27 May EATING DAIRY ON SHAVUOS

There is a widespread
custom to eat dairy
products on Shavuos.
What is the source of
this custom? What are
the reasons for this
custom? Does it apply
to both days? Should
the dairy meal be eaten
with bread? Are there
restrictions regarding
eating meat after dairy? These and many
more questions will be answered in this
issue.
The Source
The earlier authorities who mention this
custom say to eat dairy foods with honey.
The reason is that Torah is compared to milk
and honey, as it says in the posuk, וחלב- דבש
Just . תחת לשונך
as milk has the ability to sustain the human
body, so too the Torah gives us our spiritual
nourishment.
However, the custom in all places is to
eat dairy foods even without honey. The
Shulchan Aruch does not bring the custom
to eat dairy on Shavuos, but it is mentioned
in the Rama.
Reasons
There are numerous reasons offered for this
custom One reason for eating honey and
milk on Shavuos was mentioned above.
Another reason is based on the posuk that
It נחה חדשה- לה‘ בשבועותיכם :says
is interesting to note that the beginning of
the last three words spell out chalav (milk)
in Hebrew.
The Rama explains that there is a special
offering on Shavuos, which consists of two
loaves of bread. Just as we bring two dishes
on the night(s) of Pesach as a remembrance
of the korbon Pesach and korbon chagigah,
so too we bring two loaves of bread to the
table, which is in place of the mizbe’ach.
In order to bring two loaves, we eat dairy
and then meat since the same loaf of bread
cannot be used for both a milk meal and
meat meal.
The Magen Avraham says that the seven
weeks from Pesach to Shavuos correspond
to the seven days which a woman requires
to become ritually pure. Blood, which
represents judgment (din), becomes milk,
which represents mercy.
Similarly, the Aruch Hashulchan says that
when we received the Torah, we were
elevated from the impurity of Mitzrayim to
kedusha. Therefore we drink milk, which
comes from blood that turns into milk.

The Mishnah Berurah explains that when
Klal Yisroel accepted the Torah, they
could not eat meat immediately. Numerous
preparations were needed, as they had to
check the knife, remove the blood vessels,
wash and salt the meat, and cook it in new
pots, since the old pots were not kosher.
They were thus forced to eat dairy instead.
As a remembrance of this, we eat dairy.
The Moadim V’zmanim bases the custom
on the Gemorah that questions why
drinking milk is not a concern of eiver min
hachai – eating from a live animal. The
Gemorah permits it based on a posuk in
the Torah which refers to Eretz Yisroel as
the land flowing with milk and honey. If
milk were forbidden, then the Torah would
not have praised Eretz Yisroel with milk.
Milk was not permitted until after Matan
Torah. Therefore, the Jews had their first
opportunity to drink milk on Shavuos. To
commemorate this, we drink milk and eat
dairy foods on Shavuos.
The Bais HaLevi says the following: The
malachim protested when Hashem wanted
to give the Torah to the Bnei Yisroel.
Hashem responded that they ate meat and
milk together when they visited Avraham.
The malachim did not actually eat meat
and milk, but were not careful to separate
between meat and milk. From this arose the
custom of eating dairy on Shavuos, to show
that we can be meticulous in keeping the
Torah by separating meat and milk.
The numerical value of chalav (milk) in
Hebrew is forty, which represents the
number of days in which Moshe Rabbeinu
was taught the Torah. Therefore, we make a
remez to this and eat milk on Shavuos.
As an infant, Moshe Rabbeinu did not want
to drink milk from a non-Jewish woman.
We make a remez to this by eating dairy on
Shavuos.
At the time of Matan Torah the Jews were
in a sense “born again.” Therefore, we eat
dairy on Shavuos since newborns drink
milk.
Har Sinai is called “gavnunim” which is a
loshon of gevina- cheese.
It is customary to make a seuda upon
completing a mitzvah. Since the counting
of the omer has concluded with Shavuos,
we make a seuda. A meat seuda would not
suffice, since we always eat meat meals on
Yom Tov. In order to indicate that the meal
is for the conclusion of the mitzvah, we eat a
dairy meal on Shavuos.
Practical Difference Between the Reasons
According to the Rama, the dairy food
is simply a pretext to have two loaves of
bread. There is no actual reason to eat dairy.

According to the other opinion
regarding the pesukim of honey,
milk is connected to the Torah. In
addition, the latter reason requires
both honey and milk, while the
Rama only requires dairy.
When to Eat the Dairy?
Many poskim say that dairy should
be eaten on the first day of Shavuos.
Others bring the custom without
mentioning any specific time to
consume dairy. The custom of most
places is to only serve dairy on the
first day.
Some eat dairy in the morning for
Kiddush, while many others eat a dairy meal
on the first night of Shavuos. Some suggest
that according to the reason of the Rama one
should have the dairy meal during the day
and then a meat meal.
Eating Meat as Well
One of the aspects of Simchas Yom Tov is
to be happy by eating meat and drinking
wine. Some say that this obligation is not
applicable today, as there is no real joy of
eating meat without the Bais Hamikdosh to
offer korbonos. Others say the obligation
is a d’rabbanan today. According to many
poskim one would have to eat meat, and
eating an all dairy meal on Shavuos would
be problematic. Others say that one can be
lenient with this obligation at night and not
eat meat, but most poskim do not agree with
this.
The custom of many is not to be concerned
about this at every meal. Nonetheless, it is
preferable to have the milk meal and then
meat, and not miss out on this aspect of
Simchas Yom Tov (see below). This can
be accomplished by eating some milk at
Kiddush in the morning, and then to do the
proper separation and eat meat.
There are opinions that hold that one fulfills
his obligation with any tasty food, even if it
is not meat. For example, a good tasting fish
brings happiness as well. In any case, one
should have wine at the meal.
Bread
Based on the opinion of the Rama, bread
should be served with the dairy meal.
However, the widespread custom is to
eat dairy even without a full meal (i.e.
Kiddush). Others simply drink a cup of
coffee before davening. This leniency fits
nicely with the opinion of the Bais Halevi,
since having a separation is enough to prove
our commitment to the malachim.
Others explain that the Zohar prohibits
eating both milk and meat at the same meal.
This stringency was not practiced during

the time of the Rama. Today, however, we
practice this stringency, and cannot practice
the custom of the Rama. Therefore, the
custom of most people is just to have dairy
mezonos products and not a meal.
Dairy Foods or Milk
The poskim rule that drinking milk is
enough, and there is no need to eat cheese.
Separation
One should be careful to follow all the
separations that are required between eating
milk and meat.
When eating milk and then meat, one should
have a separate tablecloth.
Waiting after Eating Dairy – Beracha
Achrona
According to the letter of the law, one who
ate dairy does not have to wait before eating
meat. The only requirement is to wash his
mouth out well as explained in the Shulchan
Aruch, and to rinse his hands. Some poskim
say a beracha achrona or bentching is
required before eating meat, while others
disagree. Some have the custom that no
beracha achrona is required on Shavuos, but
they do recite a blessing at any other time
of the year.
Based on the Zohar, some say that one should
wait an hour between dairy and meat. (Some
poskim say that if one merely drank milk
and wants to eat meat, even the Zohar would
agree that no waiting is required). However,
the custom of many in klal yisroel is to
only wait a half hour. Several explanations
are given for this custom. Some say that it
is a compromise between the poskim who
say one does not have to wait at all and the
Zohar that requires an hour. Others say that
the Zohar’s hour is not literal, as we find in
many places that an hour simply means a
period of time. Therefore, it is sufficient to
wait a half hour.
Those who have the custom to wait a half
hour must rinse out their mouths properly
before eating meat.