27 May SAY CHEESE: HALACHIC CLARITY FOR SHAVUOT DAIRY DELIGHTS

As Shavuot approaches—a time
when dairy foods
take center stage on
many Jewish
tables—it’s important to review the
relevant halachot that often arise during
this yom tov. From the proper berachot on
cheesecake to the permissibility of using
meat ovens for dairy, many practical
questions come up in the kitchen and at the
table. The following guide outlines key
halachot to ensure that both the festive
meals and their preparation are conducted
in accordance with halacha.
A. The Appropriate Beracha on
Cheesecake
The beracha depends on the preparation
and proportion of the crust to the cheese
layer.
1. If flour is mixed into the cheese filling
for taste, the beracha is Mezonot, as
the flour contributes to the primary
flavor and texture.
2. If the cheesecake consists of a
substantial cheese layer on a thin

crust, the cheese is not subordinate to
the crust, and two separate berachot
are required:
• First, on a piece of crust alone: Boreh
Minei Mezonot
• Then, on a bite of cheese alone:
Shehakol Nihyah Bidvaro
• (Birkat Hashem II:281)
When both components are eaten together
but the cheese is clearly dominant, the
same two-berachot approach applies.
B. Beracha Achronah on Cheesecake
Two berachot acharonot are required if
both components were consumed in the
required shiur within the required time:
A kezayit (approx. 27g) of crust within
kdei achilat pras (approx. 5–7 minutes)
requires Al Hamichyah
A kezayit of cheese within the same time
requires Borei Nefashot
(Birkat Hashem II:281)
If only one component was consumed
sufficiently, only that beracha achronah is
said.

B. Eating Dairy Followed by
Meat Within One Meal
One may eat meat immediately
after a dairy meal if the
following conditions are met:
1. All dairy food is removed
from the table.
2. Hands and mouth are
thoroughly cleaned,
including rinsing the
mouth and washing the
hands.
3. Eat something in
between—a neutral, solid
food such as bread or a vegetable—is
eaten to cleanse the palate.
4. If the upcoming meal consists only of
poultry and not red meat, one may omit
rinsing the mouth and eating in
between, as long as no actual cheese is
visible in hands or mouth. However,
dairy must be removed from the table,
and hands should be cleaned before
proceeding.
5. New utensils and table coverings are
used, or the existing ones are properly
cleaned or replaced.
When these conditions are fulfilled, it is
permissible to transition from dairy to meat
within the same meal, according to the
majority of poskim.
If aged cheese was consumed (e.g., cheese
aged six months), Ashkenazi poskim
(Rama YD 89:2) often require a six-hour
wait. Many poskim maintain that
contemporary cheese does not fall under
the halachic category of “aged cheese,”
even if it has technically been aged for
several months. The aged cheese referred
to in the halachic sources typically
describes cheese that was left exposed
without refrigeration or sealed packaging,
causing it to harden significantly and often
develop worm infestations due to its
prolonged exposure. In contrast, modern
cheese is stored in sealed, refrigerated
packaging that preserves its texture and
freshness. As a result, even if labeled
“aged,” such cheese may not attain the
halachic status of gevina kasha and does
not necessarily require waiting before
eating meat.
Sephardi poskim, following Shulchan
Aruch (YD 89), do not require waiting
after cheese, regardless of age, provided
the cleansing steps above are followed.
C. Baking Dairy in a Meat Oven
Not permitted unless kashered beforehand,
due to two halachic concerns:
1. Beli’ot – absorption of meat taste into

oven walls
2. Zeiah – Build-up of meat-flavored
steam can be reabsorbed into the dairy
food through the vapor, creating a
kashrut concern.
Even if the oven is not ben yomo (not used
for meat within 24 hours), kashering is
required due to lingering residue and steam
transfer.
D. Kashering a Meat Oven for Dairy Use
1. Self-cleaning oven:
2. Running the self-clean cycle alone
suffices, without need for prior
cleaning or waiting 24 hours (Shulchan
Halevi, p. 235).
3. Standard (non-self-cleaning) oven:
• Clean thoroughly, removing all food
residue and grease
• Wait 24 hours since last meat use
• Heat on maximum temperature for 2
hours for libun kal
Another practical option for those who
prefer not to kasher the oven is to bake dairy
items double-wrapped and place a layer of
foil beneath the tray. When food is fully
covered, both beli’ot (absorbed taste) and
zeiah (steam) do not penetrate into the food.
However, it is essential that the covering
consists of two separate layers. If there is
only one cover, the steam condenses on the
inner surface of that cover and may come
into contact with the food, creating a
halachic concern. The double wrapping
ensures that any steam or residue remains
on the outer layer and does not reach the
food itself.
E. Using the Same Hotplate for Meat and
Dairy:
If one wants to use the same hotplate that
was previously used to warm meat in order
to warm dairy, a layer of silver foil must be
placed on top. As explained earlier, it is
preferable to use two layers of foil to
prevent any transfer of taste through dirty
surface.