Is one allowed to buy plants from a Jewish owned nursery that is open on Shabbos. Answer: It is permitted to buy the plant. Sources: There is no blanket prohibition… Read more »
Category: Shabbat
Digital photo frame
Can a digital picture frame, which has a slideshow of pictures, be kept on on Shabbos? Answer: Yes. Leaving the frame running on Shabbos does not involve any melachah, and… Read more »
Investing in Racehorses
I’m interested in buying a share in a racehorse as part of a syndicate and would like to understand the issues raised in terms of hilchos Shabbos. The basic details… Read more »
Writing with sour sticks on Shabbos
May one “write” happy Birthday on a cake on Shabbos forming the letters with sour sticks? Answer: No. Although this form of writing is clearly temporary in nature, it is… Read more »
Whip Cream on Shabbos
Is it mutar on Shabbos to use a can of whip cream? It is liquid inside, and comes out as cream. the nozzle also giving it a shape. Answer: The… Read more »
Omission of Retzei in Shalosh Seudos
If one were to miss retzei in shalosh seudos or al hamichya on Shabbos, does one need to repeat the blessing? Answer: If one omits an addition, such as retzei,… Read more »
Kiddush Procedure
When one makes kiddish, does one actually have to drink from the kiddush cup or can one pour into another cup after the bracha and then drink from a different… Read more »
Inviting Unaffiliated Jew for Shabbos
Can we invite an unaffiliated Jew for shabbos if we know he will drive to and from our house on shabbos? Answer: If you know he will be driving to… Read more »
Crushing Snow on Shabbos
Can one stomp on snow with intention to make it melt and/or soften it? Answer: It is forbidden to stomp on snow with the intention of making it melt (or… Read more »
Ice Maker on Shabbos
Can one use the ice of an automatic ice maker on Shabbos? Should one turn off the machine? Answer: There is no problem in using the ice that the machine… Read more »
Muktzeh for Electrical Items
2 muktza questions: 1)On shabbos, I by accidently left my cell phone on the seforim shelf next to the shabbos table. In the morning the phone’s alarm starting going off… Read more »
Eruv in Hotel
I am going to a hotel for Shabbos. Do I need to make an eruv chatzeros? If so, how do I do it? Please mention any other halachos that I… Read more »
Whip Cream on Shabbos
Can one use whip cream from a can on shabbos, I read that the cream is liquid until one presses the can and then the pressure turns it into a… Read more »
Inviting Non-religious Guests for Shabbos
Is it permitted to have not-religious guests who come before Shabbos knowing that they will leave on Shabbos via public transportation (despite being offered a place to stay)? Answer: If… Read more »
Medication on Shabbos
Can one who takes daily medicine that helps one concentrate better in all areas of life take this medication on shabbos, or do we say that since if not taken… Read more »
Freezing the Soup on Yom Tov
If soup was served at a meal on yom tov and there is leftover soup in the pot, can one freeze the soup after the meal so it stays fresh… Read more »
Crying on Yom Kippur-Shabbos
Is it permitted to cry on Yom Kippur that falls on Shabbos — if one is not allowed to cry on Shabbos? Answer: It is permitted to cry in prayer… Read more »
Grinding Ice on Shabbos
If one were to make ices before Yom Tov (basically a big peice of frozen juice), and before serving the ices one were to take the spoon rub it against… Read more »
Relief on Shabbos
Question: Is it permissible to urinate or defecate on grass or dirt during Shabbos? Answer: It is permitted to urinate on grass (O.C. 336:3). It is also permitted to defecate… Read more »
(Don’t) Turn OFF the Water!
Question: If I turn on a hot water tap on Shabbos by accident, am I allowed to switch it off? Answer: If you accidentally opened a hot water faucet on… Read more »
Preparing To Clean
Question: We are considering buying a mechanized dishwasher — but I am confused about a Shabbos-related issue. I often see families that are shomrei torah u-mitzvos wetting and brushing down their… Read more »
Don’t Be Blue on Shabbos
Question: Can I swish the toilet brush in the toilet with a bit of cleanser if it gets soiled on Shabbos? Answer: Cleaning a dirty toilet bowl with a toilet… Read more »
Urning a Cup of Tea Without Flasking
Question: We recently bought an electric hot-water urn for Shabbos. Previously we just stored water in a flask. This last Shabbos I found myself pouring hot water from the electric… Read more »
Patronising A Store That Is Open On Shabbos
Question: Am I allowed to patronize establishments that are not shomer Shabbos? For example, can we take our children or our students to a bowling alley that is open on Shabbos?… Read more »
Preparing For Motzei Shabbos On Shabbos
Question: What can I do towards the evening as Shabbos is leaving to prepare for the night? May I bring a tallis from my study to the living room for… Read more »
Preparing For A Test On Shabbos
Question: If students have a Jewish history test on Sunday, are they permitted to study for the test on Shabbos? Answer: It is permissible to study a Torah subject on… Read more »
Irreligious Visitors On Shabbos
Question: We are planning a trip to visit my parents abroad. My parents plan to invite a lot of relatives to visit while we are there. Many of them will… Read more »
Crockpot 2
Question: The issue with the crockpot has me concerned, not from a halachic perspective (I had the pleasure of learning hotmanah) but from a social one. Thousands upon thousands of upright, frum… Read more »
Crockpot – Shabbos
Question: If we use a crockpot on Shabbat, what do we need to do to it so that it is not “problematic”? Answer: In answering this question I will assume… Read more »
Light Right
Question: I light my Shabbos candles with another candle. When I’ve lit the last one, I’m left with a lit candle that I’d like to extinguish, but I remember learning… Read more »
Spousal Bosis
Question: While we were learning hilchos Shabbos last week, my wife had the following question (regarding the point that someone else cannot make one’s possessions into a bosis since the other person… Read more »
Women Eating Before Kiddush
Question: On Shabbos morning, is my wife required to hear kiddush prior to eating anything, or is it enough to make berochos before eating in order to be able to… Read more »
Taping Class on Yom Tov
Hi. I’m a college student and this yom tov I’m missing a lot of class time that is important to make up. Can I have a goy tape record the… Read more »
Folding Tallis After Davening
Can one fold one’s talis after davening at shul and replace it in the talis bag, or would this be considered preparing for the next Shabbos? If I cannot fold… Read more »
Filter on Faucet
Is there a problem on Shabbos of using a water filter on one’s sink in New York City where there are supposedly small bugs in the water? By Turning on… Read more »
Placing Soda in Freezer
Can one put a soda in the freezer on Shabbos so this soda gets chilled and then take the soda out before anything freezes? Answer: It is permitted to put… Read more »
Washing Kiddush Cup
Can one rinse out the kiddush cup on Shabbos to prepare for the mitzvah of havdalah, or this is considered preparing for the weekday which is forbidden? Answer: If it… Read more »
Fixing a Hat on Shabbos
If a black hat gets crushed on Shabbos can one fix the hat back to its wearable form? Answer: It is permitted to straighten out the hat. Or Le’Zion (27:9)… Read more »
Shabbos in New Zealand
I heard there is a shailah about when to keep Shabbos when staying in New Zealand due to the date line. How do we pasken? Answer: There is a dispute… Read more »
Ordering the Sunday NY Times
May I order the sunday edition of the NY Times? Issues I know of: [1] The Sunday edition actually is delivered on 2 days — Saturday and Sunday. A number of years… Read more »
Non-Jew Carrying Baby on Shabbos
1. Is it permitted to ask a gentile to take a baby on Shabbos to a kiddush? Answer: Unless there is a great need and concern for a major loss,… Read more »
Taking book out of bag with muktzah items inside
Is there a problem of taking a sefer out of a knapsack on shabbos when one knows that there are muktzah objects (e.g. pens, calculator, etc.) inside? And is there… Read more »
Buying a New Fridge?
I am searching for a new fridge. Am I required to buy a fridge with a “Shabbos switch,” or can I buy a regular fridge and take out the light bulbs?… Read more »
Using a Thermos on Shabbos
Can I pour hot coffee into a thermos on Shabbos and put the plastic lid on it? Can I pour hot coffee into a thermos before Shabbos and open and close… Read more »
Placing Kugel on a Hot Plate (Shabbos)
1) Taking kugel out of fridge on shabbos morning, and putting it on a hot plate on top of a upside down foil container: is this a problem? 2) Can… Read more »
Wearing Two Coats
Is it mutar to wear an extra raincoat in rishus harabim in order to bring one over to a friend? Answer: The question of wearing two items of clothing for… Read more »
Mezuzah for Walk-In Closet
What is the minimum size room that requires a Mezuzah? I have a walk in closet & want to know if it requires a Mezuzah Answer: The minimum size room… Read more »
Ripening Tomato in Sun
Can one put a tomato in the sun on shabbos morning so the vegetable will ripen and hopefully be used for shalos shuedas? Answer: With the exception of un-dried figs… Read more »
Reciting Retzei After Havdalah
The Mishna Berura(Shulchan Aruch Siman 188 Sif Katan 32) brings down that if one would daven maariv motzei shabbos before bentching he should not bentch with retzai anymore. In another… Read more »
Washing Dishes on Shabbos
Is it muttar for my wife to wash dishes after shabbos lunch (or after 1st day yom tov lunch)even though the dishes will not be needed for shabbos- if it… Read more »