[Written by Rabbi Moishe Lebovits – KOF-K Kosher Supervision]

We all know that after eating meat one has to wait six hours. However, what is less known is that there are some cheeses which are on the market that also require one to wait six hours before eating meat. Does it make a difference if the hard cheese is melted? Which cheeses are included in this? Does one have to wait if it is placed in a salad? All these questions and many others will be discussed in this issue.

Introduction – Waiting after Meat

There are three places where the Torah states[1] that one should not cook meat and milk together.[2] Chazal say one posuk is to tell us it is prohibited to cook meat (from a kosher animal) with milk (from a kosher animal).[3] The second posuk is to tell us a prohibition against eating them together[4], and the third posuk is to tell us that we are not allowed to have enjoyment from milk and meat cooked together.[5] The chachumim made a gezeira that even if the meat and milk are not cooked together, you may not eat milk after eating any type of meat or chicken[6] before waiting six hours.[7]

The Reasons

1) After one eats meat there is a taste left in the throat and palette for a long time.[8]

2) The meat that gets stuck between the teeth when one eats and chews is considered meat until six hours have passed.[9] L’maseh, we hold to be stringent like both opinions and one should not be lenient.[10] Once six hours have passed one may eat dairy since the fatty residue has certainly been dissolved by saliva. Similarly, any remaining meat particles are decomposed by the saliva and are not considered meat.

The Time of Waiting after Meat

The Rama[11] says some wait one hour after meat before eating dairy. Those who wait one hour must bentch or make a beracha achrona before eating dairy.[12] One does not have to wash his mouth out before eating dairy in this situation.[13] There are some people who have the custom to wait three hours. This is the custom of Jews originating from Germany.[14] Harav Yisroel Belsky Shlita holds one who has the custom to wait three hours should not change his custom to wait six hours.[15] Some have the custom to wait five or five and half hours.[16]

The Custom of Klal Yisroel

The prevailing custom for most of klal yisroel is to wait six complete hours.[17] The Aruch Ha’shulchan[18] says one should dare not change from waiting six hours. Even after waiting six hours one must bentch or make a beracha achrona before eating dairy.[19] If one forgot to bentch and the allotted time to bentch passed, one can eat dairy after he has waited the six-hour period.[20] The six-hour waiting period is six complete hours, and not shah zemanios.[21]

Waiting after Eating Dairy

According to the letter of the law, one who ate dairy and now wants to eat meat does not have to wait any amount of time.[22] All that is needed is for him to wash out his mouth well as explained in the Shulchan Aruch,[23] and to rinse off any dairy on his hands.[24] Some poskim say a beracha achrona or bentching is required before eating meat.[25] Others say one does not have to make these berachos.[26] However, some have the custom that no beracha achrona or bentching is required on Shavuos, but at any other time of the year a beracha achrona or bentching is required.[27]

Some say from the Zohar that one should wait an hour between dairy and meat.[28] (Some poskim say if one merely drank milk and wants to eat meat, even the Zohar would agree that no waiting is required).[29] However, the custom of many in klal yisroel is to only wait a half hour.[30] Several explanations are given for this custom. Some say it is a compromise between the poskim who say one does not have to wait anything and the Zohar who says an hour. Others say when the Zohar said an hour, it is not to be taken literally, as we find in many places when it says an hour it is not literal, and therefore it is sufficient to wait a half hour.[31] Those who have the custom to wait a half hour must wash their mouths out properly before eating meat.[32]

Waiting after Hard Cheese

The opinion of many poskim is that just as one has to wait after eating meat before he eats dairy, so too one should[33] wait after eating hard cheese before eating meat,[34] or chicken.[35] The Taz[36] says although only the first reason for waiting applies to hard cheese, since the taste lingers in the mouth,[37] one still has to wait. Others say that both reasons for waiting apply to hard cheese as well.[38]

How Long to Wait?

The Rama[39] quotes an opinion that says one only has to wash his mouth out and wash his hands after eating hard cheese (see above). One should not be rebuked for relying on this opinion and not waiting.[40] Some say to wait at least an hour.[41] However, many poskim are of the opinion that these opinions should not be relied upon and one should wait six hours after eating hard cheese[42] just as one does after eating meat.[43] The custom of some of the Sefardim is to wait only an hour,[44] while other Sefardim do not wait at all but wash their mouth out, eat something, and wash their hands from residue (see above).[45]

What is Considered Hard (Aged) Cheese?

Any cheese which is aged six months and leaves a fatty residue,[46] or is ”wormy” is considered hard cheese in regard to this halacha and one has to wait six hours before eating meat.[47] The Shach[48] seems to say the “aging” depends on texture.[49] The Chochmas Adom[50] maintains to be stringent like both opinions. Some say that a cheese is considered aged if it is hard enough that it can not be sliced, and must be shredded with a grater.[51] The opinion of some poskim is to be stringent with all hard cheese if one can not tell how many months it is aged for,[52] while others say if one is unsure if a cheese is aged he can be lenient.[53]

How is Aged Cheese Made?

Cheese is aged by letting it sit under carefully controlled conditions. The aging period can be for a few days or several years. As cheese ages, microbes and enzymes transform its texture and intensify its flavor.

American Cheese

It should be stated that “American” cheese (which is basically non-aged cheddar cheese that is melted and mixed with additives, and is then re-hardened) is not considered aged cheese.[54]

“Yellow Cheese” – Israeli equivalent of American Cheese[55]

There is a discussion in the poskim regarding the status of “yellow block cheese.” The reason to be stringent for this is since it has a very strong taste and is made in a way which dries it out it is regarded as if it was aged for six months and is like “hard” (aged) cheese.[56] However, many say that this is not the case, and one does not have to wait six hours after eating it.[57]

If the Cheese is Melted

The opinion of the Yad Yehuda[58] according to a few poskim[59] is that if the hard (aged) cheese is melted by cooking it then one does not have to wait six hours after eating it (before eating meat). Many do not accept this leniency.[60] A spreadable Swiss cheese even if it may be aged for longer than six months, is cooked to make it into a spread, and one can rely on the Yad Yehuda since the cheese remains soft.

However, it should be noted that many poskim hold that the Yad Yehuda’s opinion only pertains to cheese melted into food, whereas hard cheese melted onto food which is not integrated to become part of another food remains subject to the above waiting period.[61] Therefore, one who eats hard cheese which is melted onto toast is required to wait six hours.[62]

Potato Chips

Based on the opinion of the Yad Yehuda (quoted above), potato chips seasoned with parmesan cheese powder would not require waiting six hours. The reason is that the parmesan cheese powder comes from cheese that has been melted as part of the process to turn it into a powder form.

Placed in a Refrigerator – Supermarket Shelf

Some poskim say that cheese continues to ripen even after it is a packaged, but the extent of the ripening is dependent on the conditions, which are storage temperate, moisture level and method of packaging. There are those who hold that all cheeses which are six months old, (even by waiting on the supermarket shelf) would require one to wait six hours. However, many disagree with this approach, and maintain that after packaging cheese no longer ages, and placed in a refrigerator, is not considered aged even if it is in the refrigerator for six months.[63] Examples of these cheeses were Mehadrin American cheese, Muenster, Smoked American, Shredded etc.[64] Today, this is not done and the shelf life date is printed on the back.[65]

Which Cheeses are considered Aged?

Most commercial cheeses made today in America are not considered aged.[66] Many cheeses are processed by cooking and it does not get aged afterwards.[67] However, the opinion of most poskim is that Swiss cheese (made in Switzerland) is aged long enough to consider it hard cheese.[68] Swiss cheese which is made in America is only aged for 3-4 months and would not require any waiting.[69] Another example of hard cheese is parmesan cheese which is aged for six-ten months.[70] In addition, Reggiano Cheese is aged for ten months, Asiago cheese is aged for at least a year,[71] and Romano and Sap Sago cheese are aged for five months.[72]

Sharp Taste but not Aged or Aged and not Sharp

Some cheeses have a sharp taste but are not aged, and others are very hard but not aged for six months. Sharp tasting cheese has flavor which lingers in the mouth, and one would have to wait six hours, even if it is not aged (according to the opinion of the Taz).[73] An example of such cheese is feta (if it was not cooked).[74] Nonetheless, there are no cheeses that we have today which would fit the above criteria,[75] and the only cheese which one is required to wait six hours for are those aged for six months.

Pizza Stores

If pizza stores would use aged cheese then it would be dependant on the following. According to the Yad Yehuda (who is lenient if the cheese is melted) this would be permitted even if these cheeses had a halachic status as hard, but only if the cheese is melted, and is not on top of the pizza (according to those poskim who understand this as being the view of the Yad Yehuda).[76] If one holds the Yad Yehuda is lenient even if it is melted on the food (and not mixed in entirely) then one would not have to wait in either case with regard to pizza.

Grated Parmesan Cheese

When one goes into his supermarket he can see grated parmesan cheese from famous cheese manufactures. The question arises that although this cheese is aged maybe the amount of cheese which goes into a food is so minute that it does not affect the waiting time which is the custom after eating it. However, just as one wait six hours after eating even a tiny bit of meat, one would have to wait six hours even after eating a tiny drop of grated parmesan cheese (unless it is melted as mentioned before, according to the lenient opinion).[77] (There is no parmesan cheese in eggplant parmesan; therefore, one does not have to wait six hours after eating it).

Placed in a Salad

Many times one places parmesan cheese in a “Caesar salad” by sprinkling some of it in the salad. This would require waiting six hours since it is not melted and would not be included in the above heter of the Yad Yehuda.[78]

Placing a Sign in a Store

The question arises, is a kashrus agency obligated to place a sign to inform the consumer that the cheese being used is hard cheese that would require one to wait six hours? Most kashrus organizations place a sign that states “parmesan (etc) cheese is being used and one must wait six hours.”[79] If there is a product which is made with parmesan cheese, the kashrus organization should notify the consumer and it is a michshal if one does not do so.

Ill Person

One who is ill can be lenient and does not have to wait six hours after eating hard cheese. Nonetheless, one should wait one hour before eating meat.[80]

Chewing for a child

Some say even one who chews hard cheese for a child should wait six hours.[81]

Meat Pill

One is allowed to swallow a pill made from the liver of an animal even after eating aged cheese that would require one to wait six hours before eating meat.[82]

Yoledes

A woman who just gave birth can be lenient and is not required to wait six hours, but should still wait an hour before eating meat.[83]

Beracha on Meat

One who made a beracha on meat after eating aged cheese should eat something  pareve, wash out his mouth, and taste a little bit of the food.[84]

Erev Shabbos

There is an opinion in the poskim who maintains that if one ate aged cheese on Erev Shabbos or Erev Yom Tov within six hours to Shabbos, one can be lenient and not wait the six hours. The reason is since it is a seudas mitzvah one can rely on the lenient opinion that six hours is not required. However, one must still wash his hands and mouth before eating meat or chicken.[85]  This halacha is only b’dieved, however, one should not put himself in this situation l’chatchilah.[86]

Cheese Stuck Between the Teeth

There is a discussion in the poskim as to what one should do if cheese gets stuck between the teeth.[87] Nonetheless, if one finds hard cheese between one’s teeth after six hours and swallows it one does not have to wait an additional six hours, but should eat and wash his mouth out.[88]

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