Meat and Dairy
The Biblical Prohibition
Nature of the Prohibition
The Torah states three times "לֹא-תְבַשֵּׁל גְּדִי בַּחֲלֵב אִמּוֹ-You shall not cook a kid (baby goat) in its mother's milk" (Exod. 23:19; 34:26; Deut. 14:21). Our Sages learn that the repitition teachs us the prohibitions of cooking, eating, and have any type of (monetary included) benefit [1] of milk cooked with meat (or vice versa).[2]
"Derekh Bishul"
Our Sages teach us that the language of "לֹא-תְבַשֵּׁל-You shall not cook" implies that the Biblical prohibition only applies to milk and meat cooked together.[3] For example: If a piece of meat was soaking in milk for 24 hours; it would not be Biblically forbiden.
The above concept is referred to in the Talmudic phrase: "Derekh Bishul Asera Torah-The Torah only forbade [milk and meat in] a cooking manner". Included in the law of "derekh bishul" is the qualificaion that only cooking with fire (similar to the prohibtion of cooking on Shabbat) is considered "cooking" from the Torah's point of view. [4]
Please take note that we are only speaking in terms of the Torah prohibition here, the Sages also forbade eating milk and meat together even if they were not cooked together [5]; or, "cooking" milk with meat without using fire (e.g. roasting).
Ambuigity of the Torah
The Torah only refers to a "גדי"; however, our Sages have taught us that a "kid" refers to all kosher domesticated animals (e.g. sheep, cows). We were also taught that all types of milk are prohibited to cook with, not only the milk of the mother. Rather, the reason why the Torah was so specific is because it was speaking in the present [6] (i.e. that the verse spoke in terms which are similar to the way the world functioned at the time).[7]
Contemporary Issues
If one uses a microwave for meat and for dairy (at different times), some authorities hold that one should preferably double wrap all foods[8], however, some authorities hold that covering it well with one covering is sufficient. Some also advise using different trays one should dairy and one for meat. [9]
References
- ↑ Maimonides in Ma'akhalot 'Asorot 9:2 explains that when the Torah only mentions the prohibition of cooking milk and meat together it means to say that in addition to not eating or having benefit from it, cooking is also prohibited. Rendering it unnecessary to mention the consumption of and the benefit from milk and meat. Similar to how the verse only prohibits one to have relations with his daughter's daughter, but makes no mention of not having relations with one's own daughter; the latter, unmentioned portion, is taken as a given.
- ↑ S"A Y"D 87:1
- ↑ Ibid
- ↑ Need Reference
- ↑ S"A, ibid
- ↑ Maimonides in Guide to the Perplexed 3:48 even suggests that the practice of cooking a kid in its mother's milk may have been an idolatrous one.
- ↑ S"A Y"D 87:2
- ↑ The OU quotes Rav Yisrael Belsky who says that preferably one should double wrap food put in a microwave if it's used for meat and dairy (at different times).
- ↑ Yalkut Yosef (Isser Veheter, vol 3, pg 167) rules that if the microwave works only on radiation (without a heater) one should make sure to cover all food very well and then it would be permissible to use it for meat and dairy one after another. This is also the opinion of Rabbi Mansour at Dailyhalach.com Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz writes that one covering should suffice to inhibit the splattering of food and steam from being released, however, he adds that it is advisable to use separate plates for dairy than for meat.
