Waiting Six Hours After Cheese

Why exactly do people wait six hours after eating aged cheese and after very pungent cheese, even if not aged?

(v. Yoreh Deah 89:2 and Taz ibid. s.k. 4)

Poskim point to the reasons for waiting after eating meat before consuming dairy foods and apply these reasons to the case of hard cheese (before meat) as well. According to Rashi (Chullin 105a d.h. “Assur”), one must wait after eating meat before partaking of milk due to the residual aftertaste of meat left in one’s mouth as a result the meat’s fattiness. According to the Rambam(Hilchos Ma’achalos Asuros 9:28), the rationale for waiting after meat before dairy is due to the likelihood of meat stuck in one’s teeth (“basar bein ha-shinayim”); any such meat requires time to dislodge or disintegrate before one subsequently consumes dairy food. (V. Beis Yosef Orach Chaim 173, Aruch Hashulchan Yoreh Deah 89:11, Taz Yoreh Deah 89 s.k. 4). Please see https://oukosher.org/blog/consumer-kosher/aged-cheese-list/ for practical information.

The Gerald & Karin Feldhamer OU Kosher Halacha Yomis is dedicated to the memory of Rav Yisroel Belsky, zt”l, who served as halachic consultant for OU Kosher for more than 28 years; many of the responses in Halacha Yomis are based on the rulings of Rabbi Belsky. Subscribe to the Halacha Yomis daily email here.