Beverages Uncovered Overnight

168. Beverages Uncovered Overnight

Chazal prohibited the drinking of beverages that were left uncovered unsupervised, especially overnight, referred to as gilui, due to the sakanah, danger, that snakes may have gotten into it and left some venom in it. According to most poskim there is no issue of gilui in most places today since snakes are not common in homes, and even though there are some who rule stringently for various reasons, the mainstream opinion is that one may drink beverages that were left uncovered. Some people do not leave negel vaser—the water prepared at the bedside for hand-washing in the morning upon awakening—uncovered, even nowadays, even though it’s not used for drinking. With regards to Kidush wine, the halacha is that if it was left uncovered for a short while and its taste was not affected, ein lehakpid kol kach, one does not have to be so particular.

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Practical Halacha: One minute a day. By Horav Yosef Yeshaya Braun, shlita, Mara D'asra and member of the Badatz of Crown Heights.