For donations Click Here
Ask Question

Author Archives: Rabbonim of the Beis Hora'a

people seeking love before marriage

Question: dear rabbi, the hohen feiertage are nearing and maybe an opportunity for meeting the bashert – אויב דער אויבערשטער וויל. in any case shammai was straight. women nowadays seem to look for love. that is not the base for a marriage. isn’t it totally wrong to long for love in the other gender before […]

Using honeycomb honey on Rosh Hashana

Question: Would honey packaged with the bee’s wax (honey comb) be kosher? A religious friend suggested that there may be bee particles in the honey, therefore, rendering it unkosher. I have never heard of this situation and we have been buying honey for several years. Shana Tova, Answer: The idea your friend  brought up is […]

G-d’s name in Nechemiah 13

Question: Please see Nechemiah 13:1. This verse quotes Devorim 23:4. Why change Hashem to Ha-Elokim? Similarly, why does Verse 2 substitute elokeinu for Hashem elokecha. Answer: Two interesting point, but unfortunately I don’t have an answer for you. I looked around but I haven’t seen anyone who talks about these points. Kesiva Vchasima Tova

Employing two halachos L’Moshe M’Sinai at same time

Question: I remember learning that there may be an issue of using two halachos L’Moshe M’Sinai at the same time (Rabbi Akiva Eiger maybe?). Halacha l’maaseh can one make a sukkah employing lavud and gud asik which is very commonly used by many? Attached: Attached file 1 Answer: R’ Akiva Eiger (Shut) 1-12 says it […]

Am I allowed to reinvest interest/dividend income?

Question: Hi. I understand that in giving tzdaka in the form of ma’aser any profits I have from investments held are subject to ma’aser. I have investments in funds that pay dividends. Since they are funds that are meant to be held over the long term (40 years), my bank has given me the option […]

Tachanun During Selichos when at a Bris

Question: Do we say Tachanun at the end of Selichos when there is a Bris at the end of davening? Answer: If the selichos is before also hashachar, everyone agrees that tachanun is said. Even after daybreak it is controversial, and according to a number of poskim we still say tachnun. This is because the […]

Maaser for money given to buy a specific thing and maaser to one’s children

Question: I was given money by someone to buy a specific thing for my child, do I need to give maaser from this money? I’ve given maaser for years from my income but this year things are very tight. My husband says I really should be using the maaser to buy our children what they […]

Bracha for Pretzilla brand Soft Pretzel Bread Bites

Question: What is the bracha for Pretzilla brand Soft Pretzel Bread Bites. They are bite-size soft pretzel made for a snack, but the same as any soft pretzel. Answer: Since it is made and looks like it is made for a snack, the bracha will be mezonos, unless you are going to eat a real […]

kashrut of supplements

Question: My doctor has recommended that a take a sublingual spray supplement to boost my energy and immunity. One of the ingredients in it is bovine colostrum. Am I allowed to take it? Answer: In consultation with a kashrus professional, taking the supplement is problematic. This is because even if we assume that the colostrum […]

Follow on question – Two Brothers marrying two sisters

Question: Just following on the question that I found the site https://dinonline.org/2016/01/18/2-sisters-marrying-2-brothers/ I once heard, that if they do, the brothers cannot live in the same city, is this true? Answer:   Before answering your question, it should be noted that such topics should be discussed in person with one’s personal Rov. See Nitei Gavriel […]

Kesubos 110 – Living in a city

Question: On Kesubos 110b Rabbi Yose ben Chanina uses Nechemiah 11:2 to show that living in a city is difficult. Given the circumstances of Yerushalayim in the days of Nechemiah, how can Rabbi Yose extrapolate from here to all cities? Answer: You are asking an interesting question. The sefer Zechor Lavrohom (brought in Yalkut Biurim […]

At what point may we cook wine to avoid yayin nesech and stam yainum

Question: I would like to make my own wine. However I will not be able to watch over it the entire time to assure it has not been touched by a nuchri. May I cook the grapes in hot water PRIOR to adding in yeast and any extra sugar I want to put in, and […]

Working the night shift- Shachart, Negel Vasser, Birkat HaTorah, HaMapil

Question: I am starting a job soon that will require me to be up all night. My shift will end just before the zman for Shacharit with tallit and tefillin. I plan to daven shacharit after finishing work and then go to sleep, waking up around noon. The question is: 1) Should I do negel […]

Spray tan on shabbos

Question: Is it mutar to use spray tan on shabbos? The spray tan is a bronzing spray. Answer: Spray tan should not be used on shabbos, because we are not allowed to color our skin on shabbos as it is tzoveiah. Even going into the sun specifically to get a tan is controversial, and those who […]

Shofar on Shabbos, etc.

Question: I don’t understand why the gemara says that a shofar (or lulav or megillah) isn’t taken on Shabbos because of the chashash of taking it into the reshus harabbim if we know that there isn’t really any reshus harabbim anyway….Thanks. Answer: Why do you write that we know there are no reshus horabim? In […]

Ashkenazi Davening in sfardi minyan

Question: The minhag in this sfardi minyan is to daven mincha with the chazzan starting shmone esrei out loud and everyone also starting with him. Everyone says kedusha and then everyone continues queitly. What should an ashkenazi do in terms of morid hatal, nakdishach instead of nikadesh. Do you say leumasam and uvidivrei? if yes […]

Children attend simchos when a parent is sitting shiva

Question: Can children attend a Simcha when their parent is sitting shiva Answer: The halachos of “misablim imo” that the child or relative of a mourner, mourns together with them, only applies if the relative is in the same city, but not if they are in a different city. It also only applies to a […]