Question: I have used my oven in less than 24 hours for dairy. Then I baked a parve cake in a clean metal tin. Question: can cake be eaten as parve, or should it be treated as dairy?? Answer: It should be treated as “becheskas” dairy. You can eat the cake within 6 hours of eating […]
Author Archives: Rav Y Wiener
Birchas Hatorah Staying Up All Night
Question: Dear Rabbi In a situation where one has been awake all night what is the practical advice regarding saying Birchas Hatorah? I understand that if one sleeps during the previous day that could make Birchas Hatorah as normal in the morning. But in a situation when one did not sleep and cannot find anyone […]
Does a wemon always make a Bracha on immersion ?
Question: Does a women who is immersing (counted 7 nkiyim etc.) make a bracha even though she will not have relations (is it like netilas Yadim where you don'[t make a bracha if you aren’t going to eat bread) How about if someone is SHechting A animal to throw to the dogs– does he make […]
Who helped Shlomo build the Beis Hamikdash ?
Question: Please take a look at Shlomo’s dream in Melachim 1 chapter 3 and Divrei Hayamim 2 chapter 1. The words used by G-d and Shlomo are slightly different. Why would Ezra confuse matters in this way. Another example is the tribe of Chiram who helped Shlomo build the Beis Hamikdash. Was he from Dan […]
Carrying on Shabbat
Question: I’d like to wear a decent watch that has a “sweeping second hand”. A Rolex is an example. I’d never spend that much on a watch, but a watch with a decent band that doesn’t pull out hairs and looks corporate usually has a mechanical movement. You would use this type of watch for […]
a milchig whisk
Question: Basically, I was washing out a milchig whisk that my siblings had used in the past hour to make milchig butter cookies for shavuos, and after washing the whisk for about thirty seconds with warm water, I realized that I was using our fleishig sponge, which probably has been used for fleishigs in the […]
swimming while niddah
Question: Can a husband and wife go swimming while she is a niddah? Answer: When the wife is a niddah the husband is not supposed to see her body parts that are normally covered. So therefore that would rule out wearing a swim suit. Perhaps it is possible if she is fully dressed. Sources: Y:D 195:7
transporting a sefer torah
Question: what is the correct way to transport a sefer torah in a car? Answer: The correct way is to make sure that the sefer is transported in a way befitting it i.e. wrapped in a talis and someone holding it. If that is not possible wrap it also in another piece of material and […]
renting a building to a church
Question: I am buying a building one tenant is a church can i buy Answer: This is a difficult question, but I can give some broad guide lines. The Rambam and Shulchan Oruch rule that one is allowed to build the yard (and get payed) where the avodah zoroh will be situated. Therefore one would be […]
Sleeping with feet towards the door
Question: Is there a clear source for the Minhag/Issur to sleep with feet facing the door? If there is substance, then is a cupboard or armchair or suitcase etc between the bed and door considered a problem? Is there a difference if a person is sleeping on a bed or the floor? If the bed […]
Shnayim Mikra
Question: Can Shnayim Mikra (or part thereof) for upcoming Shabbos be read on Yom Tov that falls out during the week (as in Shavuos this year)? Answer: One can do Shnaim Mikra also on Yom Tov that falls out during the week. Sources: O:CH 284:3. Sha’arey Teshuvah 4,Mishnah Berurah 18
Soaking foot on Shabbos
Question: Is it permissible to soak one’s foot on Shabbos or yom tov , in cold water, to relieve the pain of a rash? Answer: One can soak the foot in water. On Shabbos one can wash one’s face, hands and feat in water heated up on erev Shabbos and on Yom Tov it is […]
Chese or chocolate fondue on yom tov
Question: Hello, I wonder if there is a halachic problem with having a fondue (cheese of chocolate) on yom tov? There are possibilities to either use a plata or a small burner with an open flame that of course won’t be extinguished. The fondue usually is prepared in advance, i.e. comes cooked on to the […]
Can I “lose” a library book in order to keep it? What is my owndershi
Question: There is a book that I’d like to buy, but it is out of print and I can’t find it anywhere for a reasonable price. I see that the public library has a copy. Can I neglect to return it and then pay whatever the lost book fee is? Just wondering what the halachic […]
pizza in pareve convection toaster oven
Question: K’vod haRav, I have a countertop convection toaster oven which is perfectly clean, almost brand-new, rarely used, only to make pareve potato kugel, last used over a year ago. Last week it was used once to make homemade pizza, uncovered, on a sheet of aluminum foil. It is still perfectly clean. To use it […]
Aveilus after a parent
Question: I am still in the year for my father a”h and would like to know if I am allowed to go to a hadlaka on Lag Baomer if there is music. Answer: I express my condolences on the passing of your dear father. An Ovel is not allowed to listen to music so therefore it […]
skip shema for tefilla b’tzibbur
Question: For one who recited Shema prior to the davening, may he skip krias shema (and say only the brachos) in order to make tefillah b’tzibbur? Answer: Even though Shema was recited prior to davening since it has to be said again with its brochos it over rides tefillah betzibur. Sources: O:CH 52 MIshnah Berurah 6, […]
Is lendingclub.com kosher?
Question: Is there a problem of ribis if one uses lendingclub.com as either a borrower or investor? “Lending Club is the world’s largest marketplace connecting borrowers and investors, where consumers and small business owners lower the cost of their credit and enjoy a better experience than traditional bank lending, and investors earn attractive risk-adjusted returns” […]
Three-day Yom Tov
Question: Can one drive between Shabbos and Yom Tov on a 3-day Yom Tov? Can one say Havdallah and drive to another destination and light candles for Yom Tov? Answer: Although Yom Tov has some leniences over Shabbos e,g, cooking, never the less one in not permitted to drive on Yom Tov the same as […]
davening loudly
Question: Is one permitted to daven S”E in such a way that other people can hear his words (unintentionally)? Really, the halacha is not to, but this is (for some people) very difficult to fulfill in practice and maybe they are not able to concentrate when davening so quietly…. Is there any justification to daven […]
Can a Jewish person sell condoms?
Question: I sell various merchandise online- Amazon/E-Bay; am I permitted to sell condoms; according to most poskim condoms are assur; but there is a well known tshuva from the Achi Ezer that condoms are permitted; besides this most of the customers buying on Amazon/E-Bay are not Jewish. Is it permissible to sell condoms online??? Answer: […]
Tahara Hamishpaha
Question: Not possible to travel to the mikvah. May a lady immerse in the spring fed lake after 7 clean days. For safety reasons, can it be done in the daytime? For privacy, may she wear a swim suit or a robe? What are the rules/halacha? Thank you. Answer: If there is no other option […]
Proper action (issue relating to tznius, arayos, etc.)
Question: I am a single 30+ year old man. There is a married woman who I’ve known for many many years as our mutual whole families are friends. I was always attracted to her from around the time she got married and possibly even before then, and she also seemingly has a liking too me […]
believing in more than one ruler
Question: In Hil. Teshuvah 3:7 of the Mishneh Torah (in his listing of heretics – minim), the Rambam makes the following statement: והאומר שיש שם מנהיג אבל הן שנים או יותר “The one who says there is indeed a [God] directing [the universe], but that there are two or more.” What is the basis of […]
maser
Question: Let’s say Im going to Israel for kivray tzadekem for s few days. Can I pay with maser money towards the car that we are using to go from kaver to kaver ? And the car is obviously used for personal enjoyment between the kivarim. Keep in mind we only have the car for […]
7 clean days or not?
Question: BS”D Shalom Rabbi, if a man was away for a long time and was only suspected to come home much later, and the women therefore did not count her clean days, how can this be corrected when the man comes home much earlier? We ran into this situation when I arrived yesterday evening and […]
Unclothed outside the bathroom
Question: Hi, If I am not mistaken, one should refrain from being completely unclothed outside of the bathroom. However, I am wondering in my own situation if this applies. After showering (especially in the summer months when it’s hot everywhere – no central air conditioning) my body needs to cool down and, to avoid excess […]
Additional job in school
Question: Hi Rabbi I work for a school in which they pay a yearly amount , in the beginning of the year I was offered to be part of the minyan and help out with the kids for additional pay, I used to go a lot to pray with them but it feels that they […]
second days of yom to for ben chutz la aretz
Question: 1) If I hold two days of Yom Tov while in eretz yisroel ,is it ok pre-order (and pre-pay by giving my credit card information before yom tov) from a restaurant, on the second day of YT , which is Chol for ben eretz yisroel ? If its permissible , would It be ok […]
Refund for damaged sheital
Question: My used sheital began losing hair at the parting area. I gave it to a sheital macher to fix. I also gave her an older sheital that she could remove the hair from the front of it and implant it in the other one. The sheital would also have to be died so as […]
Regarding niddah
Question: Hello, I would normally ask my personal Rav about this but for personal reasons I cant. My wife if gonna be finishing her first cycle post a miscarriage and she is uncomfortable in the meantime with getting pregnant but has issues taking birth control and therefore is not an option. Every option we heard […]
Shavuot Learning
Question: How early on Leil Shavuot can I begin learning the Sefer Tikkun Leil Shavuot? Can I start while it is Shabbat and be mafsik for Ma’ariv, the Seuda, etc,..? Can I continue after Mussaf if I don’t finish? Answer: The Tikun Leil Shevuot like the name indicates should be said on Shevuot. If you […]
Checking for bleeding
Question: Is there a time when my wife would not have to check for hymen bleeding? (She already bled for 3 times.) Answer: It is unnecessary to keep on checking for hymen bleeding once there was a proper ביאה in the past and blood was then discovered. If never the less blood is found a Rav […]
Food under the babies stroller
Question: Hi, if I put food under my babies stroller, does that food have a status of ruach raah? Answer: Excellent question. The answer is that it is fine to put food under the strollel because a) only under ta bed is ruach raah not under a stroller b) only if the food is directly […]
Ribis question
Question: We live in Israel. There’s an organization in the floor below us that uses our electricity. They have a meter connected to our meter and they pay their part of the bill to us in shekels by sending us a shekel transfer to my Israeli bank account. I use my US credit card to […]
Buying/Eating Ice cream at Costco
Question: I checked and at my local Costco the substance they use at their food court for their soft ice cream is Kosher. My question is – am I allowed to buy/ eat it. AT first I thought it was the same as buying slurpees (with a valid hechsher) at 7-11, however I was wondering […]
Elevator
Question: If this has already been answered, I could not find it, so please send the previous answer This is a modern building that I prefer for budget and location, and the seventeenth floor, and I am in decent shape, and it is not a health risk, but this is still a pretty serious exertion. […]
EXTENDING ON MY BACKYARD
Question: My neighbor would like to extend his house illegally into the backyard. For various reasons such as, reducing the air and sunlight in our backyard, I am not happy with this undertaking. In the past I wrote to him that I don’t allow him to build this extension and I would notify the authorities […]
Coffee in non kosher cafe
Question: Hello, Is it permissible to buy take away coffee from a non kosher cafe, and get kosher soy milk which is heated in a keili used for other milk? Answer: We are all aware of the leniency of Reb Moshe Feinstein regarding “cholov akum”. There are those (can’t remember offhand) who hold that in regard to […]
Birth
Question: Hi my wife had a baby 3 weeks ago and slowly the blood flow is decreasing seemingly she’ll be able to make a hefsek tahara in a few days. However she is very nervous Mikva night will be at one of the 3 nights of Shavuot ( Chutz learetz shabos Sunday Monday) which will […]
How to check wheatgrass for bugs
Question: How can I remove bugs from wheatgrass? Answer: I spoke to the “bug” expert of the Eida Charedis. He told me that the grass itself is difficult to check but if one strains the water the grass was boiled in through a fine sieve (80 mac) there should be no problem. Labriut! Sources:
meat in pareve pot
Question: We were cooking grains in a pareve metal pot and by accident poured in a can of chicken soup to continue cooking. How can we kasher the pot if we want to keep using it as pareve? Thank you, Answer: The best way to kasher the pot is through “Hagoloh”. i.e. by immersing it […]
frozen strawberries
Question: Frozen strawberries with an OU, made in China, the package says “Yetzur meyuchad naki l’mehadrin.” (especially produced clean l’mehadrin). Does it need to be cleaned or checked before using? Answer: If you normally rely on the O.U. for other food items why is this any different? Normally the O.U. doesn’t write in Hebrew on […]
Laser before Mikvah
Question: Hi, My wife has a home laser hair-removal machine that she likes to use before going to the mikvah. Since some of the places on her body are harder to reach she can’t do it alone. Being as how she is still t’meiah at that time, am I (her husband) allowed to help the […]
Correct Shabbos Candle Lighting
Question: Should an ASHKANAZI woman first light the Shabbos candles, and then make the Bracha, or should she make first make the bracha and then light? Please explain all pertinent halachos. Is there a difference on Yom Tov? Answer: On Shabbos most women first light the candles, close or cover their eyes and then make the brocho […]
Shabbos Timers and Eating Veal
Question: Can you please tell me if one may setup a manual shabbos timer before shabbos/yom tov to have it turn on/off a hot plate instead of leaving the plate on for 2-3 days? Also, can you please tell me what the Torah’s hashkafa is on eating an animal like veal which is seemingly abused […]
Broom on Shabbos/YOMTOV
Question: Can a person use a broom to sweep up on Shabbos? Crumbs or food that falls under the table during the meal. Answer: A broom can be used house on Shabbos to sweep food or crumbs that fall under the table during the mealand so is standard practice . One should be careful not […]
Kashering metal frying pan to go from milchig to fleishig
Question: Can a metal frying pan that was used for milchigs be kashered so it can be used for fleishigs? Answer: According to the strict letter of the law one can kasher through “libun” a metal frying pan that was used for milchigs so it can be used for fleishigs. But the accepted Ashkenazi custom is to […]
Carrying on Shabbat
Question: Hello Rabbi, If one is walking on Shabbat in an area where the eruv is debatable, such as Brooklyn,NY, and his hat/kippah falls off, what should one do in that situation? Can he rely on those that permit the eruv even though he normally doesn’t hold of it? Also does it matter that when […]
Correct Bracha on flaxseed Bread?
Question: Correct Bracha on flaxseed Bread? thanks Answer: Bread made from the 5 types of grain (wheat, oats, barley, spelt and rye) require the brocho of המוציא. Bread made from other grains and legumes the brocho is שהכל. (unless it is common in a certain country to make bread from a particular grain e.g. corn […]