Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Shmot
- Mishpatim
Our parsha is one of 3 places in the Torah where
this prohibition appears, teaching us 3 things:
1) one may not eat milk & meat cooked together;
2) One may not cook them together even without
eating 3) One may not derive any benefit from
meat & milk that is cooked together (e.g. selling
it). While this is a Chok – a law without a clear
reason – various opinions are nevertheless
offered. Ramban says it is "morally insensitive"
to eat a young animal (‘g’di") cooked in its
mother’s milk. The Kabala explains that milk &
meat represent opposing spiritual forces & as
such should not mix with each other. Meat
represents the Divine power of Gevura – severity
or strictness (indicated by the red color of the
meat) - & milk represents Chesed/kindness (as in
"the milk of human kindness"). Bachya writes that
it is only now that meat & milk are forbidden; in
the Messianic era it will be allowed, as Hashem
will create harmony between all forces, including Gevura & Chesed.
Rabbi Stewart Weiss
Was ordained at the Hebrew Theological College in Skokie, Illinois, and led congregations in Chicago and Dallas prior to making Aliyah in 1992. He directs the Jewish Outreach Center in Ra'anana, helping to facilitate the spiritual absorption of new olim.
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