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Author Archives: Rabbonim of the Beis Hora'a

When to light candle for Yizkor

Question: Dear Rabbi, I was wondering on the precise time to light the Yartzeight candle for yizkor. I have seen a view which states it should be lit after nightfall on the night before Yizkor. However, i was wondering if it is also possible to light a 48 hour Yartzeight candle before the first day […]

Can I mochel somebody if they borrowed money and didnt pay it back

Question: Can I mochel somebody if they borrowed money and didn’t pay it back? Ribit and debts are not good to have but what if you don’t remember if you were involved in any? Also if it was done unintentionally is it a problem. lets say someone was a child and traded something with ribit? […]

Is paying interest to a gentile considered ribit?

Question: Is paying interest to a gentile considered ribit? Does it have to be a Jew to be forbidden, or also if its to or from a non jew? Answer: The rules of ribit do not apply to loans given to or taken from a non Jew, therefore it is permitted. Sources: Y:D 159-1

If I stole and borrowed and didn’t pay back under thirteen am I still liable?

Question: If I stole and borrowed and didn’t pay back under thirteen am I still liable? I don’t really know how much I stole and and I wasn’t religious yet. Answer: The halacha is that a child that caused damage or stole is not liable and does not have to pay it back even after […]

Accidentally put meat in parve pot

Question: I accidentally put ground turkey (cold) into a metal parve pot to mix it. It was probably in there for about 90-120 minutes, cold the whole time. Do I need to re-kasher the pot? Answer: Since the turkey and the pot were cold, there was no absorption of taste and therefore just wash the […]

Raising hands after washing for bread

Question: How does one raise his hands after washing for Bread? How high? IS there a problem if the water runs down ones arms and back to the hands? Whats the proper way? Help Answer: The Shulchan Aruch says that when a person washes his hands he should raise them up in order that the […]

Listening to shiurim when one has an upset stomache

Question: If someone has an upset stomache to the point where they can’t wear tefillin, is he allowed to listen to shiurim online? It would be very hard if I can’t, but I understand that if that is what H-Shem wants, we have to follow His will even if it means what we can’t learn […]

Can I buy a merchandise for 1 dollar and sell it for two or three dollars?

Question: can i buy a merchandise for 1 dollar and sell it for two or three dollars? I want to know if there are any laws of pricing. if one charges only up to 1/6th the market price how does one really make that much profit. thank you so much Answer: You are allowed to […]

Why no bracha on Hashuvas Aveida

Question: Why don’t we say a bracha on the mitzva of Hashuvas Aveida Answer: There are a few reasons for this . One reason is because we don’t make a bracha on any mitzva that is dependant on someone else’s consent, such as giving tzedakah, returning a stolen item, mishloach manos, matanos l’evyonim or Hashovas Aveida, […]

What Bracha do you make on pureed butternut squash soup?

Question: What Bracha do you make on pureed butternut squash soup? Answer: The bracha on any pureed soup if there aren’t any pieces will be shehakol, this is because the butternut squash is no longer noticeable, therefore it loses it’s hoadomo status. This applies even if there are a few pieces of squash in the […]

Severe OCD, disturbing thoughts of vows and oaths, accidentally saying “yeah”

Question: I keep getting disturbing, unwanted thoughts of vows and oaths I for sure never want to keep because they are so horrible. I made sure never to verbalize them. I accidentally said “yeah” out loud after having a disturbing thought in mind. I never meant to have this as a vow/oath. Am I still […]

unify the name yud-kei with vav-kei

Question: In counting the omer, unify the name yud-kei with vav-kei in perfect unity what is the meaning “yud-kei”and :vav-kei” Answer: One of the names of H-shem that we may not say is the name that spell Yud- Hey- Vav- Hey. In order not to mistakenly say the letters of that holy name, we substitute […]

Swimming in a pool in a conservative temple

Question: A conservative shul has a swimming pool with co-ed swimming but has hours for men only. Can a man pay money to swim there during men’s hours? Is that considered supporting conservatism?   Answer: It seems to be permitted, and the fact that it is helping the temple is not an issue. Although we […]

Is it allowed for me to see my mother or sister in leggings?

Question: is it allowed for me to see my mother or sister in leggings (very tight pyjama trousers) and do you have mekor? Answer: It seems that technically it isn’t assur, however it is incorrect for her to be dressed that way even in front of her relatives. See Om Ani Chomah, Tzion Hamitzuyenes 456.

The difference btw. Heart and soul?

Question: ואהבת את ה׳ אל׳היך , בכל לבבך ובכל נפשך, ובכל מאדך: והיו הדברים האלה אשר אנכי מצוך היום, על לבבך: ושננתם לבניך ודברת בם בשבתך בביתך , ובלכתך בדרך, ובשכבך ובקומך: וקשרתם לאות על ידך,והיו לוטטפת בין עיניך: וכתבתם על :מזזות ביתך ובשעריך You shall love hashem, your God, with all your (heart), with […]

Is it permissible to have a pedicure on Wednesday

Question: Is it permissible to have a pedicure or a manicure for that matter on Wednesday or is there an issue of nails growing on Shabbos? Answer: There is a preference if possible that we should not cut our nails, (or have them cut) on Thursday, which is 48 hrs. before shabbos because the nails […]

Barbecue sauce containing fish

Question: I used a certain type of barbecue sauce for meat that contains anchovies. If the fish content is more than 1.66 percent (not batul b’shishim) will the meat be categorized as a meat/fish mixture which consequently would be a sakana? Answer: Correct, the sauce should not be used with meat, and this is the […]

Medication and Eating Before Shacharit

Question: I take medication and when I wake up in the morning I am hungry and thirsty. I dont have the energy to pray or say all the words in teffilah. Its hard to drive to a minyan. A person has to take medication to really know how hungry and out of energy you get […]

The reason why not wearing “Techeles”

Question: Some people wear “Techeles” Tztitzis. I understand that we don’t know for sure whether it is THE RIGHT Techeles.. But maybe it is.. So why do we see Gedolei Olam not wearing Techeles Tzitzis..? Thank you very much! Answer: Without getting into the issue if l’maysa one should or shouldn’t wear techeles, to answer […]

Relationship with Hashem after Chilul Hashem

Question: I wrote things about Torah observance that are wrong and misleading and wrote about idolatrous practices as if they are equally valid. My writing went very far and can not be taken back. It was quoted in many places. It is available online and in print. I am deeply sorry. There is no way […]

Essential oil on Yom Kippur

Question: Is one permitted to smear essential oils on body for health reasons on Yom Kippur? Answer: Anointing oneself is one of the 5 “afflictions” and things that we are not allowed to do on Yom Kippur. However like with other halachos, if there is an important medical need and it can wait until after […]

Father and son going to the mikvah together

Question: Can a father and son go to the mikvah together Answer: The Rema says that a father and son should not bath together, which would include going to the mikva together. The reason is   because it will cause him improper thoughts. (This halacha also includes not bathing together with one’s father in law, step […]

How many required to answer for minyan

Question: For maariv is it ok to have 8 people answering or do you always need 9 besides BT (and the baal tefillah is never counted)? Thanks Answer:   For maariv it is alright for the chazan to start kaddish after shemona esrei if there are 6 people that already finished and will answer kaddish, […]

Change of family name after marriage

Question: Hello kvod harav, I wanted to ask if a woman gets married under the chuppah according to halacha, must she change her family name to her husband’s last name legally or is it enough to simply be called by her husband’s last name? Thank you and tizkou lemitzvot bh! Answer: If you don’t change […]

Carrying business cards on shabbat

Question: is it mutar to carry and hand out business cards on shabbat (with an eruv of course)? Answer: We should not hand out business cards, because they are business related material, called starei hedyotos, which we don’t read on shabbos. This is similar to the reason that we dont’t read advertisements on shabbos.  

Extra candle if you forget to light Shabbos candles

Question: 1. If you didn’t light Shabbos candles one week are you obligated to light an additional candle forever? 2. Does it matter if you purposely didn’t light, or if you forgot, or if you were too late? 3. Does this apply if you missed shkiya but still lit Shabbos candles ON Shabbos? 4. If […]

Kibud Av V’em and giving Charity above ones means

Question: My question relates to my elderly father may he live long and enjoy good health. He is 89 years old bli ayin hara and lives with my mother who is almost 20 years younger and in his current state is functioning as a full time carer. He has been diagnosed by his doctor as […]

Buying seats for Rosh Hashana

Question: We know that the expenses spent for Shabbos and Tom Tov are excluded from what Hashem plans for that person to earn that year. Would the Rav say that buying searts for Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur in Shull is included in expenses for yom tov? At times this can be a very big […]