact, but not in regards to kashrus mixtures. However, you have to consider "ziah" or the hot non-kosher vapors that emanate and may reach the upper utensil and the contained food (Shach ibid. 11).
Pri Chodosh, Machatzis Hashekel, Eishel Avrohom (O.H. 444: 4) prohibit on the onset pouring from a hot kosher l'Pesach kettle into a chometz plate even when the plate is cold, but permit after the fact.
Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit"a advises in your case, since additionally there are other doubts as to the nature of the non-kosher substance and the amounts involved, to just to boil the kettle once and discard the water and then use it normally. The coffee-mug is kosher as is.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit'a
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