עברית
Halachot and Customs
How Long Must One Wait Between Eating Meat and Dairy?
Question
Dear Rabbi, hello, I wanted to ask how long I need to wait between eating something that is considered meaty and consuming dairy? (For example, I ate a potato that was cooked with chicken). Thank you very much, Naomi.
Answer
Greetings,
If you have eaten food that was cooked together with meat, you must wait six hours before you can eat dairy.
Sources: Thus wrote the Rema in Yoreh De'ah (section 89, paragraph 3). Also, for Sephardim, this is the practice, and although the Shulchan Aruch there wrote that if one ate meat stew, it is permitted to eat cheese afterwards on the condition that he washes his hands. Nonetheless, in the Beit Yosef in Orach Chaim (section 174), it is written that the custom of the world is not to eat cheese after meat dishes at all, and one should not break this fence.
And see Berachot Yosef in Shiyurei Berachah Yoreh De'ah (section 89, paragraph 25) who brought from the Heggat Vardim part Yoreh De'ah (section 2, paragraph 15) who wrote that the Maran retracted in the Shulchan Aruch and left it open, and on this he wrote: It seems to me that he did not retract, for if it were not for the custom, there would be a reason to return, but now that they practice this for the sake of a barrier, and it is a simple custom in the world, it is not appropriate to turn back.
So wrote the Knesset HaGedolah, part Yoreh De'ah (section 89 in the commentaries of the Tur paragraph 42), and the Shulchan Gavoah (there, sub-paragraph 18) and the Zevach Tamid (there, paragraph 31) and Ben Ish Chai (Year 2, Parashat Shelach, paragraph 9) that this is indeed the custom. And so it is in the Kaf HaChaim in Orach Chaim (section 174, paragraph 1) and Yoreh De'ah (section 89, paragraph 55).
With blessings,
Hillel Meirs
