Question:
When one is toiveling a glass cup, may they dip it in while holding it in their hand because the outside of the cup doesn’t touch the food? Or is it considered one thing and therefore may be a chatziza if holding in your hand?
Answer:
Hello,
Once a cup needs tevila, the inside and outside of it has to come in contact with the water, and holding you hand on it might make a chatzitza. Here are a number of options to do the tevila properly, and insure that the cup doesn’t fall to the bottom the mikva. If the cup has a handle, you can make a ring with your thumb and for finger, to ensure that it doesn’t fall into the mikva. Alternatively, you can stick your hand into the mikva first and make it wet. Then then tovel the cup with your wet hand, as long as you aren’t holding the cup tightly. A third option is to tovel the cup while holding on to it, and hand it from one hand to the other, while it is underwater.
Best wishes
