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Author Archives: Rabbonim of the Beis Hora'a

Can one brush off snow from suede boots on Shabbos?

Question: Can one brush off snow from suede boots on Shabbos? They will be damaged otherwise. Answer: Although suede looks like leather, the poskim (Shimiras Shabbos Khilchoso 15-41, Orchos Shabbos 13-19) consider it like other garments. Therefore if the snow is fresh and it didn’t start melting yet, it can be brushed off lightly. Best […]

Hasagas Gevul and Chevra Kadisha

Question: A for-profit “chevra kadisha” operates and charges $170 per 8 hours of shmira. The business owner collects $50 per shift for himself. (The “going rate” in our market is $110-$120 per shift). Would it be hasagat gevul for an alternative chevra kadisha that functions as a nonprofit to replace the for-profit? The nonprofit chevra […]

Turning a dairy popcorn maker into pareve

Question: How do I turn a dairy popcorn maker into pareve Answer: There is no need to kasher the popcorn machine. The reason is since the machine was not used within 24 hours, and the taste of milk would only be nat bar nat, it is permitted l’chatchila  to eat food from it after eating […]

A woman to do electrolysis on a man, permitted or not?

Question: May a jewish woman do electrolysis on a male, not knowing if he is jewish or not? One concern is if he is jewish there are places which would not be allowed for him to do electrolysis and thereby be problematic for her to do it for him. Also, being that this is a […]

Davening SE loudly for sick person who can’t daven himself

Question: There is a person who is not able to daven on his own because he r”l had a stroke and it takes him very long to say the words. Therefore, the eitza that is done is someone stands next to him by SE and davens in a way that is audible to him (e.g., […]

Can I make a shachris minyan and Bris in a Conservative temple?

Question: Can I make a shachris minyan and Bris in a conservative synagogue which no longer has any services on a regular basis ( I am not sure about the high holidays). If not, would the hallway be any different? Answer: R’ Mםshe Feinstein Zt”l writes that we are not allowed to make a minyan […]

Is there a preference which side of the Aaron one approaches from when he goes to do Pesicha?

Question: Hi, Is there a preference which side of the Aaron one approaches from when he goes to do Pesicha? Answer: There is no preference which side to go to the aron to open it. However when the torah is taken to and from the bimah, it should be done while walking to the right. […]

How many people should stand by the Bimah during Kriyas Hatorah

Question: Hi, How many people should stand by the Bimah during Kriyah, and when do we need that many people? ty Answer: Halachically there has to be two people standing by the bimah when he torah is read, therefore if the baal koreh gets the first aliya someone else should be standing by the bimah […]

Soy Milk Ice Cubes in Coffee on Shabbos

Question: Hi, We decided to try to freeze our extra soy milk into ice cubes so that it wouldn’t spoil. Is there a problem to put the frozen soy milk cubes into a hot coffee on Shabbos? (There is some extra frost from being in the freezer on the ice cubes.) Thanks a lot. Answer: […]

Netilas yadaim after bathroom

Question: After using the bathroom, is one allowed to say asher yatzar without drying the hands, then wash for netilas yadaim? Thank you Answer: There are different opinions about this. There reason why some people dry their hands is the following. There is a concept in Hilchos Netilas Yodayim that if one touches water that […]

Did the jews travel in ships to Bavel

Question: Please see Yeshayahu 43:14 with Targum Yonasan and Rashi. Is it saying that the Jews went to Bavel in ships? If so, do we find this elsewhere in Tenach or other evidence of it? If they didn’t use ships, how did the Jews get to Bavel? Answer: According to the Targum and Rashi yes. […]

Parve noodles (maybe from dairy pot) warmed in meat soup

Question: I warmed up some chicken soup in a meat pot. I remembered that I had some frozen noodles in the freezer from a few months ago and decided to add them. After it was already cooked together and served into bowls I suddenly worried that I may have originally cooked the noodles in a […]

Trimming pubic hair (to prevent a rash)

Question: First of all I’d like to thank you for this service. I’ve read some your replies on the matter of men shaving and trimming pubic hair (here for example https://dinonline.org/2016/03/23/pubic-hair-trimming-vs-shaving/) and I have two follow up questions. 1) According to every poll I’ve been able to find, a majority of males at least trim […]

Back of hand touches unclean

Question: Sometimes the back of my hand will touch something unclean (eg someone’s shoe, or the area above someone’s elbow, etc). Does this necessitate washing my hands? Thank you Answer: According to most opinions the hand extends until the wrist, and not only until the knuckles, therefore when any part of the hand touches an […]

Can I invite guests for shabbat meal during year of avelut for my father

Question: Can I invite guests for shabbat meal during year of avelut for my father Answer: Hamakom yinachem eschem b’toch shar aveilei Tzion v’Yerushalayim Regarding your question, it is permitted, as an avel is allowed to invite guest to his home during the year of aveilus. Best Wishes

Can one give evidence of the wrongdoing of another jew

Question: I witnessed a car accident with one driver very clearly at fault to everyone. A car drove right into the side of another car that was stopped at a red light right in front of me. The light turned green both cars pulled over to the side. I pulled over next to the guy […]

Caterer under-cooked green beans and claims that this is the norm

Question: I ordered trays of ready green beans to serve at a simcha, they just had to be heated up. When served, they were perfectly edible but slightly under-cooked and crunchy. I contacted the caterer and he told me: this is the 21st century and this is the way the green beans are served. Had […]

Opening food packages on shabbos

Question: I have two questions 1) Some food containers contain a piece of tape that is used to keep the package closed. When one wants to use the package, he lifts up the piece of tape at the opening, and then retapes it when he is finished. Is this permissible? 2) I know that when […]

Taking three steps in shemoneh esrei in a crowded place

Question: If I am davening in a crowded place, such as a shul, where there are many other people davening around me, I sometimes find it difficult to take three full steps forward and three full steps backwards in the beginning and end of shemoneh esrei. What should I do in this situation? Answer: Before […]

Baby with dirty diaper?

Question: What’s the halacha regarding davening around babies? Am I mechuyav to check their diaper to see if it’s soiled, before davening? Is it considered covered? How about if it doesn’t smell? Thank you for providing such a valuable service for klal yisroel! Answer: According to a number of poskim, you do not have to […]

Status of dips made in meaty blender

Question: Hi, I was wondering what the status of dips would be if they contained garlic and were made in a meaty blender / hand blender. Though we generally don’t eat the dips with dairy, do the dips remain parve or does one have to wait to eat dairy after eating these dips? Thank you. […]

Ma’aser on money given to cover “general” expenses

Question: I traveled to visit my non-observant parents over the bein hazmanim. I was given a certain amount of money to cover expenses that would arise during my visit without any particular instructions. Is this nonetheless considered as if the money was given to me for specific use and is therefore exempt from ma’aser? Thank […]

playing in an orchestra during aveilut

Question: Hi, A congregant of mine recently learned to play the violin (during the last 4 years). Since then he has been invited to join an orchestra for people learning music later in life. They are all amateurs and learning to play together. The question is A. can he continue to study the violin. B. […]

3 Shabbos questions: wearing a jacket around one’s shoulders, making reminders, “magic slate”

Question: 1) In an area without an eiruv, can one take off one’s jacket outside on Shabbos and wear it tied around one’s shoulders, or would that be considered carrying? 2) If one suddenly remembers something important on Shabbos (something one needs to do on Sunday), is it permitted to make a reminder (for example […]

Snooker Cue on Shabbos

Question: May one unscrew the snooker (pool) cue on Shabbos to get a shorter length and screw the it back together to its normal length? Please see image attached. Attached: Attached file 1 Answer: If it is the normal for it to be screwed and unscrewed, then it is permitted because then it is considered […]

Opening tuna can on shabbos

Question: Is there any issue with opening a tuna can on shabbos, as far as making a Pesach yafeh etc.? Answer: According to some poskim there is, see Kovetz M’bais Halevi 6 pg, 45, Shulchan Halevi chap.8-8, Megilas Sefer 14-4, Orchos Shabbos 11 ftnt. 61, 12 ftnt.10 in the name of R’ Eliyashiv zt”l. However […]

lashon hara : clarifying question

Question: Hello, Thanks for your help. I wanted to clarify my previous question. Is asking someone to repeat the name of the person they spoke lashon hara about considered lashon hara too (asking to repeat for the purposes of doing teshuva for listening to the lashon hara to begin with). Thanks for your patience, I […]

Tefila when taking out sefer torah

Question: Someone once told me that the tefila said when taking out the sefer torah is very important and powerful, but he didn’t explain why. Can you please enlighten me what’s so special about it and why is it written in aramaic? Thank you Answer: In the Siddur Sharei Rachamim (by a student of the […]