6) NOT ALL TYPES OF MEAT AND MILK BECOME
PROHIBITED WHEN COOKED TOGETHER
Under Torah law, the only time we
can have a prohibited entity of meat and milk, is when meat from a BEHEIMA, a kosher
species of domesticated animal (e.g.
a cow as opposed to a wild deer) – is cooked with milk also from a BEHEIMA.[1]
Thus, for example, only cow’s
meat cooked with cow’s milk [BEHEIMA with BEHEIMA], becomes a prohibited
entity. But deer’s meat cooked with cow’s milk [CHAYA with BEHEIMA], would not
be prohibited. Nor would cow’s meat cooked with deer’s milk [BEHEIMA with
CHAYA], be prohibited either.
By the same token one may cook
meat from a kosher species of OFF (fowl) -
such as chicken - with milk, because OFF (fowl), does not fall under the
category as BEHEIMA (domesticated animal).
Remember the basic principle is; only meat from a BEHEIMA, cooked with milk
from a BEHEIMA, is prohibited.[2]
The above distinctions only apply
under Torah law, and are therefore essentially only theoretical. Under
practical Rabbinical law, however, we would not
be permitted to eat[3]
meat from OFF (fowl), or CHAYA (wild animals), when mixed (even cold) with
milk.
[1] By
‘kosher species’, we mean any animal that could
have been kosher if slaughtered correctly, even if it didn't actually undergo
shechita. Thus, if meat from a Neveila (a cow that was not slaughtered by a
shochet), is cooked with milk, it too would become a prohibited entity, because
although not kosher to be eaten, it is still from a ‘kosher’ species (BEHEIMA
TEHORAH).
[2]
This is derived again from the phrase “Do not cook a goat’s KID in its MOTHER’S
milk”. The expressions “KID” and “MOTHER” are taken in juxtaposition to show
that both are BEHEIMAS (domesticated animals). Thus only when both meat (KID)
and milk (MOTHER) are from the same category of BEHEIMA (domesticated animals),
does the cooked entity become prohibited.
[3] We
would, however (under Rabbinical law), be permitted to cook CHAYA and OFF with milk, and to derive benefit from such a
cooked entity, provided we don’t eat
it.
When learning the laws of Basar Bechalav it is advisable to constantly hold in mind that we are dealing with primary principles (unless otherwise specified). These include:
ReplyDelete1. When dealing with vessels we are dealing with those that are used to cook or heat food and thus able to absorb a primary taste (ta'am). And that these are in an active taste state having been used in the past 24 hours (ben yomo).
2. That the meat and milk are from a beheima. This then allows us to focus on the prohibitions of eating, cooking, and benefiting.