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HaRav Yishai Natan –
Can I eat fish and cheese?
Maran, Bet Yosef (siman 87) writes clearly that one should not eat fish and milk together because it is dangerous for one’s health. The Rama, in Darche Moshe (4), writes: “Never in my life have I seen people be careful about eating fish and milk. It seems the Bet Yosef mixed Basar BeHalav together.” He is referring to a play on words, meaning that Maran should have written not to eat fish and meat together, not fish and milk.
The Shach, Taz, Pri Hadash, Magen Avraham, and Hidah all agree that it is mutar, and some explain that there was a typo in the Bet Yosef and Shulhan Aruch. Furthermore, many Sephardic poskim who were also prominent doctors maintained that there is no danger in eating fish and milk together. Even the greatest Sephardic posek who ever lived, and the greatest doctor of his time, the Rambam, does not mention any issur regarding eating fish and milk together.
Even so, the Kaf HaHaim (87:24) writes that one should be mahmir and avoid eating fish and cheese. However, fish and butter is permitted, and he writes that this was the minhag in Baghdad. The Ben Ish Hai (BeHa’alotecha 15) also writes that one should be careful to avoid fish and cheese, and even fish and butter. The Aruch Hashulhan (87:10) writes that only fish and cheese is problematic, but not fish and milk.
Hacham Yitzhak Yosef (Issur VeHeter, p. 314) concludes that the minhag is to be mahmir regarding all forms of fish and dairy, except for fish and butter, in accordance with the Kaf HaHaim.