We begin today with a fundamental rule concerning the ritual washing of hands during a meal. There are two categories: "middle waters" (Mayim Emtza'im) and the washing required between courses of different types of food. The former, Mayim Emtza'im, is optional. In earlier times, some people would wash their hands between courses, for example, after a salad and before a meat dish. This was a matter of hygiene and etiquette, not a halachic obligation, especially since people often ate with their hands. Such washing is considered optional; one may do it, but is not required.
However, the situation changes when transitioning from dairy to meat, or from cheese to a meat dish. This is a halachic obligation. Consider the custom on Shavuot, where many people first eat dairy foods. After consuming cheesecake, calzones, samosas, or rice pudding, if one then wishes to eat meat, it becomes obligatory to wash the hands. This is because the hands may be soiled with dairy residue. This requirement applies not only to obvious dairy items like cheese but also to dishes containing cheese, such as a Spanish omelet.
Maran in the Shulchan Aruch introduces an interesting distinction regarding washing hands between dairy and meat. He states that this washing is only obligatory at night. During the day, one can simply inspect their hands; if they appear clean, there is no need to wash. The rationale is that in earlier times, when meals were eaten by candlelight, it was difficult to ascertain if hands were truly clean, thus necessitating washing. However, during the day, visual inspection was deemed sufficient. Rabbeinu Peretz, however, disagreed, stating that washing is required regardless of whether it is day or night. The Kaf HaChaim notes that the prevailing custom is to wash hands both day and night. The Pri Megadim adds that if water is difficult to obtain, one may be lenient during the day, but at night, washing is unequivocally required. This is the established halacha.
A further distinction arises when considering chicken. Since the prohibition against mixing milk and chicken is only rabbinic (mid'Rabbanan), not biblical, the question is whether hand washing is required. Maran states that if one wishes to eat chicken after dairy, it is not necessary to wash hands or rinse the mouth. However, the Zivchei Tzedek and the Ben Ish Chai state that it is proper to do so. Therefore, even between milk and chicken, one should wash their hands.
The Kaf HaChaim, citing the Pri Chadash and the Shulchan Gavoha, addresses the case of eating dairy food with a spoon or fork. If one eats cheesecake, for instance, using only utensils and not their hands, would hand washing still be necessary? He concludes that one does not have to wash their hands afterward. Nevertheless, the Pri Megadim states that it is still proper to wash because one invariably touches things with their hands, even when using a fork. One might move the food around or inadvertently touch it.
The Yalkut Yosef discusses the case of eating fish followed by meat. This is not a matter of dairy and meat, but fish and meat, which are prohibited to be eaten together due to a health concern (sakana). If one eats fish, for example, on Friday night, and then wishes to eat meat, the concern is that fish residue on the fingers could transfer to the meat. The Yalkut Yosef writes that if the first food (fish) was eaten with a fork, there is a basis to be lenient and not bother to wash hands. The Chaver U'rah likewise states there is a basis to rely on the lenient opinion but still recommends washing hands. This leniency is based on the opinion of the Rama, who permits it when using a spoon. However, the Chaver U'rah personally always washed between milk and meat, and between fish and meat, even when using a fork, out of concern that his hands might have inadvertently touched the food.
Maran Hacham Ovadia Yosef testified that his personal practice was to wash his hands even if he ate food with a fork, because he sometimes removed small bones from fish with his fingers. Similarly, when eating dairy food, a person often touches the food. Therefore, on Friday night, after eating fish, one should ideally get up and wash their hands at the sink. While one can be lenient if they were very careful to eat only with a fork, one must be cognizant of any hand contact. For instance, eating fish sushi or a dry piece of fried fish with one's hands would certainly necessitate washing.
Beyond hand washing, there is also the halacha of cleansing the mouth (kinuach) and rinsing it (hadacha) when transitioning between fish and meat, or dairy and meat. One cannot avoid putting food in their mouth. The halacha states that one must rinse their mouth. For cleansing, one should chew on bread. However, certain items are not effective for cleansing, such as flour (kemach), dates (temarim), and leafy vegetables (yerakot). Flour, like cement, gets stuck in the teeth and gums. Dates are chewy and also get stuck. Leafy vegetables are ineffective. Rav Chida beautifully explains that these three items are explicitly mentioned in a verse as unsuitable for cleansing. One should eat the bread and swallow it, rather than spitting it out, as spitting it out would be a waste of bread.
After washing hands, one should rinse their mouth with water or wine. Some have the custom to combine these steps by dipping bread in wine and eating it. However, it is better for the cleansing and rinsing to be separate. If a person has cavities, food particles can easily get stuck. If one only drank milk, a liquid item, there is only a film of milk in the mouth, not on the hands (unless it spilled). Therefore, for liquids, only rinsing (hadacha) is needed, not cleansing (kinuach) with food for the hands.
The Rad states that one should wash hands and then clean the mouth. If cheese gets on the hands again after washing, the benefit of the initial washing is lost. If a person does not swallow the cleansing food, they do not fulfill the requirement. Maran in the Shulchan Aruch says cleansing should come first, then rinsing. The Ben Ish Chai explains that while this order is more efficient, as rinsing removes remaining bits of food after cleansing, the two steps do not necessarily have to be in that order. The washing of hands is a separate matter from the two steps of mouth cleansing.
Our practice is to wash hands first, then eat a piece of bread (or other suitable food) and swallow it, and then drink some water or wine and swallow it. This is analogous to brushing teeth and then using mouthwash.
Regarding drinking milk, the Poskim debated whether hand washing is necessary between dairy and meat if one ate the dairy with a fork. This debate might extend to someone who only drank milk. While some might argue that when drinking, one doesn't touch the food, the Yalkut Yosef rules that after drinking a cup of milk, hand washing is not necessary. He draws a distinction: eating with a fork might still lead to touching, but drinking from a cup does not. Of course, if milk actually spills on one's hands, they must be washed. This is an important halacha that should not be neglected.
This halacha is very common, especially on Shabbat. For example, if one has a dairy breakfast with sambusak and cheese items, and then goes home for a meat lunch or supper, they must follow the protocol. It's not just about the hands; dairy residue can remain in the mouth and between the teeth for hours, even days. Therefore, before eating meat, one must wash their hands, eat a starchy item like bread or fruit to cleanse the palate, and then gargle with water or wine. This rigorous adherence ensures that all halachic requirements are met when transitioning between different food types.