One of the most curious aspects of keeping kosher is the separation between meat and milk. Most people who keep kosher are quite scrupulous about making sure that there is no contact between anything made of meat or dairy, to the extent that everything in the kitchen, including counters, utensils, plates and dish towels, are designated as either “meat” or “milk.” There is a waiting period between eating meat and milk which varies according to custom. Those whose ancestors are from Eastern Europe wait 6 hours after eating meat before they can consume dairy. German Jews wait three hours, and Dutch Jews have only an hour break between meat and dairy. There is also a minimal time after drinking milk or eating cheese that one has to wait before eating meat. Depending on tradition, it is usually 30 minutes or an hour. Hard, aged cheeses require more of a time lapse before one can eat meat. This, however, depends on the kind of cheese. One should ask a rabbi for further information on which cheeses fall into this category.
Never mixing meat and milk does not mean that you cannot have a“cheese” burger or lasagna with “meat” and “cheese.” You can eat a regular beef burger and melt some soy cheese on top, or use soy ground beef for your cheesy lasagna. The soy revolution has undoubtedly made it easier to keep kosher, and many meat meals have been enjoyed at our synagogue with Tofutti Cuties for dessert. Soy ice cream is also a healthier alternative to those chemical-laden parve ice creams of yesteryear.
What is the reason we separate meat and dairy? The Torah tells us three times not to “boil a calf in its mother’s milk.” Although the odds are slim that cheese in the average cheeseburger is made from the mother’s milk of the calf one is eating, the principle is supposed to be a general one of compassion. In ancient times, many cultures ate delicacies that involved cruelty, such as eating a calf which was boiled in the milk of its own mother. The Torah teaches us to exercise compassion in all of our activities, even eating. Keeping kosher is a constant reminder to us to be kind to all of Hashem’s creatures.