עברית
Halachot and Customs
Custom of Waiting 4 Hours Between Poultry and Dairy
Question
Hello,
I asked a question over a month ago and did not receive an answer. I would appreciate a response as it is very important to me.
Here is the question: Hello! I recently read in the Shulchan Aruch that one should wait 6 hours between eating poultry and dairy. In my father's house, the custom is to wait 6 hours between eating meat but only 4 hours between poultry and dairy. I wanted to know if I can rely on this custom and follow my family's tradition. I would greatly appreciate if you could send me an answer by email.
Answer
Hello
A. The issue of waiting between meat and dairy is a matter of community custom. Sefardim are required by halacha to wait six hours, and Ashkenazim have also adopted this practice out of custom.
B. Meiri in his book Magen Avot (chapter 9) mentions that some are lenient and do not wait the full six hours between eating poultry and dairy products.
C. Meiri himself concludes that one should not differentiate between the meat of animals and poultry, stating that "all meat, whether from animals or poultry, should not be followed by cheese until six or at least five hours have passed, which is the time between meals."
D. The source for your family's custom might come from the words of the gaon Mahara D. Pardo z"l in his book Mizmor l'David (section 89), citing the Pri Chadash that in winter, when days are short, if one ate meat in the morning, they may eat cheese in the afternoon. Similarly, if one eats meat at noon, cheese may be consumed in the evening, even if only about four hours have passed between meals. This is agreed upon by everyone. Mahara D. Pardo notes that from this arises the custom in some places not to wait after meat even in summer but only three hours, since winter's leniency implies that the taste does not linger, providing some basis for reliance.
However, I do not issue any halachic ruling here, as the common practice is for all Jews to wait a full six hours between eating meat and dairy products, without distinguishing between meat products and poultry.
Good luck - Menashe Yisrael
