24) MILK SPILLING INTO A POT OF COOKING MEAT

If one inadvertently spills milk into a pot in which meat is cooking, we need to ascertain whether there is SHISHIM (60 times more meat against the milk). If there is, the meat is absolutely permissible.

We may count EVERYTHING in the pot (i.e. the meat, water, gravy and spices etc) as one entity to make up the 60.

If there is not SHISHIM (60 times more meat against the milk), then the entire contents of the pot become BASAR BeCHALAV, and are prohibited.

Were a piece of meat from such a forbidden entity further to fall into a second pot of cooking meat, we would also require SHISHIM (60) in the second pot. However this time the SHISHIM (60) would have to be against the ENTIRE piece of meat, and not just against the original amount of milk that spilled into the first pot.

The reason for this is because the meat that fell into the second pot became a ‘new’ forbidden entity. (The prohibited entity ‘expanded’ larger than the original ‘drop’ of milk that was the source of the problem in the beginning.)

This ‘expansion’ of an Issur (prohibition) is known as CHATICHA NA’ASET NEVEILAH (The ENTIRE piece becomes a mixture of BASAR BeCHALAV).

If the second pot contains SHISHIM (60 times more meat against the ENTIRE piece of meat that fell from the first pot), it is absolutely permissible. However the piece that fell in would have to be removed (provided it remains easily identifiable).

If the piece of meat in question is not readily identifiable, (as it resembles the other pieces from the second pot) the procedure is as follows:

a)      If it is a small piece of meat (with no CHASHIVUT or ‘prominence’), we need not worry about it remaining inside, as long as there is a ROV (a simple majority of two against one). And the entire second pot would be permissible even though we know the NEVEILAH (prohibited entity) is still inside.[1]

b)      If it is a large piece of meat (with CHASHIVUT or ‘prominence’)[2], it can never be BATUL (nullified) and ALL the large pieces of meat would be equally prohibited. Thus all the large pieces would have to be removed, BUT the rest of food in the pot would be absolutely permissible.

[Daf 36, Seif 3,4,5,6]

---

[1] However, according to the RAMO, LeChatchila (in the first instance), the Minhag (custom) is to remove ANY one of the small pieces, before eating the rest. Either way, no ONE INDIVIDUAL should eat ALL the food by him/herself.

[2] This would be determined by whether or not we would be prepared to serve a guest this quantity of meat as a single main course. Something with Chashivut (prominence), can never be Batul (nullified).