I received a gift of prepared desserts, meant to be eaten straight from the individual glass jars that they came in.. I was told by the store personnel that the jars were already toiveled. I was advised to retoivl without a bracha.
My question is, was it preferable that the store not toivl the jars? and if so, is it permissible to eat the desserts straight from the jar? (it ‘s not nogeah to empty the contents into another dish because it ruins the dessert).
What about when a gift of chocolate platter or such is sent to celebrate a simcha – do those (glass or metal) dishes have to be emptied and toivled at home before using them at the simcha?
A. On question 1268 we wrote: “Poskim disagree on reusing food jars (such as pickle, conserves jars or wine bottles) that are usually only used once and discarded once empty. Teshuvos Vehanhogos (1: 446) Tevilas Kelim (4: 13) and others rule stringently in reusing them a second time without tevila.
However, Igrois Moishe (Y.D. 2: 2 and 137) maintains that since the intention of the consumer is to acquire only the food and the jar is of no consequence to him, prior to his unusual decision to reuse it. Therefore, at that decision time it turns from a usually disposable throwaway into a new usable utensil. Since it is now in his possession it does not require tevila. Chelkas Yaakov (2: 57), Ohr Letzion, Shearim Metzuyanim Behalacha (37) quothing Maharil Diskin and others are also lenient.
Taking into account that food storage utensils that one does not usually eat directly from them, some Poskim maintain that they do not require tevila (Halichot Olam 7: 8. See Tzitz Eliezer 8: 26: 3), Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is that on glass jars, (as opposed to metal), in need one can be lenient not to require tevila.
If the recipient of the gift, is usually from the machmirim, one should inform him that the jar was not immersed.”
Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is that in your case since the dessert glass jars are likely intended for a one time use, even if later on one decides to reuse them, they do not require tevila as mentioned above, especially since there is a possibility that they were already immersed by the store.
Horav Aharon Miller Shlit’a added that the tevila done at the store may not be valid since at that time those utensils were held by the store owner only for the purpose of selling them, and not for using them themselves as klei achila or eating utensils. Poskim disagree whether such utensils have to be immersed or not.
The same applies to a glass or ceramic platter that is intended for a one time use. A metal platter may be intended for keeps and require tevila without a brocho, as the immersion in the store was questionable.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit’a