1)It is a Mitzvah to say words of Torah during every meal, as a meal that lacks Torah is considered as if it was a meal (sacrifice) offered to Avoda Zarah (idol worship).
Even people who cannot have lengthy Torah discussions at their meals, should at least say a short Halacha or even a Mizmor of Tehillim (Preferably, psalm 23) to satisfy this obligation, and avoid the punishments detailed in the Seforim for partaking of a meal that is totally lacking of any Torah. (Mishna Berura 170:1. See also Aruch HaShulchan 170:1)
Birchas HaMazon does not suffice to satisfy the requirement for Torah.(ibid.)
2) One should not talk while eating, even a simple "Gezuntheit" to a sneeze or even words of Torah, as it is a choking hazard to talk while eating.
Obviously, this is only while chewing, and doesn't apply between bites. (Mishna Berura ibid. See also Aruch HaShulchan 170:2 who has a more lenient approach, as does the Ben Ish Chai Parshas Behar Siman 5. However most contemporary Poskim are stringent with this Halacha, and it is indeed advisable to be cautious and not talk with food in the mouth.)
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QUESTION & ANSWER CORNER:
Reader Submitted Questions of interest on topics related to Halachos we covered, as well as other interesting topic and Answers. Taken from the Q & A page on the Halacha For Today website.
Although the answers I give to questions are taken directly from the Sifrei HaPoskim, and aren't my own, they are still for study purposes only, NOT for Psak Halacha.
Can you tell me what is the generally accepted practice regarding ovens. What if a person only has one oven?
Answer:
Having only one oven for both milk and meat presents a whole slew of complex halachic problems. I will try to give you a brief summary of some guidelines, but a Rav MUST be consulted for your particular situation. These guidelines are for ovens only, and not for microwave ovens, which may have additional problems.
1) meat and dairy foods may never be in the same oven at the same time when touching each other. Also, they may never be in the same oven, even separately, if gravy or any other substance of one can reach or drip on to the other.
2) Even if the above problems are avoided, there still remains the problem of the Ray-ach, or aroma of the foods mixing with one another.
3) Even when the above problems are avoided and the oven is not used at the same time for milk and meat, there still exists certain problems when usingthe oven for one, immediately after using it for the other. The steam of a liquid containing food has the halachic status of that food. Therefore there may be a problem of the steam of the food that was just cooked in the oven now entering the other food that is now cooking. Obviously, this particular concern doesn't apply to pots/pans that are [adequately]covered .
Some Poskim are lenient about this, as our ovens are vented, and all steam leaves the oven. However, Rav Moshe Feinstein Zatzal and other Poskim arent so convinced that the vent does a proper job of removing all steam, and thus may render a milk dish into Basar B'Chalav. Another leniency that Rav Moshe Zatzal and others consider is that the steam which may or may not enter the new food, is Batul B'Shishim, as the food in the oven contains more than sixty times the volume of the steam, and also the steam is only a rabbinic prohibition. Thus in certain instances Poskim will be lenient with this.
4) When using an oven for the second food item, the oven must be clean and no residue of the first item may be left in the oven lest it heat up and present a real problem.
Again, the above is only a short synopsis of a very complicated halachic situation. It is ideal to have two separate ovens. If not possible, a Rav MUST be consulted about the proper usage of one oven for both food types.
Our holy sages, the Chazal tell us
תנא דבי אליהו כל השונה הלכות בכל יום מובטח לו שהוא בן עולם הבא, שנאמר הליכות עולם לו, אל תקרי הליכות אלא הלכות - one who studies [at least two] Halachos daily is assured a portion in Olam Haba - the world to come. (:מגילה כ"ח )
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