Question: Good Morning Rabbi, I am mourning the loss of my beloved mama and I have tentatively scheduled the unveiling within the next two weeks. Am I permitted to conduct the unveiling by myself? Thank you very much for your consideration. Answer: Hamakom yinachem eschem b’toch shar aveilei T’zion v’Yrushalayim. The generally accepted minhag […]
Author Archives: Rabbonim of the Beis Hora'a
Lashon Hara?
Question: Hello Rabbi, I like to send pictures of funny things (like typos that change the meaning, etc) to friends. If I see some that are from a Jewish store, is it ok to send as long as the person cannot tell where it is from? Or is that still “making fun” of the store? […]
Cutting down trees
Question: Our friends recently cut down two very old but healthy trees at their country house. The reason was because it gave too much shade and created a lot of debris in their back garden and pool. Is there a Judaic law that forbids the cutting of healthy, thriving trees? I personally thought it was […]
Lashon hara and pressure
Question: Hi I work in a office for Nursing homes and another workmate (*1) pointed out that another workmate(*2) was asking people in the facility to get invoice which you are not supposed to do. I told my workmate(*2) that you are not supposed to do that, she agreed with that and said she is […]
Brocho on a nes
Question: Many years ago I was driving a car in the middle of Kansas having been riding in the car all night and at about 5am I fell asleep at the wheel driving 70-80mph, seemingly a serious makom sekana, so Hashem saved me (and the others in the car) by blowing out a tire just […]
Partnership-condo responsibilities
Question: In a bungalow colony where anything outside of personal quarters is shared expenses, including tree trimming, landscaping, lighting etc. Question if Dead trunk of a tree fell on a car and it damaged the car who is responsible to pay? The group and or can the Partnership force the owner to use his own […]
Round luchos
Question: There is a prevalent custom of having the two luchos someplace in the front of a shul. Many times, the luchos are made with round tops. The indication of the Gemara is that the luchos were indeed square (Bava basra – they fit into the square aron). If so, what is the reason and […]
Brocha on ice-dream with ‘cookie-pieces’
Question: What is the correct brocha to make for ice-cream with small pieces of biscuit/cookie added to give crunch or flavour? Do we apply the rule of ‘kol sheyesh bo m’chameshes haminin mevoroch olov borei minei mezonos’? What if this is eaten at the end of a ‘bread meal’? Please give marei mekomos if possible. […]
Amazon Refund Legit?
Question: I ordered a baby toy on Amazon, it was super cheap and came from China. When it arrived, one of the 4 items appeared to be a bit damaged and another item was covered in dust. The box was also broken. It came in a non-acceptable condition. I wrote to the seller that two […]
home
Question: Hi, What does a good home mean and how do I get it? Answer: Hello, There is a lot to say on this topic, but I’ll keep it brief. From a Jewish angle, a good home means a home that is dedicated to the ideals of the Torah, and keeping the mitzvos. Included […]
Birchas Hamazon on an Airplane
Question: Hi, Is there any part of Birchas Hamazon that one does not say when Bentching on an airplane? Does it make any difference if the airline is Jewish or not? Thanks! Answer: Hello, When traveling on a plane one would say “הרחמן הוא ישלח לנו ברכה מרובה בהליכתנו ובישיבתנו עד עולם” , and […]
Wife of a Cohen
Question: One shouldn’t let a cohen work hard and ask him to do things. What about the wife of a cohen? Is she allowed to ask her husband for favors or should she try to refrain to honor his status? Thank you Answer: Hello, This question sounds quite conveineint for cohanim, thier wives are going to […]
Hair uncovered in front of baby
Question: Hi, is a mother allowed to let her baby see her uncovered hair as well as her being in undergarments. Thank you Answer: Hello, In general, we should try to be “tzniusdik” whenever possible, but what you mean to ask is if there is an issur in halacha with this. When using the […]
Non-kosher contact
Question: Unfortunately, my step-daughter’s biological father feeds her non-kosher food when they are together. I am often worried that she might track non-kosher residue into our kosher kitchen. I have her wash her hands when she comes home but recently she was in our kitchen talking close to our pots and I’m worried she might […]
Potential meat contact with dairy dishes
Question: My daughter went into the cupboard with our dairy dishes after she had eaten meat. She would have eaten the meat, and used her hands, a few hours earlier. It is not clear to me if she had meat residue on her hands. She claims to have only retrieved a paper plate from inside, […]
Vacation during avelus
Question: Is it permitted to take a vacation after the shloshim for my mother? Answer: Hamakom yinachem eschem btoch shar aveilei t’Zion v’Y’erushalayim, The answer to your question depends on why you are taking the vacation. In general, if it is needed for emotional or health reasons then it is permitted. O eodes have […]
Refuah on Shabbos
Question: I have a problem with a buildup of mucous every morning in my nose and my throat. It is at times hard to talk and breathe out of my nose properly. My Dr suggested a nasal rinse which is to be used twice a day. The treatment is a squeeze bottle with warm water […]
Non-kosher food
Question: If someone accidentally ate non-kosher food, is it sufficient to simply brush their teeth before using utensils in their home? Answer: Yes. There is an old joke people say about a persn that wanted to know how to kasher his muth for Pesach he told him to fill his mouth with water, and […]
Anticipating Moshiach
Question: I’ve got many long questions about Moshiach. If it would be ok, I’d really appreciate it if you could take the time to answer each one, please! I davened and hoped very much that moshiach would come, before Tishah Beav, and that the Beis Hamikdosh would finally be rebuilt. But he still didn’t come. […]
Curses
Question: Sometimes I have thoughts to curses someone. I might be ocd. For example, I forgot to stop my car early enough and a few people Crossed the road and showed me signs of hatred and I quickly cursed them in my mind and possibly verbalized it. I quickly felt bad afterwards. What should I […]
Kashrut Question
Question: I was eating a kosher meal next to some people who were eating non-kosher food. Someone across from me broke some tortilla chips and some pieces fell on the table. At the time, I did not think any fell in my salad and continued eating, but now I’m second guessing that decision. Was this […]
Query on mourning
Question: Dear Rabbi, Are women permitted to join a burial procession to the cemetery site? Can they participate in the mud throwing process? Can they give a eulogy? Is it a custom or a law to not involve the ladies in the last rites of the departed body? Kindly shed light. Thanks and Regards, Answer: […]
Non shomer shabbos chef
Question: I am a mashgaich in a restaurant, the chef is not religious at all but he is a jew and there is sometimes conflict when I tell him he can’t turn on the fire. how do I explain it to him in a sensitive way that he cannot do it without him feeling discriminated […]
ribbis question
Question: Hello. I am an associate practicing in a law firm (some Jewish partners and some not). As part of clients’ estate planning, we often set up trusts (irrevocable) for our clients and transfer assets to trust by sale. The trust does not pay cash for the sale, instead, the trust executes a note in […]
Accidental bow while honoring parent?
Question: B”H Kavod haRav, I went to give a parent a kiss on each of their hands and instead of making them lift their hands to me, or taking their hands and lifting them up significantly toward me, I sort of bend down toward my parent and kissed each hand (I was standing and they […]
Can I shave my beard?
Question: B”H Dear rabbi, I am 51, quite 52, I am Italian, live in Austria and I am neither married nor I have children. For many many years I have had a beard but now that my beard is becoming white, I ask myself if I am allowed to shave it. Despite my age I […]
Succah shlock
Question: I’m thinking of making a shlock for my succah. What are the halachic considerations for a shlock? (Materials, proper placement, and using on Shabbos/Yom Tov?) Answer: Please let us know what you are thinking about, what kind of shlock, how it will open up and close, where it will be stored when closed, […]
Fish Gelatin
Question: 1) May kosher ‘fish’ gelatin be eaten together with meat? 2) May it be eaten together with dairy, for those who don’t eat fish with dairy? Thanks. Answer: Hello, The use of gelatin is controversial, and although many poskim do not permit using gelatin from non- kosher animals or fish, however if the […]
Tevila for Basket
Question: Hi, I have a basket made of thin metal wires (there is a lot of space between the wires) that I want to use to hold rolls/bagels during a meal. Does it require tevila? Thank you! Answer: Hello, Yes, it would need tevila, as it is servicing the bread during the meal, and […]
Milchig Onion Soup in Fleishig Pot
Question: Hi, There was onion soup that was made by frying onions cut with a milchig knife in butter that was accidentally reheated in a Fleishig eino ben yomo pot. Does the pot need to be kashered? Thank you! Answer: Hello, Assuming that the onions and butter are giving taste to the soup, then […]
Maaser money for non-obligatory tuition
Question: Hi – I know the general rule for maaser money is that it cannot be used to pay for obligations including things like day school tuition for a person’s children. However, can maaser money be used for non-obligatory tuition/education? For example, a person who wants to use maaser money to pay for a semicha […]
Extent of respect to our parents?
Question: Toward what extent according to the Torah do we need to apply respect to our parents? Unfortunately to the common scenario that people live with abusive relationships with their parents, how would a person cope with law of the Torah “respecting your parents” if they show none toward you, i.e, narcissism, physical/verbal abuse, etc. […]
The Book of Jasher
Question: Am I correct if I say that Jasher, refers not to a specific individual but means Upright in Hebrew, thus “The Book of the Upright Man” and the original writer of this book is unknown? Answer: Hello, The technical translation of ‘yashar” means straight, not upright, therefore the translation of the book would be […]
Birth of baby boy during mourning
Question: Please explain how the birth of a baby boy during the year of mourning takes away HaShem’s anger from the family, and the source if possible. Thank you. Answer: Hello, Chazal said that if a member of the family dies, the whole family should be wary, (meaning that they should do teshuva because […]
Mezuzah on swimming pool
Question: I very much enjoyed the mezuzos articles. Does a public swimming pool in which people don’t change require a mezuzah? Going swimming is inherently not considered an undignified activity. The gemara says a father should teach his son how to swim. Answer: Hello, There is controversy about this. On one hand there are […]
hashem’s name on a Foreign language
Question: Shalom. Are expressions like “Thank the good Lord”, “G-d Almighty” or “Allahu Akbar”, “Subhan Allah”, etc… permissible to be said and/or written down by Jews? Answer: Hello, Before answering your question, why would a Jew want to use a Muslim term, what they are using for their religion?! It is definitely unbefitting for […]
Shacharis shemone esrei after chatzos
Question: I thought I had enough time to daven Shacharis shemone esrei before chatzos (I’m a woman) but when I finished davening, I realized it was one or two minutes after. Was I oiver an aveirah? Answer: Hello, Understandably you should try to make sure that this doesn’t happen again, however in retrospect, since there […]
chalala? yisrael? bas cohen? what is her status?
Question: A cohen gets a divorcee pregnant and then marries this divorcee. The Pregnancy came before the marriage. What is the status of the daughter born from this? for clarity, the timeline is: Cohen meets divorcee, cohen impregnates divorcee, they get married, then a daughter is born. Answer: Hello, An internet site is not […]
tachanun
Question: We were making a sheva berachos for a family member. The group decided to daven minchah first before the chassan even arrived. Was tachanun supposed to be said being that the chassan was not there yet, or since the gathering was for a sheva berachos in honor of chassan that would pattur even before […]
self tanning
Question: Hello, My question is can a women keep self-tanner on her whole body before she dips in the mikva even though everyone part of her body is evenly tanned , if not what if the self-tanning makes her feel beautiful can she get a heter to still dip with the self-tan on? Answer: […]
area between burners on oven
Question: I had a ladle that was hot, and it touched the area between the burners on the stovetop. There is a layer of black grease there (milchig and fleishig grease) but it doesnt look like there is anything there that is rauy leachila. Does the ladle need to be kashered? Answer: Hello, If […]
Ribbis?
Question: My parents wanted to buy a gift for my children, but didn’t know what to get them. I offered to take the kids to a store, buy them something, and my parents would reimburse me, with the gifts being considered from my parents. The cost was $21, and my father gave me $30. Is […]
Lighting Shabbos Candles and Davening Minchah
Question: A woman lighting Shabbos candles generally davens Minchah before she lights. Let’s say I try to light ten minutes earlier than the zman hadlakas neiros, but I see that I’m running late. Should I daven Mincha and then light candles even if I end up lighting later than I would want to? (Though it […]
Revolving Door Prayers
Question: We are blessed to have a synagogue in our area that has non-stop minyanim for all three daily prayers throughout the day. Especially in the afternoon, a minyan could start every 7-10 minutes. The gabbai directing attendees to the proper room will often say – they just started the shmoneh esreh in that room, […]
calculating maaser on house sale, when buying somewhere else to live
Question: Be”H we shall be selling our house because we need to go to a sheltered housing complex due to medical problems. We shall pay two thirds of what we receive from the sale to the complex to ‘buy’ an apartment but the monthly ‘maintenance’ payments are very high and we shall need to use […]
Genevas Daas
Question: Hello, I am going on vacation in 2 weeks and needed to renew a passport. However, it normally takes more than 7 weeks to renew it. In order to book an appointment for an urgent passport one has to come to the appointment with proof of international travel within the next 14 days. It […]
Masser deduction
Question: Hi, If someone gives me a couch for free. I then give the couch to a Tzedakah organisation. The couch is worth 500$, Can I deduct the value of the couch from Masser? Answer: Hello, If the tzedakah organization needs the couch then you can deduct the value of the couch from maaser. […]
Neder
Question: I was going away to Israel, and I decided not to stay in certain places because it reminded me of Aveirahs done there and I thought it would ruin my religious and hopefully uplifting experience if I would be reminded about it and have to think about it (improper thoughts) when I went there. […]
Non-kosher event
Question: My wife went to an event where the majority of the meals, besides the one served to her, were non-kosher. Afterwards, she came home, washed her hands, and rinsed some of our bowls. Do I need to be concerned that non-kosher residue might have been tracked into our kitchen? I worry she might have […]
Storing things in the Sukkah
Question: Can I designate a space in the Sukkah for storing kids’ stuff like bikes and toys and drinks and stuff Answer: Hello, Items that are disrespectful to the sanctity of the succah should not be in the succah. As far as I know designating a place for them doesn’t help. What you can […]