My mother in law is not Jewish. She baked cookies for us (including her grandchildren) using only kosher ingredients. Can these be considered pat palter or be permissible in some other way?
5 Comments
daniela daniela
on June 11, 2026 at 9:42 am
A question (not really practically relevant in most circumstances). I believe I recall I heard one may eat pat akum (pat baal habayit) which one observes or otherwise knows for sure to be made only from kosher ingredients, if it has been more than 3 days since one last ate bread. Is this correct or is it one of the many “myths” that circulate? If there is a source to that, is this an Ashkenazi leniency or does it apply to everyone? Thank you.
I haven’t heard of that and I’m unaware of any sources
Aaron Abadi
on June 9, 2026 at 11:19 am
If the children are under Bar/Bat Mitzvah, there is no issue. The older children and adults may be a problem. Offhand, I cannot see a way to allow it without a Jew turning on the flame or helping in the baking. If Grandma’s heritage is from Spanish or Portugese, it would be allowed, though.
Abraham Chairez
on June 9, 2026 at 3:02 pm
Hello,
I am curious. Why if the heritage of the person is of Spanish or Portuguese origin it would be allowed?
Scientific studies conducted in Spain and Portugal have found that a significant percentage of the modern Spanish and Portuguese population descends from Sephardic Jews who were forcibly converted during the Inquisition. The same is true, to varying degrees, throughout much of Latin America, where many descendants of those conversos later settled.
From a halachic perspective, this does not automatically establish that any particular individual is Jewish. If a person can trace an unbroken maternal line back to a Jewish ancestor, then they would indeed be Jewish. However, for most people such records no longer exist. As a result, many individuals of Spanish and Portuguese ancestry may be viewed as falling into a category of ספק.
It should be noted that a ספק in Halacha does not require a 50-50 probability. Even where one possibility is more likely than the other, as long as there remains a genuine possibility on both sides, the matter can still be treated as a ספק for many halachic purposes.
The decrees of Bishul Akum and Pas Akum were originally enacted by Chazal to prevent excessive social interaction that could lead to intermarriage with idol-worshipping populations. For many centuries, that original concern has been greatly diminished, as Christianity and Islam are not the pagan idol-worshipping societies that existed when these decrees were enacted. Nevertheless, the decrees remain in force under the principle of לא פלוג.
In my view, when dealing with individuals of Spanish or Portuguese ancestry, there exists an additional and substantial ספק arising from the well-documented history of forced Jewish conversions and the widespread Jewish ancestry found within those populations. When this consideration is combined with the other leniencies and arguments that have been discussed regarding Pas Akum and Bishul Akum, there is ample basis for leniency.
I am not suggesting that everyone must rely on this approach. Those who wish to be stringent are certainly entitled to do so. However, I do not believe that Pas Akum or Bishul Akum should override the combination of legitimate ספקות and other grounds for leniency that exist in these circumstances.
A question (not really practically relevant in most circumstances). I believe I recall I heard one may eat pat akum (pat baal habayit) which one observes or otherwise knows for sure to be made only from kosher ingredients, if it has been more than 3 days since one last ate bread. Is this correct or is it one of the many “myths” that circulate? If there is a source to that, is this an Ashkenazi leniency or does it apply to everyone? Thank you.
I haven’t heard of that and I’m unaware of any sources
If the children are under Bar/Bat Mitzvah, there is no issue. The older children and adults may be a problem. Offhand, I cannot see a way to allow it without a Jew turning on the flame or helping in the baking. If Grandma’s heritage is from Spanish or Portugese, it would be allowed, though.
Hello,
I am curious. Why if the heritage of the person is of Spanish or Portuguese origin it would be allowed?
Scientific studies conducted in Spain and Portugal have found that a significant percentage of the modern Spanish and Portuguese population descends from Sephardic Jews who were forcibly converted during the Inquisition. The same is true, to varying degrees, throughout much of Latin America, where many descendants of those conversos later settled.
From a halachic perspective, this does not automatically establish that any particular individual is Jewish. If a person can trace an unbroken maternal line back to a Jewish ancestor, then they would indeed be Jewish. However, for most people such records no longer exist. As a result, many individuals of Spanish and Portuguese ancestry may be viewed as falling into a category of ספק.
It should be noted that a ספק in Halacha does not require a 50-50 probability. Even where one possibility is more likely than the other, as long as there remains a genuine possibility on both sides, the matter can still be treated as a ספק for many halachic purposes.
The decrees of Bishul Akum and Pas Akum were originally enacted by Chazal to prevent excessive social interaction that could lead to intermarriage with idol-worshipping populations. For many centuries, that original concern has been greatly diminished, as Christianity and Islam are not the pagan idol-worshipping societies that existed when these decrees were enacted. Nevertheless, the decrees remain in force under the principle of לא פלוג.
In my view, when dealing with individuals of Spanish or Portuguese ancestry, there exists an additional and substantial ספק arising from the well-documented history of forced Jewish conversions and the widespread Jewish ancestry found within those populations. When this consideration is combined with the other leniencies and arguments that have been discussed regarding Pas Akum and Bishul Akum, there is ample basis for leniency.
I am not suggesting that everyone must rely on this approach. Those who wish to be stringent are certainly entitled to do so. However, I do not believe that Pas Akum or Bishul Akum should override the combination of legitimate ספקות and other grounds for leniency that exist in these circumstances.