Question
A whole un-opened Chalah that was on the table during the whole Seudah of Shabbos - Friday night, is it allowed to be eaten with butter after shabbos?
Answer
Shalom,
From the letter of the law, one is not allowed to use the same piece of bread that they ate during a meat meal at a milk meal. Not only the piece of bread they actually ate meat on - even a piece they cut from the main loaf and put near their plate, or on their bread plate, in order to eat it during the meat meal.On the other hand, the loaf that sits in the middle of the table or even the pieces cut and put in the bread basket on the table may be eaten afterwards at a following milk meal.
However, there is a stringency that is recorded in the codifiers that one does not eat any of the bread that was on the table during the meat meal, at a following milk one - not even the loaf that was in the middle of the table. This is, as I said, a stringency to separate any contact between meat and milk. However, in reality only the piece of bread taken in hand to one's personal plate has a real suspicion of having meat inadvertently come into contact with it. The loaf in the center of the table, or in the bread basket, almost certainly stayed clean, and as such it is only a stringency to refrain from using it at a following milk meal.
It seems that an "un-opened" loaf is even more "guarded" and would thus be an even greater level of stricture.
In summary - one may eat such a loaf with butter at a following milk meal - but those who would like to be strict have on whom to rely to do so.
(source - Igrot Moshe, Yoreh Deah 1, 38)
Blessings,
D. Sperling.
