י״ב באדר ב׳ ה׳תשע״ט (March 19, 2019)

Hullin 112a-b: Absorbing the Flavor of Meat

According to the Gemara, if fish was cooked in a pan that had been used for meat, nevertheless the fish can be eaten with kutah (a type of dip made of milk ingredients). In contrast, if a tznon (radish) was cut with a meat knife it may not be eaten with kutah. This is so only in the case of a radish, which, on account of its strong flavor, absorbs from the knife, but in the case of kishut (cucumber) one need only scrape away the surface of the cut and then one may eat it with kutah. Lifta (turnip stalks) are permitted; silka (chard) are forbidden, but if one cut these and turnips alternately, they are permitted.


Kutah ha-Bavli was a dip that was prepared for people to eat together with their bread. It was popular in Bavel (which is why it is called kutah ha-Bavli ) and was made from moldy bread mixed with whey and salt.