Jewish cuisine?

Question

I know that Jews are not supposed to eat milk and meat together [or within some time] but how did they manage with cheese before the advent of vegetarian rennet?

Previously cheese would have contained an animal product.

I understand that you could not eat meat and cheese together but I query whether they should have even eaten cheese as it being made from milk contained ANIMAL rennet.

Answer 1

CaptDare is correct. Traditionally we do not mix meat and dairy products in the same meal. However, once you have waited the prescribed time between meals, then it's OK to have dairy if the previous meal was meat, etc.

However you had a different question--since rennet is animal-derived, what about this type of "mixing". The answer is that this has never been considered mixing meat with milk. However, the rennet must be derived from an allowed animal (e.g. not a pig) and the animal must have been slaughtered in a kosher way. In addition, the rennet must be added by an observant Jew.

As to why the rennet itself is not included in the prohibition of mixing meat and milk--I know you're wondering--I'm not sure, but I'll try to find out. In the meantime here's an interesting link:

[edit] Oy vey, I found out the answer, and it's more complicated (but interesting). There's a part of the kosher laws that says that if non-kosher material is mixed with kosher food, the kosher food can be still kosher if the amount is less than 1/60 of the total amount. This would be true for rennet, and is the answer to your question. However, there is another part of the kashrut laws which state that even if the amount is small, if it causes the milk to change its form (such as with hard cheeses) and the rennet is from an unkosher animal it cannot be used.

There's a lot more info in the second link on this as well.

Answer 2

The Orthodox Jews (I believe) still follow this proscription, but Reform Jews do not. Prior to the invention of vegetarian rennet, they would not have eaten cheese and meat together. Or anything which violated the proscription of eating meat and dairy together. The time limit, I believe, is anywhere from three to six hours when going from meat to dairy, but a simple rinsing of the mouth with water and then eating a nuetral bread food will suffice when going from dairy to meat.

But again, we are speaking of those who are Orthodox, most likely.

Answer 3

Most Jews I know seem to eat whatever they want and justify it as being Kosher because its not a Sunday or something.