Waiting Between Meat and Milk

Rav Chisda said, One who eats meat isn't allowed to eat cheese, [one who eats] cheese is allowed to eat meat. Rather [Rav Asi must have asked] How long should one wait between [eating] cheese and meat?... Mar Ukva says, In comparison to my father, regarding this matter, I am vinegar the son of wine. My father, when he ate meat, would not eat cheese until the same time the next day. But I, even if I won't eat it at this meal, I'll eat it at the next meal.

Kreisi U'pleisi 89:3: We wait 6 hours as that is how long it takes for the meat to digest.

The digestive process starts 1.2 hours after digest and continues for 6 hours. So the two opinion cited by Rishonim (1 hour vrs 6 hours) are arguing over whether the interlude begins from the beginning of the digestive process or the end of the process.

The Chasam Sofer held the 6 hour interlude was dependent on the digestion of the food. He once ate a meal late at night and rose early to have his coffee with milk, even though 6 hours had not passed from the meal. (He also held that digestion happens quicker at night, so the full 6 hours need not be waited. The cup overturned, and so the Chasm Sofer remarked, "apparently in heaven they don't accept my ruling."

Some suggest that salivic acids dissolve the reside and the meat would thus no longer be considered food after 6 hours.

Reason #1:

There still may be meat between your teeth. (Rambam)

Reason #2:

There still may remain the taste of the meat in your mouth/in your body. (Chassam Sofer).

The Rashba and Rosh agree with the Rambam that the essential issue is how long one must wait between meat and milk.

According to Tosafot, and Halachos Gedolot cited in Tosafot Chullin 104b one who cleans his mouth and hands may eat cheese immediately after meat. According to Tosafot, Mar Ukveh only objects to on eating cheese after meat when one has not cleaned his hands and mouth.

Maharil: The early Chassidim and not wait 6 hours, but the custom is to wait one hour.

Issur Veheter (Rabeinu Yeruchem) It is forbidden to eat cheese after milk until the next meal, and that is 3 hours like Rashi's opinion.

(1) One who eats meat, even of a wild animal or fowl, does not eat cheese afterwards until he waits six hours. Even if he waits that period, if he has meat between his teeth he has to remove it. One who chews food for a child has to wait. If afterwards he finds meat between his teeth and removes it, he has to wipe his mouth out before eating cheese (Ran chapter 25). There are those that says that he doesn't have to wait six hours, but rather immediately if he finishes the meal and says the concluding blessing, it is permissible after wiping and rinsing his mouth (Tosafot Hullin 105a - "At the next meal", Mordechai chapter 25, Haga'ot Ashri, Haga'ot Maimoniot chapter 9 of forbidden foods, and Ravya). The simple customer in our countries is to wait after eating meat one hour and to eat cheese afterwards, but you have to say the concluding blessing after the meat (HaAruch, Haga'ot Shaarei Dura) because then it's like a new meal and permissible to eat according to the lenient view. But with no blessing, waiting alone does not good. It doesn't matter if you waited before the blessing or afterwards (his own reasoning, from the Mahari, as opposed to the Issur v'Heter). If he finds meat between his teeth after the hour, he has to pull it out (his own reasoning, from the Ran above). And there are those that say not to say the concluding blessing in order to eat cheese (Aruch in the name of Maharach) but we're not careful about this. And some are careful to wait six hours after eating meat before eating cheese, and it's proper to do so.

(2) If one ate cheese it is permissible to eat meat immediately afterwords as long as one examines one's hands, so that one should not have any pieces of cheese attached to them, and if it is night and one is therefore unable to examine them thoroughly one must wash them. One must clean one's mouth and rinse it out. One cleans it by chewing bread, thereby thoroughly cleaning his mouth with it, and one can do this with anything that one chooses, except with flour, dates, or vegetables, because they attach to the palate (the area above the esophagus close to the teeth) and do not wipe well. Afterwords one should rinse ones mouth with water or wine. This was all stated in regard to meat of domestic or wild animals, but if one wishes to eat poultry after cheese there is no need for cleaning or rinsing. Comment (Ramah): some are stringent (to wait six hours) even with meat after cheese (Mordechai in the name of the Maharam and Bet Yosef, Bach siman 173) and so is the custom with hard cheese, we do not eat afterwords even poultry, like with cheese after meat (and so it is in the Zohar). Some are lenient, and one should not protest against them, but they should do cleaning, rinsing, and washing of the hands, and it is better to be stringent.