Compiled by Rabbi Moishe Dovid Lebovits who can be reached at [email protected]

Reviewed by Rabbi Ben-zion Schiffenbauer Shlita

All Piskei Harav Yisrael Belsky Shlita are Reviewed by Harav Yisrael Belsky Shlita

Volume 6 Issue 6

6-28-11

The Seals

We mentioned before that food sent in the hand of a non-Jew requires one or two seals. What is considered a seal? We will discuss this below.  

The seal must be difficult for the non-Jew to tamper with or copy.⁴² There is a discussion in the poskim whether writing can be considered a seal.⁴³ Some poskim say that numerous seals in one place are considered one seal,⁴⁴ while others dispute this.⁴⁵ In any case, one should try to put a seal (i.e. tamper proof tape)⁴⁶ in two places.  

Plumbas are placed on chicken as a seal. This seal is very hard to tamper with. Therefore, according to some opinions, it is considered like two seals (this would also apply to any seal which is very hard to forge).⁴⁷ Others say that the crates should be sealed and have the name of the company on the box.⁴⁸ 

A vacuumed packed seal is a siman but should be imprinted with another siman as well.⁴⁹