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Various Questions

1)May a Jew open a plastic seal on a milk plastic bottle on Yom Tov/Shabbat? May one open a twist off glass jar? Open a plastic wrap on a sealed cheese?Other products? 2)If going on a vacation,are we allowed to rent a room or a cottage from a Salvation Army(in North America)if the prices are cheaper and they are the only place to rent near a lake? There are no other hotels in the area(there are motels owned by goim). Is it forbidden to give parnasah to Avodah Zara establishment? 3) What is a silver shekel(of ancient Israel) in grams?Opinions are 13 grams to 16+ grams?For pedeyon haben(redemption of the first born son) what coins do you give? Canadian maple leaf $5 silver coins are 99.9% pure silver and are one ounce/31 grams each-does one give 5 coins as a symbolic gesture? Does a kohen keep the coins or one gives to tzedakah? 4) Cornea transplantation-can a donor be a non Jew(eye banks do not provide religion of the donor donor). May Jews donate kidney,bone marrow(pekuah nefesh)-what about cornea for keratoconus patient? Sperm for a childless couple-a person can be a biological father and not know that he has a child-may lead to forbidden relationships as a result. Thank you.

Answer:

1) Some are lenient, but it is better to open it before Shabbos. Please see here. A glass jar (involving twisting off a solid lid alone) can be opened. A plastic wrap can be opened, with care not to tear lettering.

2) To my knowledge, the money of the Salvation Army goes in the main to charity causes, and it’s OK to rent from them.

3) Pidyon Haben requires approx. 100 grams of silver. The Maple Leaf coins are silver, but some prefer not to use them, because their official value “depreciates” their “silver value,” preferring instead to use specially minted coins. The Kohen keeps the money, but he can also choose to give it back.

4) Sperm may not be donated. Other organs can be donated for a cause of piku’ach nefesh. Donors can be non-Jews.

Best wishes.

 

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