1-Are you allowed to copy a music cd from somebody else for your personal use if you know you would’nt buy the cd or is it geneiva? 2-Is it muttar to ride a scooter on shabbos? Tizku Lmitzvos! Answer: 1 CD’s and other forms of music may not be copied, even if one was not […]
Author Archives: Rabbi Akiva Dershowitz
Holiday – Sabbath Pay
Rabbi, Shomer Shabos question, clarity please; My employer, (a Telcom in Qc, Canada,) is mandated to pay for statutory holiday work over and above my normal rate, (which is fun and fine by me, mostly; But I realise the ideal of federal or statutory holidays vary from time-to-time and palace to place.) This year the […]
Checking Dates for Infestation
Do pitted dates need checking? The information on this website seems to be for dates with pits, I wondered if there was a difference. Answer: They should be treated as dates with pits.
Credit Card Interest and Ribbis
Someone used my credit card and we agreed that she is responsible to pay the bill on time. She didn’t pay on time and we now have to pay interest on her balance, plus a late payment fee. Is it ribis if she pays it? Answer: Generally the owner of the credit card pays the […]
Amen After Mayim Achronim
Is one allowed to answer Amein between mayim achronim and starting benching? Answer: One should not answer Amen after Mayim Achronim, unless they can wash again after the Amen. Sources: See Aishel Avraham Siman 179 [in back of Shulchan Aruch], see also Sefer Tehila LDovid to Siman 181
Lashon Hara About a Shul
Is it lashon hara to say that in a certain shul, they daven fast (which is not necessarily a bad thing)? Answer: No, as long as is it not said in a disparaging, degrading way.
Reading Studies Done on Shabbos
I am a radiologist and the group I work for which is owned by a corporation has offices open on Shabbos in which they perform studies on outpatients. I don’t work in the offices on Shabbos, but the group asks that the docs over the weekend read out the studies and get compensated for doing […]
Gel Deodorant on Shabbos
Shalom Ha’Rav, I wanted to ask about applying gel deodorant on Shabbat. The specific deodorant at hand is this one: http://oldspice.com/en/content/fresh-sweat-defense-soft-solid-antiperspirant I’ve heard some say it’s soft enough to be applied, and others say the opposite. I’m not sure if it makes a difference, but I’m Sefaradi so maybe there are 2 psak halachot? Thanks! […]
Cutting Nails at Night
Shabua tob, I’d like to know if there is a mekor for what people say that one should not cut his fingernails at night. Thanks Answer: See Shu”t Yechave Daat from Rav Ovadia Yosef 4:20 who quotes from Rav Chaim Palagi that according to the kabala one should not cut hair or nails by night. […]
Killing Sick or Injured Animal
We live in a rural area, we found an adult native animal in a seriously injured condition, we were advised by our closest wild life rescue organisation that our only option was to have the police euthanise the animal as quickly as possible. We followed this advice. Is this halachically right Answer: Yes, as there […]
Replanting Fruit Tree
Shalom, I would like to know how to proceed regarding fruit collection from a tree which grew for four years in a container and it is then replanted. Todah rabah Answer: Re-potting the plant, meaning that the plant is transferred, earth and all, to another pot, does not affect the count of years for orlah. […]
Firearms on Shabbos
where can I find halachic response/sources for the use of firearms on Shabbos and YomTov Answer: The use of firearms would seem to include 3 possible Shabbos prohibitions: 1 The firing of the weapon itself. This involves creating a spark/explosion to fire the bullet, which would be a Biblical prohibition of lighting fire on Shabbos. […]
Glow in the Dark on Shabbos
Is something that has a glow in the dark component muktzeh ? Answer: No, this would not make it muktzeh. Sources: The Talmud, Shabbos 44a tells us that a lit candle is prohibited from moving on Shabbos. This is because the flame itself is muktzeh, and everything under it becomes a bosis [base] for the […]
Alarm Clock Sounding on Shabbos
what can you do shabbos if your alarm went off very loud, and is making your house a gehenom for everyone in the house, and waking everyone in middle of the nite isn’t an option, covering with a pillow will turn it off, maybe because it’s not a melocha shetzurech legufo, its permissible to turn […]
Mezuza for Housekeeper
BS´D MAY I PUT A MEZUZA IN MY HOUSE, DESPITE THE FACT THAT I´M NOT LIVING THERE, AND THE HOUSE KEEPER IS NOT JEWISH, AND DOES NOT KEEP KASHRUS INSIDE IT? NOTE: THE HOUSE KEEPER IS NOT LEASEHOLDER. BEST REGARDS. ZAJ GEZUNT! Answer: If you and all other Jewish residents have moved out permanently, and […]
Mistreatment of Animals
Dear Rabbi A neighbour in a building next to ours obtained a pet rabbit. I passed the rabbit every day on my way to Mikvah. It was placed in a very dirty backyard – with no food and no water. I saw it nibbling once (in desperation I guess) on a broken leaf of a […]
Research on Women’s Body
Is it permissible for a man who is a doctor doing research to see a woman’s private area, as that is the area of study to help women with incontinence. Thank You Answer: It is accepted practice for a women to use a male doctor when necessary, even for sensitive area such as OB/GYN. Because […]
Eating at Non Kosher Restaurants
Is there anything to be somech on to eat kosher fish and parve in a non kosher or fish restaurant when traveling? I usually don’t do it but I know modern Orthodox people who do it. And I was wondering since I travel a lot and it’s a very big hardship not to have any […]
Bracha on Soup and Croutons
Why do soup with croutons require a breach on the soup and the croutons. Aren”t the soup and croutons something that is mixed together and is eaten in the same spoonful. Answer: According to the general guidelines you are correct, we should seemingly need to decide on one bracha for this mixture. The Magen Avraham […]
Turning Off Ner Tamid
A shul in a nursing home is used as a multipurpose room. There is a door in front of the ark. But there is a space when it is closed. My question is Is there a halacha about turning off the ner tamid. when it is not shabbos? Answer: The minhag of having a ner […]
The Questionable Locksmith
Hello! A while ago our lock to our basement broke. My dad called a locksmith who was recommended to us telling him we needed the lock ASAP. The guy comes and replaces our lock. He charged my dad a few hundred dollars. A couple days after the locksmith leaves, my dad realizes that the lock […]
Amazon Delivery on Shabbos
Is it OK to order something from amazon knowing it’s going to come on shabbos Answer: If the delivery is specifically for Shabbos this would be prohibited, and included in the prohibition of Amira LAkum. However, if the agreement is that it must be there by Shabbos, but they can also deliver it before Shabbos, […]
Mistaken Yaaleh Vyavo
If an individual or a tzibbur thought it was Rosh Chodrsh on the wrong day and said yaleh veyavo, they need to repeat shmonei esrei for shachris and tashlumim for mariv too, correct? Answer: Incorrect, bdieved the tefilla is not repeated. Sources: See Mishna Brura 108:38 at the end from the Chaye Adam that once […]
Autopay on Yomtov
Is it permitted to enlist in autopay, which will pay bills for you even on Yom Tov? Details: I have a repetitive bill which is paid weekly. I want to pay using online banking where my bank will automatically issue and mail a check to the vendor every Monday. Is there an issue using this […]
Gentile Moving Menorah
may a gentile be asked to move a menora after the candles are out, for use of the area where the candles are situated?,- and if yes , is this ok to tell everyone , even not a ben torah ? Answer: A gentile may be asked to move a menorah after the candles are […]
Bracha Discrepancy – Quinoa vs. Rice
If the brocha for quinoa is an haadama because it’s not one of the five grains, then why is rice a mezonos? Answer: Rice is in fact an exception to the rule. Chazal ruled that since it has similarity to the 5 grains, it’s bracha becomes mezonos. While other foods may also share some similarity, […]
Start of Fast Day Mid Flight
i am leaving from new York to Israel on dec. 21 at 6:00 p.m. IY”H. it is asarah b;teves. when do I begin the fast. Thank you. Answer: The fast starts for you when it is Alos Hashachar [daybreak] where you are at the time. In your case this will about seven hours in to […]
Haircut After Shloshim
At what point after shloshim for a parent is one permitted to shave and get a haircut? Answer: When someone comments that his hair is very overgrown and he needs a haircut, this is referred to as “geara” and permits him to take a haircut. In absence of someone saying anything the custom is to […]
Bracha on Chulent Gravy
Does the liquid/gravy part of a cholent require it”s own berachah since it doesn’t become one entity with the soild part of the cholent. Answer: Although it does not become one entity entirely, it is viewed and eaten as one dish. As such the rules of Ikar and Tafel do apply and the gravy which […]
Damaged Book Compensation
Me and My friend always borrow things form each other since we are very close. One day I borrow a book from my friend and as I am returning it I notice that when I was using the book I had accidentally crumpled the some of the books pages and smeared some ink on a […]
Respecting Food
would it be a chillul hashem for one to refer to junk food as garbage in the presence of other people? Answer: While in the Gemara and Shulchan Aruch we find various halachos of treating food with respect, this refers to not physically disgracing the food and not to speaking disparagingly about food. Nevertheless someone […]
Yortzeit in Leap Year
I forgot the answer. I have Yahrtzeit for my father on ט אדר ב and for my mother on כח אדר. This year there are 2 חודש אדר. For my father it is certainly in אדר ב. For my mother is it אדר ב or אדר א? Answer: For one who was niftar in Adar […]
Cane on Shabbos with No Eruv
Temporarily, I have to use a cane in order to get to shul on Shabbat. There is no eruv in our neighborhood, I wonder whether carrying a cane, essential for walking, is permitted or forbidden? Answer: A cane is only permissible for someone who is totally immobile without it. One who can walk even a […]
Bloody Residue and Brachos
I am at work in Brooklyn. (I live in New Jersey, an hour and a half drive away.) I just went to the bathroom and I was trying to clean myself but no matter how much I try I do not have a goof naki. It is mostly blood residue from the skin of the […]
Two Names from Birth
Dear Dinonline: I am a ba’al teshuvah. I was raised in a reform congregation and my family not religious. I have a birth certificate from the hebrew organization of my parents affiliation that has my given hebrew name upon birth. It is Listed as Shmuel Yehoshua. It is curious to me as I did not […]
Checking Lentils for Bugs
How to check lentils for bugs Answer: There are liable to be insects among the lentils (as with other small legumes and with rice). In addition, lentils may be infested internally, like large legumes (such as dried beans and chickpeas). This holds true both for split and whole brown lentils. In some countries (such as […]
Working for Illicit Websites
What if you work at a public relations firm and the troubled website, Ashley Madison wants to hire you. (Ashley Madison is a website that matches married people so that they can have affairs) Can you take them on as a client even if what they do is unethical? Please state the torah sources that […]
Business with Catholic Church
is it l’halacha allowed to do bushiness with a catholic church? like providing them with IT systems or phone service? Answer: Yes, this is not providing them with material for their worship, which would be a question of lifnei iver, rather doing business and making money. The church would continue to function with or without […]
Hashgacha Pratis – Divine Providence
In Chulin 7b it says: “a person does not stub his toe unless it was decreed upon him on high.” How is it known that this, and hashgacha pratis in general, is still applicable today? Answer: The belief that Hashem knows, controls, and dictates every detail of existence in this world is one of the […]
Pleitos from Living Being
1. Is a davar chai polet? Say a live chicken fell into milk and was pulled out while still alive. I recall hearing that not, but I can’t find the source. 2. I was recently told that if you wash your hands for bread and someone touches your wet hands you only have to wash […]
Hachana by Non Jew
Is a non Jew allowed to do tircha that constitutes hachana from shabbos going into chol? The Taz, Magen Avraham, and Mishna Berura seem to say that all hachana is assur for nochrim, but I believe that there is a safek as to how the Pri Megadim holds on this matter. Some say he’s matir, […]
Tshuva from Love and Fear
I became observant a little over a year ago and I made teshuva on a certain avera that I dealt with the most, but the teshuva was mostly out of fear. I recently did the same avera after so long of battling it but this time I did teshuva out of pure love for Hashem, […]
Tasting Meat
If I taste with my finger to see how pot of mashed potatoes and meat is doing. Does it make me fleishic? Answer: If you swallowed some of the dish you would be fleishigs. If it was just put in your mouth but there was no chewing or swallowing you would not be fleishigs. Sources: […]
Avel Attending SImcha
i am an ovel just finished the shloshim and my nephew is having a bar mitzva on wednesday in lakewood and i would like to know if a i could go to the bar mitzvah and b if i can go to lakewood for the shabbos kiddush ? thanks Answer: During the year of Aveilus […]
Insulating Pot on Shabbos
Kavod haRav, I am Sephardic. Is there any way in which it would be permissible to have a pot of food on the plata covered with a towel on Shabbat? Such as transferring the food to a pot in which it was not cooked, putting a towel just over the lid, and then putting it […]
Removing Label for Tevilas Keilim
Do I need to remove the product label off the handle of a knife which is a design element of the knife and is not easily removeable and may damage the handle if I do try to remove it. It is a stick-on label but not stuck on as a price label but rather put […]
Birchas Kohanim in Beis Avel
Why can the shaliach ha tzibor say birkat ha kohen in the beis of oval? Answer: The general custom is that while there is no actual Birchas Kohanim in the bais avel, the Shaiach Tzibbur says the text of birchas kohanim which is said when there is no kohen. This is because while the custom […]
Makeup Removal on Shabbos
Hi, Is one allowed to rub away a stray streak of makeup on one’s face on shabbos? Answer: Yes, it may be removed. Sources: Shemira Shabbos Khilchisa 14:61, SHulchan Aruch 302:11, 613:1, Kaf HAchaim 161:27. cf. Chaye Adam 40:8.
Non Virgin Marrying a Kohen
Is there any possibility of allowing a woman who has cohabited with a non-Jew to marry a cohen? Answer: No, a kohen may not marry a woman who has cohabited with a non Jew. Sources: Shulchan Aruch, E:H 6:8
Intercourse During Pregnency
if the main reason for not ejaculating outside is because of wasting seed what if the wife is pregnant and wants intimacy but cannot handle intercourse Answer: The prohibition against wasting seed does not require that all seed be used only in an instance when a woman may become pregnant. Rather the requirement is that […]