Fish and Meat

Dear Halachaboy,
 
Q : I know there is a prohibition of eating fish and meat. What exactly are the parameters of this prohibition and how far does it extend? For example, can I broil a salmon and steak in the same oven if both are uncovered but not touching?
 
A: I love getting questions, they keep me going through these dark days of winter (please keep the coming at thehalachaboy@gmail.com ).
 
We all know that Torah frowns on things that are hazardous to you health (Vnishmartim Moad L'Nofshosechem- Hashem exhorts us to be exceedingly careful with our souls and bodies). This prohibition extends to anything that is potentially hazardous. I have heard Rav Willig, from YU, say that one who skis or plays hockey might be violating this prohibition. Further, everyone agrees that smoking cigarettes is a clear violation of this prohibition.
 
The Gemara in Pesachim says that while the Torah does not forbid eating fish and meat together, it is still forbidden because it will lead to Tzaaras and other ailments. Further the Shulchan Aruch rules that while now-a-days one may drink from a glass that was left uncovered overnight (even though it was forbidden in the times of the Gemara for perhaps snakes injected venom into the drink), one is still forbidden to eat fish and meat.
 
We can understand this Shulchan Aruch by assuming that whenever the Gemara made a health decree, the decree is valid only as long as the hazard exists. So while we don't have snakes anymore, there are still many food related ailments that we need to worry about.  To be intellectually honest there are those that allow eating fish and meat, even together, but the general consensus is not like them and we try to avoid it.
 
Do we extend the prohibition even to cooking them together?
The issue here is that the foods are never coming into contact; it is just their reich (smell/ aroma/ steam) that might be imparted into one another.
There are three main opinions to this:
 
1. Opinion of Rav Moshe Isserlis. The Rema (Yoreh Deah 116:2) writes that lechatchila one must be careful not to roast meat and fish together in the same oven. However, ex post facto, one who cooked fish and meat together in a single oven may eat the fish and the meat. Aruch Hashulchan (Yoreh Deah 116:10 strongly
supports the view of the Rema stating that in spite of all of the dissenting opinions we need only concern ourselves with the words of the Rema.
 
2. Opinion of Maharshal. The Shach (ibid. 1) cites the opinion of the Maharshal  that one may even cook meat and fish lechatchila simultaneously in the same oven. He opines that even those who believe that reicha is significant would agree that this is only true regarding forbidden foods and is not true regarding dangerous foods.
 
3. Opinion of Be'er Sheva. The Shach (ibid.) cites the opinion of the Be'er Sheva that although we would generally permit reicha ex post facto, since we are stricter with danger than with forbidden foods (chamira sakanta m'issura) we would not even allow one to eat meat that has already been cooked with fish in.
 
As always ask you Rav if this situation arises, but remember you are playing with real danger, not just G-d's hibby jibbies!
 
If anyone can explain to me why we are stricter with dangerous foods than with forbidden foods (chamira sakanta m'issura) I would love to hear. I mean, logically, I would think eating something naturally dangerous is less bad in G-d's eyes than eating something he declared forbidden.
 
(taken from a shiur from Rav Aryeh Leibowitz, a Rav in North Woodmere)
 
HALACHABOY JOKE:
Teacher: Yisroel Pinchas, use the word 'officiate' in a sentence.
Yisroel Pinchas: A man got sick from officiate.!!!
 
Next we will hopefully discuss Worcestershire Sauce (which apparently is a steak sauce made with fish).