There is a well-known custom to eat milchigs on the yom tov of Shavuos. Whether you fulfill this custom with a small milchig kiddush or a five-course dairy meal, it is universally accepted to partake in some dairy on this yom tov. What about waiting after milchigs? Is there any reason to wait before starting to eat meat? Let us first clarify the halacha for all year around and then we can see if Shavuos is different.
The Shulchan Aruch writes clearly that it is not necessary to wait at all after eating milchigs, as long as the other rules – cleaning one’s mouth and hands – were followed. The Kitzur Shulchan Aruch also writes that it is not necessary to wait.
But the Shelah Hakadosh, after discussing the minhag of eating milchigs on Shavuos, writes that one should also have meat to fulfill the mitzvah of simchas yom tov. He points out that one must be careful to fulfill the minhag, while keeping the halacha properly. He explains that this means doing kinuach and hadacha – cleaning one’s mouth and hands – as well as bentching and waiting an hour, and then putting out a new tablecloth.
This concept of waiting is based on the Zohar, which is quoted by the Gra, that one who eats meat and milk within the same hour will have a picture of a goat on his face for forty days. Since the Zohar does not differentiate between if it was milk after meat or meat after milk, it seems clear that, according to the Zohar, one should wait after milk, as well. The Gra adds that this is not necessary according to halacha, but is a chumra of the Zohar. The Kaf Hachaim adds that one who has yiras shamayim should wait.
Waiting a half hour
There is a widespread minhag to wait a half hour after eating milchigs. There are different reasons given for this minhag. The Shevet Halevi and Teshuvos V’hanhagos suggest that this comes from the fact that a half hour is halachically considered in close proximity. Waiting a half hour is a way of keeping the milchigs and fleishigs separate.
Rav Belsky explained this in a similar fashion. He says that the aforementioned Zohar writes that one should not eat milk and meat in one hour. He suggests that when the Zohar uses the expression of “an hour,” it does not necessarily mean an hour on the clock, but rather not to eat both within one “time period.” Since we find that, halachically speaking, more than a half hour is considered to be in a different time period, waiting a half hour would suffice.
Bentching or Brocha Achrona
If one has a milchiga kiddush is it necessary to recite a brocha achrona, before eating fleishigs? The Issur V’heter writes clearly that there is no need, and one can eat both in the same meal. This is also the opinion of the Magen Avraham and the Mishna Berura.
However, the Beis Yosef refers to the stringency of the Zohar, mentioned above, that one who eats meat and milk within the same hour – or in one meal – will have a picture of a goat on his face for forty days. By reciting the brocha achrona, the meal has ended and the Zohar’s requirement has been fulfilled. The Darkei Moshe and the Gra also make mention of this. The Pri Megadim also writes that, after milchigs, one should bentch before eating meat, even on Shavuos.
Shavuos
There are those that say that on Shavuos, one can rely on certain leniencies more than the rest of the year. The source for this is the Kol Bo. The Chok Yaakov adds that there are those who allow having milchigs and fleishigs in one meal, without waiting at all in between. The Pri Megadim writes similarly that some are lenient and suffice with reciting the brocha achrona after milchigs and immediately start the fleishiga meal. The Noam Elimelech (Parshas Mishpatim) also mentions that some don’t wait on Shavuos, although they wait the rest of the year.
The Chok Yaakov, however, concludes that the poskim agree that one should not be any more lenient on Shavuos than they are the rest of the year. The Shelah Hakadosh mentioned above – discussing the minhag of eating milchigs on Shavuos – also holds the same, spelling out the requirement to bentch and wait an hour. The Mishna Berura – quoting the Pri Megadim – also writes emphatically that one should keep all the rules and regulations of separations between milchigs and fleishigs, not allowing the minhag to cause a violation of halacha.
Summary
According to halacha, there is no need to wait after milchigs, as long as the other rules – cleaning one’s mouth and hands – were followed. But, based on the Zohar, some bentch and wait an hour or at least a half hour. While some are more lenient on Shavuos, the poskim conclude that we should keep all the rules and regulations of separations between milchigs and fleishigs, and not allow the minhag to cause a violation of halacha.
Rabbi Scheiner
