Can non-kosher meat be eaten with fish?

Question

The prohibition of mixing meat with milk and of deriving benefit from their mixture concerns only kosher meat (Hullin 8:4 [113a]; Hilkhot Maakhalot Assurot 9:3; Yoreh De'ah 87:3; etc). As such, it may follow that one who needs to eat non-kosher meat for whatever reason is not obligated to subsequently abstain from dairy. In other words, non-kosher meat does not render one fleishig insofar as this prohibition is concerned.

But what about the prohibition of consuming meat together with fish (Yoreh De'ah 116:2)? In the event that one is required to eat non-kosher meat, can they eat it with fish as well, or is that still considered "dangerous"?

[This is not a belated Purim question!]

Answer 1

As you stated, the Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 116:2 forbids the consumption of meat and fish products together, out of concern that it is unhealthy. Since this is a health issue, it should apply to all types of meat and fish. I say this because, if it only applied to certain types of fish and meat, then the Shulchan Oruch would have specified the cases in which it applied and those in which it did not.

I found a full discussion of this subject in Fish and Meat by Aryeh Leibowitz

Regardless of the origin of the prohibition, gemara Chullin 9a states explicitly that one must treat dangerous activities with greater stringency than one would treat halachically prohibited activities

Thus even though (as quoted below) the prohibition may not apply in our day, or may only apply to the specific fish mentioned in the gemoro, we still should refrain from mixing any type of meat and fish.

It should be noted that recent research has found that stearic acid found in beef may actually lower LDL cholesterol (See American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 1994;60 (Suppl) : 1044s). On the other hand fish contains eicosapentaenoic acid which has been found (paradoxically) to INCREASE lipid peroxidation (J invest dermatology 1994;103:151; Intl J Vitamin Nutrition Res 1994;64: 144; Journal of Nutrition 1992;122:2190; Journal of Lipid Research 1991;32:79). In addition there may be an interaction in the liver (P450) between stearic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid. This being said, there is no evidence to indicate that drinking some schnopps in between would in any way solve this problem.

The opinion of Magen Avraham. The Magen Avraham (Orach Chaim 173) writes that there are many natural phenomena mentioned in the gemara that simply no longer apply today. The health concern of eating meat and fish is simply another example of something that used to be a real concern, but is simply no longer an issue. Perhaps this can be supported by the fact that the Rambam omits this concern from his Mishnah Torah entirely. The Chatam Sofer (Responsa 101) offers two explanations for the omission of the Rambam. First, he suggests, it is possible that the Rambam knew that the gemara was only concerned with the specific fish mentioned in Pesachim 76b, but all other fish really pose no danger when mixed with meat. Alternatively, Chatam Sofer suggests, the Rambam knew that nature has changed and although there one was a legitimate health threat posed by mixing fish and meat, no such threat exists today. (It is important to note that Chatam Sofer does not recommend that we rely on the Rambam’s opinion in this area.)