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I know that one cannot gain "Hana'ah" from meat and dairy mixtures. I understood the term "hana'ah" to mean "pleasure" or "benefit".

My neighbor makes wonderful-smelling Italian cooking. The smell wafts through the building walls, into the hallways, etc. It's almost impossible to avoid the smell, and most of the time it smells good. But, I can't exactly ignore the smell of her lasagna (I know what she cooks b/c I ask her.) which has meat sauce and cheese. Do I have to wear a clothes pin on my nose to avoid "hana'ah"? I don't know if they make such large clothes pins, nowadays!

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    Pesachim 25b
    – Double AA
    Jun 13, 2014 at 16:44
  • Some Jews believe it is a sign of faith to say "that treif food looks/smells wonderful. I wish I could eat it but my faith in Hashem does not allow me to". As for the Jews who remark "Phew! That treif looks disgusting, it's pure garbage", just what are they gaining by rejecting something they find disgusting? I'll take the Jew who says "I would love to try that but I won't" any day of the week.
    – JJLL
    Jun 13, 2014 at 23:56
  • @JJLL your sentiments are shared by Rambam in Introduction to Avos, chapter 6, based on Sifra end of parshas Kedoshim
    – Yoni
    Jun 15, 2014 at 3:38
  • I think you have a typo in the title of the question "...milk and dairy..." - I assume you mean "meat and dairy" (as you explain in the body). Jun 15, 2014 at 3:57

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Mishne Berurah (Biur Halacha 216:2 s.v. haMusk) writes that one should not deliberately smell nonkosher food out of concern that they may be tempted to eat it.

He reiterates his position in regards to smelling Chametz on Pesach which is also assur bahana'ah and all year long people eat it that one may not smell it on Pesach.

However, closing one's nose is not necessary for unintentional smelling, as the issur is only with intentional smelling.

(Although min HaTorah there is no meilah for sound, sight, and smell, they are all assur miderbanan . See Pesachim 26a and Rambam (Meilah, 5:16). Additionally, Orach Chaim 217:5 explicitly writes that it is forbidden to smell the spices of Avodah Zara)

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The Kaf Hachayim on Yore Deah 108:70 and Darkei Teshuva 108:102 conclude that one may not smell those things that are Assur Behana'ah, but one may smell things that are only Assur Ba'achilah.

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As a general principle in halacha, קול ומראה וריח אין בהם משום הנאה: sound, sight, and smell are not considered benefit. This comes from the rules of me’ilah (improper personal benefit from sacred items), but should extend to other matters as well. (At Nullifying Ancient Israelite Idols, note that Rabbi Dov Lior applies this principle to avodah zarah, which is also assur b’hana’ah.)

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    Although min HaTorah there is no meilah for sound, sight, and smell, they are all assur miderbanan . See Pesachim 26a and Rambam (Meilah, 5:16). Additionally, Orach Chaim 217:5 explicitly writes that it is forbidden to smell the spices of Avodah Zara
    – Yoni
    Jun 15, 2014 at 3:36

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