Q&A: Waiting Between Meat and Dairy
Originally published:
This is an English translation (via GPT-5.4). Read the original Hebrew version.
Waiting Between Meat and Dairy
Question
Dear Rabbi, how long should one wait between meat and dairy, according to the Rabbi’s custom, and what is the source for that?
Answer
I follow the practice of six hours. That is what the Shulchan Arukh recommends. But if you have a different custom, there is no problem at all with following it.
Discussion on Answer
A good custom is like a vow, and changing it requires annulment. It is preferable not to change unless there is a need for it (not just convenience).
If in my father’s home they are careful to wait 6 hours, may I switch to the custom of German Jews, for example, who keep 3 hours, or is there an issue of a vow?