Abraham's Guests

Abraham: a fanciful representation by Tomasso DolabellaThe primary biblical source of opposition to the separation of meat and dairy comes from Genesis 18:8:

Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them. And he stood by them under the tree while they ate.

In this narrative, Abraham shows hospitality to angelic visitors. Does this suffice as proof of the permissibility of meat and dairy together?

We should note, first of all, that the text does not suggest that the curds and milk were combined with the calf in a single dish. Nor does it say that they ate them both at the same time.

Selecting, slaughtering, and cooking a calf takes considerable time, even when done hastily. If the curds and milk were already prepared, it would make sense not to have his guests wait, but to serve the meal in courses. A long drawn-out meal in courses would be more extravagant and in keeping with the culture. (Even though our translation begins the verse with "then," which implies a strict succession of events, the underlying Hebrew is simply a conversive vav, which is normally translated "and," if it is represented in English at all.)

The text is silent about how the meat and dairy were prepared and served. We might speculate that the foods were served together. We might speculate that they were served separately. Both positions are equally speculative, so from a strictly biblical viewpoint, this passage cannot be used as proof of either position.

Even if Genesis 18 were an example of meat and dairy served together, it does not give us license to do so. This narrative is not given in a legislative context. It is a recounting of what actually happened in the real world, not a set of instructions for us to follow. We cannot look at the events in Abraham's life and say, "Since he did it, so can I." That would be a misuse of those stories. After all, the main point in this narrative is the hospitality of Abraham, not his recipes.

Although Abraham obeyed God and kept the Torah to the extent that it was revealed to him, it is not clear what he knew about the commandment in question. Perhaps this instruction would not be made known until the revelation at Sinai.

Genesis also describes how Jacob married two sisters,1 which is explicitly prohibited by the Torah.2 And yet, Jacob is never criticized by God or anyone for doing so, and even Jewish tradition sees him as extraordinarily righteous. But the fact that Jacob married two sisters does not prove that it is sanctioned by Torah or that we have license to do the same. Nor does it play into how we interpret the Torah's prohibition.

1. 1. Genesis 29:21–28.
2. 2. Leviticus 18:18.