Milk & Meat - Waiting (Cont'd)

QUESTION: Why is it that if I eat meat, I must wait before eating dairy, but if I eat dairy, I am not required to wait to eat meat?

ANSWER: The Rishonim give two reasons as to why one is required to wait 6 hours after eating meat.

According to Rashi (Chulin 105a) this is because there can remain a lingering taste of meat in one’s mouth long after the eating. 

The Rambam (Ma’achalos Asuros 9:28) writes that this is because it is the nature of meat to get stuck between one’s teeth which is difficult to remove.

The Taz (89:1) and other poskim write that the common custom is to be strict and follow both opinions. Therefore, even if one would only chew meat and spit it out, one would have wait to eat dairy because of the meat that gets stuck between the teeth. Similarly, if one ate a food only cooked with fat with no actual meat inside, one must still wait 6 hours because of the lingering taste. The Pri Megadim (Mishbetzos Zahav 89:1) adds that even when neither reason is applicable, one should still wait six hours because of a concept known as “lo plug” (halacha is consistent, even where the initial reason for the restriction does not apply).

These reasons apply to meat, but generally do not apply to dairy (with the exception of hard cheese as will be discussed at a later date). Therefore, after eating dairy, one is not required to wait before eating meat. However, one is required to clean out one’s mouth by eating some food (e.g. crackers) and having a drink (e.g. water). 

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The Gerald & Karin Feldhamer OU Kosher Halacha Yomis is dedicated to the memory of Rav Yisroel Belsky, zt"l, who served as halachic consultant for OU Kosher for more than 28 years; many of the responses in Halacha Yomis are based on the rulings of Rabbi Belsky. Subscribe to the Halacha Yomis daily email here.