marshmallows

Asked by sari z. · December 2, 2003 · Other

Question

I understand that Hacham Ovadia Yosef okays eating marshmallows with regular gelatin. I read an answer to the question regarding all ingredients needing listing, even less than 2%, so I will assume they are pareve when no dairy ingredients are listed. My other question was: If I heat the marshmallows in my pot, does that pot become "unkosher" for someone who does not hold that the marshmallows are kosher, for example, an Ashkenaz person, and would they not be permitted to eat something else cooked in that pot?

Answer

Answered by Chaim Yisrael Abadi

1st of all, an "Ashkenaz person" can also eat the marshmallows. It is not a P'sak only for Sephardim. 2nd of all, the reason gelatin is Muttar, is because it does not give a good taste and/or is inedible. If so, it cannot make a pot or anything unkosher. If someone wants to be machmir, they're entitled and the sky is the limit. Maybe, they shouldn't eat in your house at all? Who knows what else you put in your pots? The point being, you need to run your life without trying to pacify those around you who are trying to be someone they aren't. Let us focus on the real prize. That is, following the letter of the law, not adding to it. Or else, you end up diluting it. Then it becomes very murky and then confusion sets in. Followed by what is called "the Ikar becomes the Tafel and the Tafel becomes the Ikar". As a side note, the last Pischei Teshuva in Yore Deah Siman 116, brings a sefer called Soles L'mincha that says "that a person who wants to be machmir to treat something as issur in places where we don't find that the Amoraim were machmir, for example to depend on shishim or kli sheni it is like Apikosus (heresy) and he loses the value of his reward (chumra) with this loss(heresy)" These are his words not mine. CYA