Zeiya - Crockpot

QUESTION: I placed a challah on top of my cholent pot to warm up. The steam from the cholent was absorbed into the challah. Is my challah now fleishigs?

ANSWER: Yes. The steam from cholent has the status of meat. Since the steam touched directly against the challah, we must assume that some of the steam was absorbed into the challah. Although the cholent pot is covered, the steam escapes through the small hole in the lid or through the sides of the lid. Therefore, the challah should be treated as fleishigs, as though it was cooked together with meat. Furthermore, one should make sure to consume the challah at the upcoming meal or within 24 hours and not leave any leftovers. This is because one may only bake a small amount of fleishig bread (unless they bake it in an unusual shape). For Sephardim, a small amount is defined as the amount that your family would eat in one meal (Shulchan Aruch YD 97:1). For Ashkenazim, it is the amount that your family would eat in a day (Rema YD 97:1).

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The Gerald & Karin Feldhamer OU Kosher Halacha Yomis is dedicated to the memory of Rav Yisroel Belsky, zt"l, who served as halachic consultant for OU Kosher for more than 28 years; many of the responses in Halacha Yomis are based on the rulings of Rabbi Belsky. Subscribe to the Halacha Yomis daily email here.