32. L’chatchila. Meat or fish, which requires two seals (above, 3), sent unpackaged and without kashrus symbols via a non-Jewish or suspected driver should be packed in a bag tied with an unusual knot along with a plomba seal or other closure – as per the halacha of a double seal – in such a way that the bag cannot be opened undetected. Hashgachos should insist on this protocol fitting for G-d-fearing individuals who want to eat only the best in a l’chatchila and glatt manner without anything questionable.
33. B’dieved. However, if meat or fish was sent without seals, b’dieved there are reasons to be meikel, as we will explain, e.g., it was sent through a public area (above, 7). However, when the non-Jew enters a car or truck, it is like entering a private area, as he is no longer afraid of being caught swapping food. We also mentioned an angle of heter that can be relied on b’dieved, namely when the non-Jew does not benefit from the swap (6).
34. Left by the door. If one receives a meat or fish delivery from a kosher store and a Jew leaves it unattended next to the door, it may be eaten if it looks the same to the customer as it does every other time he gets it. This is considered as though one found it where he left it, where we are not concerned a non-Jew might have swapped it (Issue 347, par. 33).
35. Open package. Sometimes one finds in a store a tray of packaged meat with a kashrus stamp on it that has a hole in the packaging. If a piece of meat can be taken out and replaced with another one through the hole, one should refrain from taking that package of meat. If it is impossible to remove or insert meat through the hole, the meat is mutar l’chatchila.
