Rabbonim of the Beis Hora'a, Author at Ask The Rabbi - Dinonline

Changing Nusach Accent

Question: Hi Rabbi, Rabbi, could I switch from the Askenazi pronunciation to Sephardic like tav or saf, for Krias Shma and Shemona Esrei, specifically Hashems name, I heard that there are some poskim who say that ado-nay is not the correct pronunciation due to the komatz, is it allowed to switch back and forth the […]

Unwanted sefiras haomer calendar

Question: I received a sefiras haomer calendar from a famous yeshivah as a promotion, but I never ordered it, or have any use for it. Am I obligated to mail it back, or can I just dispose of it? Answer: Hello, You do not have to give it back. They send them out in […]

Kashering a Coffee Machine

Question: I understand that a coffee machine can be kashered by waiting 24 hours and running hot water through it. Is this correct? Additionally, is it possible to kasher the steam wand that is attached to the machine which has been used to steam non-kosher or chaluv-akum milk? Answer: Hello, My apologies, but I […]

USING EXTRA OFFICE SPACE

Question: .There are multiple empty offices in the place that I work. The owners work in a different office. A friend wants to use an empty office for personal use. My bosses have shown in the past that they don’t mind, when people use the empty space. Does my friend need permission to use the […]

Trimming mustache in sefira

Question: Hi I saw that it is allowed to cut your mustache in sfira if it disturbs your eating. my question is what if it just annoys me that it goes onto my lips, even though it doesn’t really disturb me from eating? Answer: If they are disturbing you, (not just because you don’t […]

Marriage’partnership’ of two females

Question: What answer can be given to an intelligent and educated person who is asking the following regarding the above: 1. The Torah forbids this for two males. It does not forbid it at all for females. 2.a. In the case of two females who are beyond age of childbearing and\or otherwise are not childbearers, […]

Getting a haircut from a sister

Question: Can one get a haircut from a sister and does it matter her age or if she is married? Answer: Hello, It is permitted. I am not aware of the difference between if she is married or not. Best wishes Sources:

Cutting hair near nose during sefirah

Question: Shalom. If nose hair begins to irritate a man during sefirah, is he allowed to trim it? This might include short hair at the top of the mustache which sort of ‘stabs’ into the nose and likewise causes irritation. Thanks! Answer: Hello, The hairs that are irritating may be trimmed, since they are irritating. […]

lashon hara toeles

Question: B”H Kavod haRav, When explaining to someone why I wanted to go to a specific Dr’s office that was further away than another one, I said that I had a previous experience of going into a local office and they had an avodah zara statue in the waiting room, so I left. I told […]

Time of Shacharis

Question: Dear Rabbi, Regarding zmanim, I have a few questions. Is the earliest time to daven shacharis after Alot Hashachar? If one wishes to daven shacharis after the Sof Kriat Shema is passed, does he do the shacharis service while omitting the two times shema is said? Also, I am assuming that you would not […]

Maariv time

Question: Dear Rabbi, Do Tzait Hakochavim times indicate the time of best maariv? I read from one online source that it is acceptable to make Maariv by the hour and a quarter before sunset. Is this accurate or should it be a wait for Shki’at Hachama? Answer: Hello, Essentially we should wait to pray maariv […]

Mincha

Question: Dear Rabbi, My zman notes a midday at chatzot. It also has a Mincha Gedola and Nincha Ketana. Does this indicate the first and last times mincha should be said? My synagogue does have mincha later than the Mincha Ketana. Is there a strategy to use one or the other? Answer: Hello, The […]

Washing hands from a cup after cutting nails?

Question: Do I need to wash my hands from a cup after cutting my nails? Answer: Hello, It is not as strict as washing hands when waking up in the morning. There is controversy about this, according to some authorities one should use a cup etc., however others disagree and say that it isn’t […]

Thanking G-d for non-kosher food

Question: I have been trying to follow more practices and was struggling to understand the proper thing to do when it comes to food and was hoping you could help. I don’t eat kosher and saw that it may be forbidden to say a bracha on non kosher foods. Is it best to not say […]

Death of a slave

Question: What is the basis for the teaching that one should not be sad over their slave’s death and regard the death of a slave the same as loss of any other property? This doesn’t sound right to me, since a slave is a human being, not some inanimate object. Please, explain this to me […]

Washing for Bread Meal

Question: I am disabled and occasionally we go out to eat. Because of my disability it is difficult to get up to wash for bread. Is there a heter to not wash or is there any other solution? Please send sources with an answer. Thank you. Answer: Hello, To be honest it is hard […]

Kosher for Pesach coffee cup filled in workplace

Question: A person went to work on chol hamoed pesach (a non Jewish workplace), and they filled their kosher-for-pesach mug with hot water from the office urn that was not in any way kashered for pesach. Is the mug still ok for pesach use (for next year)? [If it makes a difference, the mug is […]

Shared Interest

Question: My daughter and I co-own an investment account since she was a minor. The account has a feature that allows borrowing against the principal. She now wants to borrow from that account to fix her home. Since the account is in both of our names (and has to remain that way) is it ribit […]

Books donated to a Yeshiva

Question: Hi, I have a question, in my yeshiva sometimes people donate books, and sometimes the Rbbis in the yeshiva say we can keep them. Further than that, sometimes the seforim have names of people or kollels/yeshivas, is it allowed to take these books or would be it considered gezel or some other thing? Thanks […]

Hilchos Bais Hikisai

Question: I am a bochur who started to learn Mishna Berura. By hilchos bais hakisai the Shulchan Aruch says that when cleaning oneself after using the restroom one should use his left hand because the right hand ties the tefillin. My question is is that I never heard of this until now. I find it […]

Saying “Emes” when repeating Shema outside of minyan

Question: Hi, I have what I think is an interesting question that I’ve been able to find zero information about. Based on my understanding: we say Emes in order to connect Shema with the next paragraph, and in order to reference the pasuk with those words. This makes sense in the context of saying Shema […]

Showering as substitute for tevilas ezra

Question: Does taking a shower substitute for tevilas ezra? Answer: Hello, Please see the following post http://dinonline.org/2014/03/16/shower-for-9-kabin/ Best wishes

Do you have to always say בורא נפשות on avocado?

Question: I heard somewhere that you don’t always have to say בורא נפשות on specificly avocado is this true and if so when does this apply?. Answer: Hello, Avocado is no differant than any other fruit, which we would say בורא נפשות after eating it. There are, however, times when for various reasons we […]

over apologizing

Question: B”H Kavod haRav, Thank you for your help. My question deals with something that happened recently and I am seeking clarification from a halachic standpoint if any further action needs to be taken by me…I work in a school setting with young children. On the same floor of the building are two schools, so […]

Sefiras HaOmer

Question: Are you allowed to buy flowers during Sefiras HaOmer? Answer: Yes. Even those who say that one shouldn’t make a shehechiyanu during sefira, (which is actually permitted during sefira) )would say that it is permitted, as we don’t say shehechiyanu on flowers. Best wishes Sources:

Birkas Kohanim

Question: In Chu`l, where we say say the short tefilah instead of Birkas Kohanim, is it more accurate to say Berocho Hameshuleshes Batorah, the comma before or after Hameshuleshes. Thanks Answer: Hello, Before answering your question, I think you meant to ask if the comma should be before or after the word “Batorah”. Do […]

To whom to buy the same sefer Torah from?

Question: I’m reaching out for a friend. He’s involved with Stam and was asked to source a sefer Torah. He reached out to some contacts and one presented an option within the requested budget range. He forwarded the details and the sample image to his client, who showed interest. In order to move forward, my […]

Center where tefillos go up

Question: Hi Where is the center where all tefillos from around the world travel to, and then go up from there to shamayim? Many people say that all tefillos travel to the kosel, where the Bais Hamikdash was, and then go up. However, I heard from two separate people, without sources, that the center is […]

Is my husband allowed to refuse me money?

Question: Is my husband halachically able to bar me from using money for something I deem necessary and important, such as medical care for a child? He is convinced that this specific kind of medical care will not be effective in this instance, but I want to give it a try. Since it is halachically […]

Exact measurements.

Question: Hi Rabbi. I would like to open up a business that sells soaps etc. We bought glass bottles that contain 200ml. When we fill them up, the bottles are obviously not filled 100% to the top. How careful do we have to be when putting the amount of ml of soap on the label? […]

Mesiras nefesh

Question: To what degree is a person allowed to put themselves in danger to save another person’s life? Answer: Hello, Your question involves two mitzvos that conflict each other on occasion. On one hand we have the commandmant not to stand idle when someone is in danger, but on the other hand we must protect […]

Married woman hit my car

Question: An orthodox married lady hit my car and requested that I get an estimate and charge her out of pocket and please not go through her insurance. I agreed. A few days later I chanced upon the Mishnah in Perek Hachovel which says that one cannot charge a married woman for damages she causes […]

Cutting down tree in garden

Question: I have learned that to cut down even a non fruit-bearing on one’s property can be viewed by the heilige poskim as an extremely serious and chas veSholom dangerous action. There is kein ayin hora an extremely high leylandii \ conifer in the garden, higher than the house, and I would like to know […]

meat & fish

Question: Hello, If I ate meat first, does kinuach etc., help if I now want to eat fish? Answer: Hello, It is permitted to eat fish after meat, however one should do kinuach and hadacha, meaning to eat some liquid which will rinse your mouth, and a solid which will wipe it out. The general […]

OCD and joy in prayer

Question: Hi Rabbi, When praying, I always have joy as my intent and I try to focus on that while in the act of praying, but I have OCD and begin to become very focused on making sure I said things correctly, and at times get anxious and somewhat frustrated with myself that I may, […]

Eating before Yom Tov

Question: Due to the lateness of Shavuos night’s seuda I want to serve my guests some food in advance. Is it permissible to have a desert style buffet for snacking shortly before Yom Tov? May it include mezonos? Answer: Hello, Non-mezonos foods are permitted to eat even shortly before Yom Tov, however it is […]

Billing special ed teachers

Question: Hello dear Rabbi, My question is regarding billing a special education agency in NY for hours that a student could not show up/cancellation etc. The problem is that the agency bills the Department of education, I’ve heard that the department of education only allows to bill if you have worked with the student but […]

Tefillin on Chol HaMoed

Question: I am in my 70s. I have always put on tefillin without a bracha on chol hamoed, following my father’s practice. However, my father had a somewhat unusual practice ( which I have seen mentioned in an English sefer on the Halacha so of chol hamoed.) When he worked on chol hamoed he put […]

Saying Tehillim after Chazot

Question: Can a person learn Tanach and/or say Tehillim for praying purposes after chazot? Can I follow the Chatzot of the Levush? Answer: Hello, According to the basic halacha, it is permitted[1] to learn Tanach even at night, however there is a preference not a prohibition to learn Tanach during the daytime. However according […]

Hagbah on Chol Hamoed

Question: On Chol Hamoed Pesach, do we need to put the second Torah on the bimah before doing hagbah on the first? Thank you. Answer: Hello, Yes. The first sefer Torah is placed on the bimah, before the hagbah of the first sefer Torah. The reason is as not to have the bimah without […]

shaving on ROSH CHODESH

Question: Is shaving on Rosh Chodesh permissible? Answer: Hello, Halachically it is permissible to shave on Rosh Chodesh, however many people abstain from shaving due to the tzava’ah of R’ Yehuda Hachassid who writes that to be careful about this. Best wishes Sources: משנה ברורה סימן רס ס”ק ז יש מקומות שאין מגלחין ואין נוטלין […]

Hataras Nedarim

Question: My daughter- 12 years old was eating salmon and got a bone stuck in her throat. She said ‘I’m never eating salmon again’ She later said she didn’t mean it. Does she need Hataras Nedarim ? Answer: Hello, She should be reprimanded not to say such things in the future, however technically it […]

Butul bishishim

Question: If a fridges handles are dirty,(like most fridges which aren’t spotless, does one need to wash their hands after opening it,if they are about to start eating, or can one just assume it’s butul bishishim whatever food it is, and even if it’s easier to just wash, it can be embarrassing to look ocd. […]

Source for this concept?

Question: Good afternoon, I don’t remember where I heard it, or if it I am even remembering correctly. But what is the source for the concept that someone can go to a crowded area, or near a well/source of water, and ask a question of Hashem. If he hears someone say “Yes, yes” or “No, […]

Candle flame on Shabbat moving

Question: Shalom Rabbi, If I walk past a candle on Shabbat causing a breeze to move the candle flame, is this a violation? Thank you Answer: Hello, With a wax candle, there is no prohibition to make the flame flicker, as long as it won’t go out. Therefore, if your walking past it, is […]

Bloody nose chaburah on shabbos

Question: What should one do if one has a bad cold, and their nose is stuffy, but also a little bloody, it’s very uncomfortable, but is blowing an issue of chaburah? Answer: Hello, It depends if blowing it will almost definitely cause bleeding. If it will then it is a problem. Wait a few minutes […]

Cleaning a Kosher Kitchen

Question: Shalom, Can one clean a kosher kitchen that has separate fleishig and milchig ovens, countertops, sinks, etc with the same sponge one right after the other? Answer: Hello, The two ovens etc. should be cleaned with separate sponges, otherwise the grease and dirt of one type will be mixed and wiped on to […]

Nyc water

Question: Does nyc tap water need filtering Answer: Hello, According to most oskim, yes it does. Best wishes

V’sein Bracha at Maariv

Question: If someone realized hours later they may have said V’sein Tal… instead of V’sein Bracha at Maariv, do they say another Shemoneh Esrei right then, or say two at Shacharis the next day? Answer: Hello, If it is still the time to daven maariv, then say it then. Best wishes

Repeating Birkas Hamazon

Question: Bsd If one realized he concluded the first brocha of birkas hamazon with “al haaretz v’al hamazon” and did not correct himself b’toch kdei dibur, seemingly the whole brocha should be repeated, correct? And what if the person didn’t know and instead returned to the middle of that brocha (instead of the pesicha) and […]