May you fold napkins on Shabbos Answer: Yes, napkins may be folded in the normal manner, as when setting the table. Sources: see Rivevos Efraim 1:223:9 in the name of Rav Moshe Feinstein.
Author Archives: Rabbi Akiva Dershowitz
Scammed on Real Estate Deal
Hi Shulem Alycham I bought a deal in real estate based on the income the owner gave me his privet mortgage and signed a sthar heter eska after 6 mounts we see that the deal was only a scam the owner put in not real tenants just to be able to shoe tenants in the […]
Washing Hands in Place of Mikvah
Its brought in the caf hachayim and ive also heard in the name of the baal shem tov that if a man cannot get to the mikva then he can wash his hands in a certain way with the kavanos of the name YKVH so does a person need to be makpid on chatzitza on […]
Army Reserves on Shabbos
I have a position available in the army reserve. However, the days they require you to be there are weekends. Am I allowed to work on shabbos in the army reserve? Answer: Assuming the work includes any form of Shabbos transgression, whether Biblical or Rabbinic, this would be forbidden on Shabbos. Only in the instance […]
Start of Taanit Ester on Plane
Hi, I am flying BeZ”H on Tuesday night, March 22, at 11:50 PM to Israel. At what point during my flight do I begin fasting for Taanit Esther? Thanks! Answer: The fast begins at Alos Hashachar. The question is, when exactly is Alos Hashachar on this flight? Below are estimates from chaitables.co, these times are […]
Spray Tan Before MIkvah
Is having a spray tan befor Mikva permissible or is it a chatzitza? Answer: A spray tan which works by creating a chemical reaction in the skin to create it’s own pigmentation is not a problem. There is a kind of spray tan that uses make up like spray or powder which colors the skin […]
Missed Bracha in Shmone Esrei
If one has a safek if he skipped a bracha in S”E (due to spacing out during davening), does he need to repeat S”E, or is there a chazaka that he said everything correctly? What about if he already stepped back? Answer: If one already finished davening and has doubt if he skipped a bracha, […]
Davening in Sandals
Hi in Simon 91 Halocha 5 in the mishna berura seif koton 12 and 13 . It seams to be saying that you can daven with sandals or ur feet exposed in countries where it is Hot and its not disrespectful infront of the gedolim of that place . my question is Have I misunderstood […]
Email Written on Shabbos
A Chiloni man wrote me an email on shabbos. May I read it after Shabbos. I am not sure, but I think that his family is shomer shabbas and he left the “derech”. Thank you Answer: It may be read after Shabbos. Benefiting from a Shabbos violation is permitted by others [who did not do the […]
Birthday in Leap Year
my son was born on a regular adar it was not a leap year and this year he is turning 3 . when would someone give a haircut on adar 1 or adar 2 Answer: Cutting a child’s hair at the age of three is a custom from recent generations and not based on the […]
Missed Word in Megila
The M.B says that if one missed a word of the megilah he can be yotzeh bedevied by reading from a chumash. What does bedevied mean in this case? 1. One should hear the meggilah again but if one didn”t he is yotzeh bedevied (since bedevied means after the fact). 2. If after the fact […]
Cutting Shabbos Candles
A person should not cut tzitzit string with a metal object. Can a person trim Shabbos candles or cut them with a metal scissor or knife? Answer: Candles may be cut with metal. Tzitzis have a unique custom because they have the merit to bring long life, so we don’t cut with “sword” like instrument […]
Disposing of Old Bread
How should one treat left over old bread or challah? Halachically, how can it be thrown away? Answer: It may be wrapped up in a bag and then thrown away. Sources: SHulchan Aruch O:C 171:1, Chaye Adam 11:32, See Shu”T Hissorerus Hateshuva [2:183], Sefer Etz Hasadeh 11:1 in the name of Rav Elyashiv.
Mourner Getting Aliyah to Torah
what is the source for the jewish custom that a mourner should get an aliyah or maftir if he is in the synagogue Answer: This custom dates back thousands of years. It is based on the Medrash which tells of Rebbi Akiva who met a deceased soul who was suffering from Gehinom. The sould instructed […]
Mussaf Late in Day
can i still daven mesif for today R”Ch at 5:00 pm Answer: Mussaf may be said until sunset [shkiyat hachama].
Yortzeit on Shabbos
A person has a Yahrzeit on Shabbos. He is capable for Maftir and to Daven for the Amud. The Shul has already offered and he has had Maftir and the Amud at other times. If he is the one person with a Yahrzeit on the day of Shabbos while others have Yahrzeit in the coming […]
French’s Crispy Fries Onions
I prepared chicken cutlets with French’s crispy fried onions by baking it in the oven at 350 degrees for about a half hour last week. I recently noticed that someone posted on Facebook that this product (FRENCH’S crispy fried onions) is made in dairy equipment. THey posted it on a site where people exchange recipes […]
Preference in Brachos
Hello, If someone is choosing between two fruits, (both non 7 species) to recite the bracha over and one is larger but specifically right now he desires the smaller one (in general he prefers them equally), which should they recite the blessing over? Thank you! Answer: The blessing should be made on the one you […]
Grain Drinks
If something comes with grain wheat, barley, in liquid form, what would the blessing be? Thank you Answer: A drink, even which contains grains, remains the blessing of Shehakol. Sources: Mishna Brura 294:16, Shulchan Aruch O:C 208:6
Pitum Haketoret Klaf
I received a klaf with PITOM HAKETORES, and the Lmnzach Menorah. Can I add nekudot/ mapik HEY dot with a pencil so that I can read it better? Answer: Yes, this would be permissible as this klaf is only a custom as does not have the rules of a Torah, Mezuzah or Tefillin. Nevertheless, common […]
Convincing Buyers
Many stores have a minimum sales amount in order to use a credit card. ($5 minimum or $10 etc). In order to reach the minimum, people purchase items that they would not have otherwise purchased. Is there not a halacha prohibiting “convincing” a person to buy something they do not really want to buy? Would […]
Aveilus on Purim
As as an aveil for my father am I allowed to receive and/or send mishloach manos. Also, am I allowed to hear music on Purim if I eat the seuda by family like my children where groups come and sign and dance with music. Answer: You may and should send Mishloach Manos. You should not […]
Metzitzah
I have a very interesting question about metzitza in general. The Talmud brings many medical recommendations that we do not follow nowadays, and which are said to have dangers associated with not following them, such as walking on cut nails, etc. In the case of metzitza we are told that there is a danger according […]
Avel on Purim
I am in the year of aveilus for my father and have some questions about the halachas of Purim Can I attend someone else’s seuda? Where there will likely be music? Are there limits to my own seudah? In terms of the amount of guests I can invite? Can I have music playing in my […]
Zman Tefillah
It is 9:58am and sof zman tefillah is 10am. What do I do? Say shmoneh Esteh fast to finish by 10am or say it slow and finish after 10am. Answer: You should say it fast and finish before the end of zman tefillah. Sources: Mishna Brura 89:5, 58:5, 110:1, 233:14 cf. Aishel Avraham Siman 89, […]
Halacha and Prophecy
Prior the the Men of the Great Assembly, could halacha be determined by prophecy? Answer: The Torah was given over though a prophecy to Moshe Rabbeinu and all of the Jewish people. Many halachos were also taught to us by the Neviim, who received them through prophecy. At this point, before the period of the […]
Yortzeit in Leap Year
My father z”l passed away last August, on 24 b’Av in Tel Aviv. He was buried on 25 b’Av . We are not sure, since this is leap year, if the Yahrzeit is on 24 b”Av, which falls on 8/28, (which would be 13 months later) or after 12 months, which falls on 25 b’Tamuz […]
Peeling Carrot on Shabbos
Can a person peal a carrot with a serrated knife using the serrated edges as the peeler on Shabbos/yomtov? Answer: A knife may be used to peel a carrot for immediate use on Shabbos. A peeler is prohibited for use.
Coed Therapy
Im a play therapist. I am co-facilitating an expressive group with another therapist for other professionals. due to a misunderstanding, there are also males in this group. is this a problem? Answer: This would depend on the nature of the therapy and the group, which I am not familiar with. If all guidelines of tznius […]
Bishul Yisrael for Sefaradim
What exactly is ‘Bishul Beit Yosef L’Sefardim’? Is it a higher/stricter form of Kashrut? Answer: There is a dispute between the Beit Yosef and Rama with regards to the prohibition of Bishul Akum, not eating foods cooked by a non Jew. The stringent opinion of the Beit Yosef is that a Jew must actually put […]
Basic Jewish Beliefs
1)How comes Jews no longer practice polygamy? 2)In modern Judaism, can a Jew married more then one wife? His he allow to marry more then one wife, in other words. 3)How comes messianic Jews are not consider Jews? 4)Is a Jew allow to believe as Jesus as the messiah, and Muhammad as a prophet? In […]
Law Suit Affecting Jew
If I have a house next door to me that belonged to a goy and i am in middle of a law suit with him and the property has a lien on it, comes along a yid and buys this property, knowing that i have the lien on it .Do i need to drop everything […]
Mayim Achronim, Toveling China, Women’s Prayer
Kavod Harav, 1. I was told recently that there is an opinion that one must do mayim achronim only if there are three men for a zimun. I’d never heard of this. Is this true? 2. Would it be permissible for a woman to do netilat yadayim, refill the natla for her husband, and then […]
Spouses Switching Beds
Is there a halachic problem with a husband and wife switching beds? I can see that it could be a problem when the wife is a niddah so is it ok to wait when the wife is not niddah, decide then that from now on this will be the wife’s bed and the other will […]
Parve Bowl in Dishwasher
If I wash my metal kitchen aid bowl in my fleshig dishwasher does that mean the bowl is no longer parev? I would like to use it to make dough that will be used for milchig pizza… Answer: Ideally, if you want to use the bowl for parve that will be used with dairy it […]
Emails on Shabbos
What is the Halacha concerning automatic emails that are sent out on Shabbos? So firstly the question is if altogether one is permitted to arrange for an email to be sent out automatically during Shabbos. Secondly, if it is permitted, what if a Jew who is not observant receives that email and therefore opens it […]
Brown Rice Wraps
What brocha should be said on gluten free, brown rice tortilla wraps? (Assuming that cheese will be melted on it)? Answer: If rice is the majority ingredient the bracha would be Mezonos and Borei Nefashos. If the majority is potato or tapioca or the combination of the 2, the bracha would be shehakol.
Loan Arrangement
The lender wants to lend 1,000 shekels to his friend, the borrower. The lender will give the borrower a check in shekels. Can the borrower pay him back in cash shekels? Can they make an arrangement to have the loan linked to the dollar rate of the shekel? Answer: A check loan may be payed […]
Stolen Inheritance
Inheriting / donating property mixed with stolen items. I inherited large amount of items amassed by an elder relative who passed away. I am also helping his widow to clear the house. First group of items in question is of low or no value: large amount of disposable items like paper napkins and paper towels […]
Changing Clothes
When changing in the bathroom, do I need to cover my nudity? When changing clothes and am nude, is it better to change in the bathroom, or cover up in a regular room? What if theres seforim in the room? Answer: In the bathroom, nudity does not need to be covered when changing. In a […]
Mikvah Miscalculation
I was on birth control for a while and had been skipping my period. Last month I went off birth control and got a very light period tht ended before the fifth day. On the fifth day i did a hefsek tahara but my husbadn and I miscalculated the 7 days and I went to […]
Agent to Deliver Charity
If a person sends true a shaliach tzedaka to another person is it permissible for the shaliach to maaser the money or take off a certain amount of the money before it reaches the person Answer: I am not sure I understand the question fully. If A gave B a certain amount of money to […]
Part Time Work
I have been working for a kashrut rabbinical organization as a mashgiach for over a month and a half. They are extremely satisfied with my work and have told me so. Originally, I replaced the regular mashgiach who was on vacation and was asked to come in for just one week. Ever since, they call […]
Escorting Down the Aisle
What is the minhag when a child orphaned of a parent( or of both) R”L walks down the aisle to the Chuppah? Who , if anyone, walks them down? Please list the mekoros. Answer: Presumably, the living parent wants to walk with their child to the chuppah. She may be accompanied by a sibling, grandparent […]
Repaying Loan
If I lend money to someone for a week, and I give him a deposit slip to make the deposit for me into my bank account when the loan is due, is that a potential problem of ribbis by asking him to not only return the money but deposit it for me to my account […]
Runny Chip Cookies on Shabbos
There is a kind of cookie called a runny chip, which has chocolate a solid chocolate filling in the center that melts when you heat it up. It is generally served warm with the ice cream on top. My question is whether warming this cookie on the blech on Shabbos would be considered nolad since […]
Maaser for Learning Program
Hi Rabbi, I have a question related to Maaser ksafim. I recently joined an online hilchos shabbos chaburah which work through the smicha syllabus and write periodic tests on the content. The program entails a monthly subscription which I assume goes to the operating costs of the Rav who manages the program, grades the tests […]
Girl Wearing Man’s Necktie
Is it permissible for a girl or woman to wear a man’s tie because of beged ish? Answer: There are neckties worn by women as well, so it would depend on the nature of the tie. If it is a style a woman would wear as well this would be no problem. If it is […]
Wasting Seed for Stress
Shalom, I had a discussion with someone who holds that there is a heter for engaging in shichvas zera levatala for the case he cannot fall asleep, ie it helps him falling asleep. He claims he is in a situation of oness, therefore he is not chaiav…thank you for your help Answer: This is incorrect. […]
Conflicts in Kibud Av Va’em
Shalom Rav, is there a priority regarding Kibud Av Va’Em? Example: My mother opened the window in the bedroom. Few minutes later my father opened the french window (door of the balcony) and because of the ventilation a glass door almost broke … So my father accused my mother (in a very unpleasent tone) for […]