Hi Rabbi Simon,
If you buy a glass bottle of water and want to reuse it afterwards for holding other drinks is that OK or does it need tevillah (immersion in a mikveh, as required for glass and metal utensils generally)?
Thanks,
Mikki
Dear Mikki,
Thank you for your question.
There is no need for tevillah, as the bottle was originally manufactured and sold just as a means of getting the water from its bottling source to the customer. In the case of a metal container (which you would like to use for food in the future), however, there is a requirement for tevillah. The reason for the distinction is that the mitzvah of tevillah for a metal utensil derives from the Torah itself, whereas for glass the mitzvah is rabbinic.
Best wishes,
Rabbi Rashi Simon