Question:
I am kashering my kitchen for the first time with the assistance of my local Chabad Rabbi. Question – Is it necessary to toivel items that have never been toiveled in the first place, after I kasher them? I have heard different opinions on this. Thank you!
Answer:
Items that are made of glass or metal that were bought from a non-Jew have to be toveled, even after they kashered. The causes and the reasons for toveling and kashering are different. The reason for kashering is to remove any non-kosher taste or remnants that might be absorbed in the walls of a pot counter etc. This would only apply if the pot etc. was indeed used with non kosher ingredients etc. The process of kashering is to purge the pot of any taste. The idea of toveling however, is similar to geirut, when a gentile goes from bring a gentile to being a Jew it is done by immersing in a mikvah, so too, when a vessels goes from the ownership of a gentile to the ownership of a Jew it has to be immersed in a mikvah. This is even if he pot etc. was never used and is totally clean. As you see, the two processes although occasionally come together are not related to each other, and therefore doing one does not exempt the other process from being done.
May you have much happiness, meaning and joy in your newly found interest in your heritage.
