Part 6 - Rav Avraham Aumann

The following is a translation of a letter to Yerushaseinu (vol. 3, 2008), in response to Rav Hoffner’s article. The letter is entitled “The Time Period Between Meat and Dairy - for B’nei Torah or for Amei Ha’aretz?”

In your article on the time period that one must wait between meat and dairy, Rav Hoffner quoted the words of the Maharshal that anyone who has a raiach of Torah should act stringently and wait six hours.

I believe that the source for this phrase is Rabbeinu Tam in Sefer HaYashar (Chelek HaChidushim - תעב). After citing multiple Geonim and Rishonim that are of the opinion that one need not wait at all between meat and dairy, and that kinuach and hadacha are sufficient, Rabbeinu Tam writes: “Even though Rabbeinu Chananel argues with this (that kinuach and hadacha are sufficient - he is of the opinion that one must wait a set time period), the reason is not because he disagrees, but rather because the people are not b’nei Torah - he found a problem, and he therefore established a fence (geder) [to make sure people do not make a mistake]…”

The words of Rabbeinu Tam are cited in Sefer Hamanhig (Berlin edition, p. 38): “Even though Rabbeinu Chananel argues, as does Rav Alfasi, it is not because they disagree, but rather they were concerned for locations that are lacking in b’nei Torah. Since they found a potential problem, they established a geder”

This is astounding. According to Maharshal the custom of waiting between meat and dairy should be the custom of b’nei Torah, while according to Rabbeinu Tam - following the Geonim and chachamim of Germany and France - it is exactly the opposite! The source for waiting between meat and dairy was specifically enacted for those who are not b’nei Torah!

For further information on the topic of waiting three hours, see Yerushaseinu, vol. 4, 2010, for an article written by R. Peretz Levine. The article is entitled “The Waiting Time between Cheese and Meat and Meat and Dairy”. Among other points, this article examines how long it takes to digest various foods based on science. The author points out how various foods take 3-4 hours to digest.

Thank you to: My father, Mr. Refael Adler, Shlita, for editing this article, and to my brother, R. Akiva, Shlita, for originally showing me the Pri Chadash, and for explaining various points in this sugiya.