Achshevai and Medicines
Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
There is a concept known as “achshevai,” which means if one eats something which is inedible it shows that he treats the item as food. However, when it comes to ingesting medications, most poskim maintain that achshevey does not apply. The reason is that when one consumes medications he does so for the healing and not to treat the medicine like food. The opinion of Harav Aron Kotler zt”l and Harav Henkin zt”l was that
achshevai does apply to medications. According to the lenient opinion, some poskim say that one may swallow a gel-cap pill. The Rama holds one who is able to get a kosher
food (medicine) having the same effect as the non-kosher one should eat or drink the kosher one. Since today it has indeed become common for veggie-caps to replace gel caps, only one who is sick should rely on the lenient opinion (see conclusion below).
Bitul
Gelatin does not have a taste, and there is a discussion in the poskim if a flavorless item requires bitul b’shishim or bitul b’rov. Therefore, whenever the question of bitul arises one should consult with his Rav. Sometimes the gelatin is botel b’shishim and other times it is not.
Swallowing the pill wrapped in a tissue
Based on the stringent opinion above that swallowing is not considered an unusual manner, and that achshevay applies to medications, some poskim suggest that one should wrap a pill in a tissue and then may swallow the gel cap. If it is too difficult to wrap it in a tissue one may consume it without the tissue.
Opening the Gel-cap
Some suggest not to consume the outer gelatin coating and instead one should open the pill and consume the inside powder. One should consult a doctor before doing so as many medications have delay-release coating etc.
Conclusion on Gel-caps
We have discussed at the length the usage of gelatin. Many poskim do not permit the consumption of gelatin in food items and this is the accepted custom of all kashrus agencies in America. In regard to gel-caps one who is sick and in need of this medication (and there is no kosher alternative) may consume the gel-cap. Others are stringent and maintain that one should wrap the gel cap in a tissue. Most people are accustomed to ingesting the gel cap without wrapping it in a tissue, but one who does wrap it in a tissue is fortunate.
Please note: The entire above discussion does not apply to a person who is extremely sick that his life is in danger “choleh sh’yeish bo sakana,” or if he does not treat his current sickness his life will be in danger.
The above article is reprinted with permission exclusive to VIN News from Halachically Speaking, a monthly publication compiled by Rabbi Moishe Dovid Lebovits, a former chaver kollel of Yeshiva Torah Vodaath and a musmach of Harav Yisroel Belsky Shlita. Rabbi Lebovits currently works as the Rabbinical Administrator for the KOF-K Kosher Supervision. To subscribe to Halachically Speaking via email for free sign up at www.thehalacha.com
that is what i have been saying all along.
Following this line of reasoning, it should be ok to speak loshon hora if one covers one’s mouth with a tissue.
My fear is that even debating the question of when and under what circumstances one may ingest medication in a gel cap will discourage many elderly but very frum yidden from taking their medications on a timely basis. Many of these individuals will not fully understand the nuances between vege and other gel caps, will confuse the types of medications that are OK and simply impose a simplistic chumrah on themselves and refuse to take any medication that looks like it might even contain gelatin. With all due respect, even though the article includes an explict heter for situations of pikuach nefesh, by simply creating a question of when/how and by whom, elderly and uneducated frum yidden will die from not taking their needed medications. I pray the rabbonim rconsider this ill advised and high risk game and simply provide a blanket heter for medications of all types.
“Bitul
………bitul b’shishim or bitul b’rov…… Sometimes the gelatin is botel b’shishim and other times it is not.”
because it is a davar hamaimid (it stands out) and is never buttul.
“Swallowing the pill wrapped in a tissue”
One may also coat it with peanut butter
My (and your) uncle Eisov used to do that. Ask silly questions about crackpot chumros while being oiver yesoidois hadass. Rashi, Toldos 25:28
As it is, people choke on pills, sometimes to death. Wrapping it in tissue only makes it harder to swallow. Why take on the chumra, when Rov poskim hold it’s mutter? Unless you’re the type of person who swallowed paper all the time as a kid, why take the chance of choking on it? Also, taking it out of it’s capsule and putting it in apple sauce or drink would be ok for something like tylenol, because who cares if you don’t get the exact amount; but if the med you’re taking is for something that could possibly be life-threating, not getting an exact amount could put your life in jeopardy. Also, the Hamon Am think that it’s definitely ossur to swallow gel caps. There is also the issue that isn’t discussed- when the Rama said it’s better to get kosher medication than treif, was he also talking about a medicine that is pochus m’kshiur like a capsule?
What about women that need to take birth controls in witch criteria does is fall?
Lettuce works just as well as tissue…
What in the world difference does it make if it is wrapped in a tissue? It still goes in your system 100%. This makes no sense to me.
vege gel caps are available & being used for alt health products.
they do not have side effects like the expensive Sam HaMoves of the drug lords!!
Does the tissue need a hecsher?
This is a very incomplete psak – fails to include “something lacking hana’a” pleasure or benefit – gel cap itself provides neither.
Idiots
this was not the accepted practice in america.
but like everything else in the kasrut buissness it became a new accepted practice.
sfardim btw don’t ho;ld by the whole gelatin problem.