For donations Click Here
Ask Question

Author Archives: Rabbonim of the Beis Hora'a

Proper bentching rules:

Question: For the proper bentching rules. What are some general thoughts to keep in mind beforehand? For instance, standing/sitting, allowed to recite outdoor/indoor (only). Anything else that can be useful to take note of please mention. Thank you. Answer: Thank you for your question. Here are some of the halachos. Concentration– The Chayei adam (כלל […]

Questions on Paying Maaser

Question: Are we required to pay maaser on the following: 1) Credit Card Rewards – I earn credit card rewards based on the amount of my monthly purchases and the amount of points collected. I always use these rewards to reduce my credit card debt. But there is also another option to get cash back […]

Maaser on investments and loans that won’t be repaid

Question: I have the following questions on paying maaser: 1) 401K Investment – 401K contributions are deducted weekly from my paycheck and kept in a separate account that I cannot touch until I retire. Do I need to pay maaser on any of these funds or on the interest and dividends earned before I receive […]

Purim on Friday/Erev Shabbos

Question: Shalom.This year, Purim will fall out on Friday (in Chutz La’Aretz). Due to my employment schedule, it will likely be that I will arrive home an hour or so before Shabbos with sufficient time to daven Mincha and make Shabbos preparations. Is it possible to have the Seuda then, and when Shkia arrives, “Poress […]

Milk and meat Pyrex dish

Question: Ashkenazi people In a situation where a Pyrex dish was used to cook both meat and milk in frequently (not together obviously) Would… The food have been treif? The kli shenis made of cheres be treif? The silverware? The ovens? And could you kasher the Pyrex dish? Answer: A pyrex dish (Ashkenazi minhag) according […]

Order and obligations of morning prayers when sleeping is divided

Question: If one wakes early and feels like he will fall back asleep, says the morning brachos and full Shema so he won’t miss its time, then does fall back asleep and wakes up again with JUST enough time to lay tefillin and daven Amida before sof zman ha-tfila, what is the proper order to […]

Ring Cameras on Shabbos

Question: Can someone walk in front of someone else’s ring camera on shabbos knowing that it will set off the camera and begin recording? I would think it’s a psik raisha dilo nicha lei for the Person walking in front of the camera because it is serving him no purpose that he is being recorded. […]

Taking off tallis before tefillin (so it doesn’t get sweaty)

Question: After davening Shachris I like to learn Mikra or Mishna with my Tefillin. But if I keep my Tallis on, I get hot and the distraction harms my learning. And if I sweat, it will stain the Tallis. (However, I know a wonderful Rav whose Tallis has yellowed from sweat over years of diligent […]

What takes priority Kashrus or Shalom Bayit?

Question: One spouse is newly frum and the other is not yet observant. What if there is some aspect within Kashrus (namely, refraining from putting hot kosher things down on a non kosher surface) that really bothers the spouse that is not yet observant to the extent that this is an issue for Shalom Bayit. […]

Kashrus – Gelatin

Question: Hi, what are the rules for using kosher meat gelatin with milky food? Please also advise on whether using fish gelatine is included in the prohibition to eat fish and milk together. Thank you Answer: Kosher meat gelatin, is produced by cooking meeat bones. Therefore meat gelatin is considered meaty and should not be […]

Learning Torah and Davening after Netilat Yadaim

Question: I know that one is not supposed to daven or learn until after having done Netilat Yadaim. In retrospect, does running one’s hand under a tap count enough to allow learning and davening and saying birkat hatorah? Thank you Answer: Thank you for your question. It isn’t clear to me which netilas yodayim you […]

Is the chazzan required to take three steps back after completing chazaras hashatz?

Question: Is the chazzan required to take three steps back after completing chazaras hashatz? Answer: The chazzan does not have to take three steps back after completing chazoras hashatz. The reason for this is because the three steps that he will take after saying kaddish liskabel are considered his three steps. As a side point, […]

Bracha on Mary’s Gone Crackers

Question: Hi, I’m wondering with the bracha rishona is on Mary’s Gone Crackers. Thank you! Answer: From checking up on similar recipies, it would seems that the rice content is approxamately 1/3, and 2/3 are quinoa, flax, sesame, and chia seeds. Therefore since the majority of the ingrediatens are hoadomo. Therefore the bracha on it […]

Follow up about Hashem emotionally supporting Dor HaMidbar

Question: Wow how beautiful!!! I didn’t know that about the Ananei HaKavod and it warms my heart to think of it as a constant ongoing hug from Hashem. And also, I think the Mishkan came AFTER Cheit HaEgel, right? So that means Hashem DID give extra love and reassurance after the sin, right? Wow that’s […]

custom/tradition Talit, Bircat Kohanin

Question: BS”D 1 – Is halakha or custom/tradition, of covering yourself with the tallit at Bircat Kohanim? 2 – The left-right movements of covering up with the Tallit, is related to Tefilah’s “Osse Shalom” of Shemoneh Esrei? Answer:   It is the wide spread custom, that no one looks at the hands of the kohanim […]

Blubeberries from Chile – Orlah

Question: Hi, Is there any issue with buying fresh blueberries from a country outside Eretz Yisrael? How can you know whether they are orlah? Questions also applies to any fruits grown outside Israel.. Thanks Answer: There is no issue or concern of orlah when buying fruits growing outside of Eretz Yisroel, because the rule is […]

Bedika Cloth that turned out to be fine

Question: Yesterday was my onas haveses. My morning bedika looked questionable to me. I’m on birth control and sometimes this happens to me. In my mind I assumed I was a probably in the beginning stages of getting my period and told my husband I might be a niddah but wasn’t sure but we should […]

Did Hashem emotionally support Dor HaMidbar?

Question: I’m writing this after reading a recent question/answer on your homepage. I wonder about this a lot. They experienced miracle after miracle, but they also survived horrible pain and trauma in Mitzrayim. Did Hashem soothe their emotional pain and comfort them? They sinned, yes, but if I was in their shoes I imagine I […]

Eating after Shkia Shabbos afternoon

Question: Why don’t we eat after shkiah on Shabbos afternoon unless we wash? Answer: The idea is that after shkiya, it is a little before the time to daven to make havdalah. Before making havdalah we are not allowed to eat or drink anything (except water), therefore we don’t eat or drink after shkiya. The […]

Does the surface under a microwave need to be kosher?

Question: Am I allowed to use a microwave on a Treif contertop or Treif table or does the surface need to be kashered? Answer: You can use a kosher microwave even if it is presently sitting on a treif table. The reason is because the microwave is not hot on the outside, and it does […]

Does an electric hot water kettle become treif from the steam when used to Kasher a treif sink?

Question: We used an electric hot water kettle to Kasher a Treif sink. We poured the water directly from the kettle into the sink. Does the steam treif up the kettle? Answer: The steam that comes up from kashering will not make your kettle trief. One of the reasons is because the sink was not […]

Are the brachot on tefillin Rabbinical or bibical?

Question: 1. Are blessings made on Tefillin biblical or rabbinical? 2. When were they instituted? 3. Why were they instituted? 4. How severe is it to say a blessing in vain and why? 5. How important is it to recite the exact wording of the blessing is written in the Siddur? Answer:   Almost all […]

Proper Al Hamichya for Shabbos gray insert and Al Hamichya process for adding two brachos simultaneously:

Question: 1. Al Hamichya on the bottom (in the gray box) it says to insert on Shabbos – ורצה והחליצנו ביום השבת הזה – And may it be pleasing to you to give us rest on this day. Does this include Erev Shabbos? Or only the Shabbos hours are counted? 2. In Al Hamichya there […]

Does the glass plate in the microwave require toveling?

Question: Does the glass plate in the microwave require toveling? Answer: In most circumstances it will not need tevila, because we almost always use a plate or bowl under the food. Since the tray doesn’t come into direct contact with the food it doesn’t need tevila. However in the rare instance that one usually puts […]