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From: mf@cornell.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.religion.jewish
Subject: Re: Kosher Meals -- meat and fish together
Message-ID: <6469@cornell.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 24-Feb-84 09:02:24 EST
Article-I.D.: cornell.6469
Posted: Fri Feb 24 09:02:24 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 25-Feb-84 00:19:51 EST
References: <1815@cbscc.UUCP> <508@pyuxmm.UUCP>, <981@pegasus.UUCP>
Organization: Cornell Computer Science
Lines: 25

The original reason for the prohibition of fish+meat together is, verbatim,
"mipnei hasakana" = "because of the danger", no mention being made of what
danger(*).  So in a way this is not as strick a prohibition as milk products +
meat, which some people interpret as having to wait for 6 hours after a meal
based on meat before eating one containing dairy products (while others, such
as the Dutch, wait only 1 hour -- I'm speaking of Orthodox people -- and then
there is almost the discrete spectrum in between).  The other direction (dairy
followed by meat) requires much less waiting time.

    In the case of fish and meat, they can (mainstream Orthodox - boy is this
a pain to qualify everything) appear in the same meal;  for instance, Jews of
Polish origin would typically have for a Friday dinner ``Guefilte Fisch''
(stuffed fish), then a soup -- usually chicken soup -- then meat, then cakes,
then...  But in the traditions which I know there is a custom to use separate
plates and utensils for them.  Finally, fish can be eaten with dairy products
too (in non-meat meals), this time no separation being needed at all.

_________

(*) An attempt at guessing what the danger may be:  if fish and meat were
    served together, the diners might not notice the fish and thus be less
    careful, thinking there is only meat served to them.  The danger referred
    to being fish bones (much more treacherous than meat bones, esp. in such
    fish as carp!).  To substantiate such a guess would require to know what
    kind of dishes were served in the Mishnaic/Talmudic times in the Near-East.