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Author Archives: Rabbonim of the Beis Hora'a

Ate an omelette fried in a meaty pan, can I now eat lasagne?

Question: i ate an omelette fried in a meaty pan, onions and veg were chopped with a meaty knife, am i meaty, or can i now eat lasagne?? Answer: Yes you may eat the milky lasagne and you do not have to wait six hours. The reason is that the absorbe taste in the pot […]

Tashlumin for shachrais and musaf by mincha

Question: If a person was sick and did not daven shachris and musaf and now it is time to daven mincha (and there is enough time to daven all the tefillos), what is the proper order to daven? Also, does the person say anything in between the shemoneh esrays, or should he go straight into […]

Regarding brachah achrona, at what point is item not considered whole?

Question: If eating a single grape etc and one wants to avoid questions of bracha achrona, does biting the grape in half first suffice to render it not whole? Does it matter if that first half is or is not swallowed before eating the rest of the grape? Thank you Answer: If it is cut […]

Using light rail in Jerusalem due to chillul shabbos in its construction

Question: Much of the work for the light rail was done on Shabbos. If it took 3.5 years, then a half a year of it was done on shabbos. Is the light rail forbidden to use for a half year? Answer: The rule of waiting “bkdei shyaasu” only applies to the work that a gentile […]

To what limit can 1 jew charge another jew Interest with a heter iska.

Question: To what limit can 1 jew charge another jew Interest with a heter iska. Answer: There is no limit how little one Jew can charge another, as even a little bit is considered ribbis and forbidden. Therefore even a little bit would need a heter iska. Sources: Shulchan Aruch Y:D 161-1.

Can a Noahide man marry a non Noahide woman?

Question: Can a Noahide man marry a non Noahide woman? Answer: Yes he may. Being a Noahide is not a different type of religion, because according to Jewish law, all gentiles should be keeping the noahide laws. From a practical angle though, a Noahide may want to marry someone that will allow himj/her to keep […]

What constitutes a female as a besula?

Question: If a female had anal penetration (not fully and for maybe one second) from a male one time, but never vaginal, is she still considered a besula? Answer: Regarding her kesuba she would still be considered a besula. However if the person who made the penetration was a not Jewish, then marrying a cohen […]

Calling an repair company on Chol hamoed

Question: When would there be a heter to call an appliance service company to fix a laundry machine on Chol Hamoed (the main need of it is for right after yom tov and to schedule for after then would make it very challenging since they don’t come right away) Answer: Assuming that the company will […]

Does blood have to drawn for a bris

Question: If medical necessity (Chordee )requires a surgical procedure and hospital circumcision at 6 months of age, what does Jewish law require? Answer: The best thing would be to have a qualified circumciser (mohel) at the surgery to take care of the halachic requirements. If this is not possible, then as a last resort the […]

Honoring your parents in law

Question: My father in law talks loshan hora. As a matter of fact most of his conversation is name dropping and then talking in depth about them. He is an atheist. I was thinking about mailing him the “Guard Your Tongue.” And anonymously. Is this forbidden? Answer: Technically you are allowed to send him the […]

Netilat Yadayim for french fries with ketchup?

Question: hello, does a person have to wash his hands (netilat yadayim) when he dips food that are meant to be dipped in a liquid. For instance french fries in ketchup? thank you so much Answer: We do not have to wash our hands when eating something that has ketchup on it, based on a […]

May I use a nail file if didn’t cut nails before Y’T & now nail is chipped?

Question: May I use a nail file if didn’t cut nails before Y’T & now nail is chipped? Answer: Filing nails is considered like cutting them, and if they weren’t cut before Yom Tov they should not be filed. Sources: Hilchos Chol Hamoed (Zukier) pg. 29.

Am I pattur from sleeping in sukkah if the forecast says rain?

Question: Am I pattur from sleeping in sukkah if the forecast says rain? Are there any sources on this? Thanks Answer: The weather forecast has no bearing in halacha, and therefore the person has to eat and sleep in the succah. Sources: Kovetz halachos (Succos) chap. 16 ftnt. 2.

Filing nail on Chol hamoed

Question: Is there a place to be מתיר cutting my nails- or at least chipped one(s)- on Hoshanoh Rabboh, if I didn’t cut them before Yom TOV started? Answer: The minhag of the Ashkenazim and some Sefardim is not to cut nail on Chol Hamoed if they weren’t cut before the chag. the prohibition is […]

Can I pierce my ears on chol hamoad sukkot?

Question: Can I pierce my ears on chol hamoad sukkot? Answer: If the earrings are going to be put in to your ears on Chol Hamoed or on Yom tov then essentially it is permitted because it is “tzorech hamoed”, and it may be done on Chol Hamoed. However if you waited to do it […]

Packing a suitcase on Chol Hamoed

Question: I am flying the day after Yom Tov finishes. Am I allowed to pack my suitcases on Chol Hamoed for this purpose? Answer: You may pack the suitcase on Chol Hamoed. This is because it does not involve actual melacha, and it isn’t a very big tircha to do. Sources: R’ Y. Cahen shlit”a

Woman reciting bracha on lulav

Question: Do woman say a bracha every day of sukkot shaking the lulav? thank you Answer: Ashkenaziot do, but Sefardiot.don’t. This is because the Sefardi minhag is that women do not make a bracha on any mitzvah that is time oriented, however the minhga of the Ashkenazim is that the women do make a bracha. […]

Adding extra schach during chol ha moed

Question: We have an extra large sukkah. We purchased actual palm fronds which we used for our schach. Over yontif, the palms seemed to have shrunk because they have dried-out some. We are now noticing that some larger holes and areas where too much sky is showing. Can we add additional/new schach to the original […]

Can I read a business article or use contact lens solution on chol hamoed?

Question: 1) Can I read a business article on chol hamoed? 2) Can I use the regular contact lens solution (disinfectant) on chol hamoed? Thank you very much! Answer: You may read business articles on Chol Hamoed. The reason is because v’daber davar does not apply on chol Hamoed.  You may put your contact lenses […]

What Bracha do you make on an acai bowl?

Question: Hi, What Bracha do you make on an acai bowl? Here’s a link for reference: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/acai-breakfast-bowl-3363448 Thanks! Answer: It seems that this bowl is made of pureed fruit, therefore its bracha would be shehakol. The toppings would not get their own bracha since they are considered secondary to the mixture in the bowl. Sources: […]

Car backed out of driveway and ran over my lawn trimmer – is car driver obligated to pay?

Question: My son (age 13) has been doing lawn work for some of our neighbors for pay. He had put his trimmer at the end of a neighbor’s driveway while he was mowing. The neighbor came out of their house, got straight into their car and backed up over the trimmer. Trimmer is now broken […]

Israeli in chutz laaratz for 2 years. How many days yom tov does he keep?

Question: Whats the halacha for an Israeli who is in chutz laaratz for a job for 2 years. How many days yom tov does he keep? Answer: There are opinions that say that wherever a person is he keeps like the place he is in, however this is a minority opinion. According to most poskim, […]

What name I should use when I am called to the Torah?

Question: Shalom Staff, This is my second attempt to receive an answer about this question. My original question to you was not about what I’m called at this point because I have two first Hebrew names and I recognize Ariel as my name, even though it may or may not be the name I should […]

Tefilla for the government

Question: Dear Rabbi, Why is it that in most shuls that I have been in, I don’t see any tefillah for the American government if the Mishnah in pirkei avos says hevei mispallel bishlomah shel malchus and that’s even in an oppressive regime so shouldn’t we say it all the more so in this malchus […]

Yuntiff rules for observant Jews from Israel visiting USA

Question: An observant relative from Israel is arriving in Miami on Simchas Torah. Can an arrangement be made for her to be picked up at the airport (by a non-Jew) prior to Yuntiff being over in Miami? Thank you Answer: Although the relative that is arriving from Israel does not have Simchas Torah, and he […]

Place a cooked chulent in a pan on top of an upside down pan before shabbos

Question: Can you before shabbos place a cooked chulent in a pan on top of an upside down pan Answer: My understanding of your question is that you want to know if you are allowed to put an cholent that isn’t fully cooked on an upside down pan to serve as a blech, to allow […]

Writing Sefer Torah for a nonpracticing jew

Question: Can you write a Sefer Torah in honor of a deceased nonpracticing Jewish child Answer: It is permitted to write a sefer torah in honor of a deceased non practicing Jew. A Jew that is not Shabbos observant etc. may not actual write the sefer torah, however it may be written by an orthodox […]

Is a man allowed to have a manicure for tidy reasons given by a non Jewish woman?

Question: Manicure Answer: Please see the following post where a similar question was addressed https://dinonline.org/2012/04/08/services-for-the-opposite-gender/ Aside from that, if there is a special need, please specify it so your specific question can be answered. Best Wishes