ein m'vatlin issur l'chatchila

Asked by natan · December 26, 2003 · Kashrut

Question

When i have an opportunity to talk about kashrut with the chumra crowd they often argue "ein m'vatlin issur l'chatchila." At first, this shut me up, because i really didn't understand the concept. After reading the Q&A forum on your website I have gained the following understanding that I hope you will be able to confirm or deny. First of all, L'chatchila and B'dieved are defined in purely temporal terms. In common parlance they are often used as gradations, so something that is kosher b'dieved is somehow only 50% kosher. In my understanding of your opinion, and it seems logical to me, something is either kosher or not, there are no gradations. With these two premises I understand this concept to mean that we are forbidden to add any amount of milk, for example to chicken soup. This is Asur. you might have thought it was ok because the end product is kosher, by the rules of m'vatel b'shishim, but we don't allow that a priori. The Halachic concept modifies issues of issur and Heter, not really kashrut, Bitul still applies according to the normal standards. This explanation entirely dodges the issue of intent, but b'dieved doesn't relate to intent. It is only temporal. Does this understanding sound right?

Answer

Answered by Aaron Abadi

Yes and no. I will soon put up the clear laws for all to understand. "Beshaat Hadechak" would be like a 50% Kosher scenario, but they confuse "Bediavad" with that. Ein Mevatlin Issur, only applies when the intent is deliberately to be Mevatel an Issur. This those brilliant and knowledgable people in the Chumra Crowd, don't know, because it isn't written in the first few pages of those 7 or 8 Mesechtot. It is however in Hilchot Taaruvot. AA