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Author Archives: Rabbonim of the Beis Hora'a

Buying a Smartphone during the 9 days / 3 weeks.

Question: Can I buy a new Smartphone during the 9 days? During the 3 weeks? My old phone is seemingly on the way out, but slightly underperforming for now. I use it for work. Thank you! Answer: If it isn’t necessary, it should wait until after the nine days. Even after the nine days, make […]

Haftorah Klaf with colored illustrations ??

Question: Can a kosher Klaf of a Navi have illustrations in color. Illustrations done by someone other than sofer. Above and/or below the text? Written in Lithuania in the 1930s. Answer: It is controversial if it allowed to have pictures or not, l’chatchila it shouldn’t be done, but in retrospect if it was already done […]

Can a Beit Midrash putr up a sign saying anyone they enters with a smartphone has to pay a penalty?

Question: I went to a certain Beis midrash with my smartphone and after leaving noticed a sign saying that anyone who enters with a smartphone has to donate money to the beis as a penalty. Is one required to pay? Does this fall under “daas baal habayis?” Answer: What an interesting idea! Halachically though, if […]

Women Davening

Question: Hi, Regarding  https://dinonline.org/2019/07/29/kavana-in-davening/ I have a follow up to a question. I asked about kavannah for women during shacharit. In your answer you mentioned that a women should ideally say Brachos, Parshas Hatomid, Baruch Sheamar, Ashrei, Yishtabach, Bןrkas Kriyas Shema, Shmona Esrei, and can add more if she has the time. In the linked article, […]

Buying clothes before Rosh Chodesh that will arrive during the 9 days

Question: If I have an online purchase that isn’t clear on exact arrival date, am I allowed to purchase it? Or if it will for sure come during the nine days is it permitted to buy the clothes? Answer: This is an interesting question. It would seem to be permitted to receive the package during […]

Reading Haftorah from klaf, Shmuel Aleph only?

Question: As a followup to question https://dinonline.org/2019/07/31/reading-haftorah-from-the-klaf-trei-asour/ What about Shmuel Aleph and Shmuel Bet? Suppose the Haftorah is from Shmuel Aleph, and we have a separate kosher sefer for Shmuel Aleph only. Can the Haftorah be read from the Shmuel Aleph scroll? Or are you saying that it is preferable to read from one scroll, […]

reply to “Honesty in Business/Commerce”

Question: Thanks so much for that information. If one item was purchased already, and since there is doubt as to whether the manufacturer was allowed to sell it, what is the proper way to disregard the item? May it be donated to a Jewish thrift store if it may have unintentionally been violating halacha to […]

Job Interview during the nine days

Question: Is it permissible to go to a.job interview during the 9 days if you currently do not have parnasa, although your spouse does. Delaying the interview until afterwards is not possible as the person will be travelling for 2 weeks. What about preparing for.the interview including laundering appropriate clothes,. showering and shaving? Answer: If […]

Reading haftorah from the klaf, trei asour

Question: Suppose the Haftorah is from Amos. Can one read from a klaf that is only Sefer Amos by itself? Or can one only read from a full set of Trei Asour in one scroll? Answer: Trei Asar is one sefer that has 12 parts to it, and if it is missing the other 11 […]

Use of real estate property awarded un-halachically

Question: If someone takes a person to a civil court, against their wish, and obtains an award of property again that person. When that award is discretionary on the part of the judge, and also not in accordance with halachic guidelines, can the awardee keep the property in the spirit of ‘what was done was […]

Honesty in Business/Commerce

Question: Hello, Thank you so much for your help. My question is regarding buying clothing items directly from a manufacturer. Let’s say a famous fashion company contracts a manufacturing company in China to produce their clothes. When the items are sold in the US, they are a retail price. Is it stealing from that fashion […]

Honesty in Business/ Store Credit

Question: Hello, Thanks for your help. My question is regarding a recent online purchase. I ordered two items, and the package was delivered and I did not open the box yet as the delivery was very recent. I noticed that the company I ordered from was running a further discount on the sale items. Both […]

Is it permitted to mix granola into yogurt on Shabbos

Question: There is a yogurt product on the market now which features a portion of granola that is intended to be mixed in with the yogurt and eaten. May one mix this granola into the yogurt on shabbos or is this not allowed due to losh. Answer: It is hard to give an exact answer […]

Commercial Laundry, on Chol Hamoed and during the nine days

Question: Shalom. Part of the responsibilities being employed in the food services industry (owned by a Jew) involves laundry of the establishment’s cloths, towels, aprons, etc… Can the Jewish employees wash and wear clean aprons, etc… Thanks. Is this permissible during the 9 days and/or Chol HaMoed? Thank you. Answer:   On Chol Hamoed there […]

I have always given hair cuts to my children during the 3 weeks (not during the 9 days of course

Question: is there a halach or Shilchan orach that forbids giving hair cuts during the 3 weeks? Thank you Answer: The Rema 551-3 writes that we do not give haircuts during the three weeks. This applies even to adults giving a haircut to a child see M:B 551-81, that there are two reason why  an […]

Is it considered loshon hora to mention that someone cried (a woman)?

Question: Someone acted negatively to someone and caused them to cry. While rebuking the culprit, I mentioned that they caused the other person to cry. I later regretted mentioning that. Did I speak loshon hara? Answer: It doesn’t seem to be lashon hora to say that someone was hurt badly. Besides most women don’t feel […]

Who Matur’s wearing a Tallis in the street on Shabbos to and from Shule/Bais Medrash?

Question: Rav Yaakov Kaminetsky, ZT”L was against it. Now we see many Frum Yidden wearing their Tallis to Shule on Shabbos and home after Davening and some are Noheig to make Kiddush in their Tallis at home before removing it, but not folding it of course. Can you please tell me the Makor for this […]

Public Internet speech

Question: I have a Bein Adam l’chavero question. About a year ago there was a rabbi who posted a torah shiur on youtube. A Hasid, “Reuven”, wrote a comment about something the rabbi said (It wasn’t bad, just making a point), and this person, who appears to be a recent ba’al teshuvah “Shimon”, started ranting […]

Hanging new pictures during three weeks.

Question: May you hang new picture frames , as well as old pictures, during the three weeks if it’s before the nine days? This includes a new wall clock. Answer: All of these may be hung during the three weeks, as the prohibition not to decorate ones house only applies during the nine days. Best […]

Is conditioning a loan on agreement on the borrower to a specific form of payment, which will benefit the lender considered ribbis?

Question: Dear Rabbi: Scenario: Reuven applied for a mortgage from his bank and was turned down because he did not have enough monthly income. He turned to his friend Shimon, who heads a local Kollel, and said to him: “I know that you are in desperate need of funds to cover your monthly Kollel budget. […]

New laptop & semi-new veggie during the 3 weeks

Question: Hi, I just got a new laptop (ordered before the 3 wks). Is it in any way similar to the new clothing rule during this period? Should I avoid using it until after 9 Av? (I am kind of excited to use it, if that matters.) Even if it’s not in the same category […]

If I missed the yahrtzeit, is there any significance in going 3 days later?

Question: Today was my son’s 11th yahrtzeit. I was unable to go to the kever due to another child being in the hospital and being discharged only today. (My family did go.) Is there any point in going on Sunday or is that just like going at any other time? Answer: It is said that […]

Segulos

Question: ,לכבודו Are there any ראשונים or אחרונים (or earlier גדולים) that bring down סגולות regarding: 1. finding a שידוך 2. and bringing משיח closer? Thank you, Answer:   There are numerous segulos that are brought, but the first and most important one is to daven. Aside from that, there are those that say to […]

What was first 2nd Beis Hamikdosh or Purim?

Question: Did the events of Purim take place before or after the 2nd Beis Hamikdosh. Rashi following Seder Olam says Purim was first. Pirkei D’Rabbi Eliezer 49 says Achashveirosh was the last Persian king which would put Daryovesh and therefore the 2nd Beis Hamikdosh before the events of Purim. Answer: Purim technically took place in […]

make one blessing on teflin after leaving the bathroom

Question: Kvod Harav Shlita in the end of https://dinonline.org/2011/04/07/tefillin-after-bathroom/#comment-132519 You said that “Some write that those who usually make two blessings on tefillin should only make one blessing after leaving the bathroom.” who might that be? thank you Answer: I haven’t seen such an opinion.

Painting during the three weeks

Question: Hi. You mentioned https://dinonline.org/2013/06/24/the-three-weeks/ that painting during the three weeks is praiseworthy to refrain from, however my question is I have a investment property that’s going to become vacant within the next week and I need to paint it before I can re-rent and therefore would be potential loss of money if I can’t […]

Kohen marrying a convert’s daughter

Question: Are there restrictions on a Kohen marrying a converts daughter Answer: Assuming that she was conceived after her father became a convert, (meaning that she herself is definitely not a convert), then the halacha is as follows. If both of her parents are converts then it would be an issue, but if her mother […]

Is street photography allowed?

Question: Dear rabbi, I enjoy the art of photography in my free time and document the world around me through the lense of my camera. I do not take untznius pictures or pictures of people in difficult circumstances. I also never take photos of celestial bodies, churches, idols or any statues. I usually don’t ask […]

Taking furniture apart on Shabbat

Question: I know that “boneh” is one of the melahot that are forbidden on Shabbat. I assume, but was never certain, that destructing things that you have built — such as disassembling furniture — is also issur on Shabbat and hagim. Thank you in advance! Answer: In general you  are right, but there are a […]

Eating a questionable kezayis

Question: When eating by a host on Shabbos one is occasionally faced with a situation where the guest has more exacting standards of observance than the host. What should one do when eating by a host on Shabbos and being given a small piece of challah after hamotzi (which is just barely a kezayis according […]