It seems as though the Geonim - although disparate and diverse in their opinions on many issues - seem to be rather united on the understanding of the Gemara on the subject of waiting after meat before dairy. According to the Halakhoth Gedholoth of Rav Shimon Qayara and the Halakhoth P'suqoth of Rav Ahai Gaon - and even Rasa"g, as quoted in a now lost portion of his sidur found in an anonymous commentator from Yemen on the Ri"f - one need only wash his hands (n'ttilath yadhayim/hidaha) and cleanse the palate (qinuah ha-pe) before eating dairy after eating meat. They do not require waiting unless one decided not to wash or cleanse their palate. I have found no Gaon who argues on this point.
My question is: If the Geonic tradition is clear on this point, why did some Rishonim require one to wait no matter what?
Answer
According to this article on the Seforimblog, it was as a reaction to Karaites who were lax in regards to meat, interpreting "in its mother’s milk" as referring only to the milk of its mother.
To very briefly summarize the main points, originally, Karaites forbade meat consumption entirely (theoretically allowing only the consumption of sacrifices. In the tenth century, the trend shifted and Karaites began to eat meat, thus making their interpretation of "a kid in its mothers milk" practically relevant.
It was shortly thereafter, in the early 11th century that we find the first reference to mandatory wait between meat and milk (in Rabbenu Chananel).
He notes that this explanation of R. Chananel is presented by no less that Rabbenu Tam who writes in Sefer HaYashar (ch. 472):
ספר הישר לרבינו תם סימן תעב. כל הבשר. אמ' רב נחמן לא שנו ...פירש רב יהודאי בשאלתות שנשאלו לפניו... אבל בין בשר בהמה לגבינה בעי קינוח והדחה. והא דאמר מר עוקבא להא מילתא (חלא) בר חמרא אנא כו' היינו גבי שיהוי בלא קינוח. דהא בעי ר' יוחנן כמה ישהא כו' היינו היכא דלא קינח אבל אי קינח לא בעי שיהוי. (ובין) גבינה לבשר לא בעי קינוח כלל....ובין בשר לגבינה בעי קינוח או שיהוי... וכן מוכיח בהלכות גדולות של ברכות.... וכן עיקר. ואע"ג דר' חנינא פליג אהאי פיסקא לאו דסמכא. דהא דאורי שאינן בני דאורייתא. ובקעה מצא וגדר בה גדר.
That is, in ruling that one must wait, R. Chananel was making a fence against those who dont follow halacha.
('R. Chanina' is a typo. It should say R. Chananel).
This explanation of Rabbenu Tam is quoted by the Sefer HaManhig (12th century) as well (note that he has 'Chananel', not 'Chanina'):
ואע"פ שרבינו חננאל פליג אהאי פיסקא וכן הרב אלפאסי לאו דסמכא נינהו ולמקום שאינן בני תורה חששו ובקעא מצאו וגדרו בה גדר וכן עיקר ... כפר"ת
The article cites several other examples of stringencies to combat the Karaite heresy.
No comments:
Post a Comment