Rabbonim of the Beis Hora'a, Author at Ask The Rabbi - Dinonline

Hadlakas Neiros

Question: Dear Rav, If I eat by someone else but sleep at my house, where do I light neiros shabbos? Answer: Technically you can light in either place, however the preferred place to light is the place that you are sleeping. The reason is because the place that you are eating already has someone lighting […]

Minhagim for Baal Teshuva

Question: About a year ago I walked into a Chabad house, with no intention to become a Lubavitcher, but to become more observant. Ever since then I got Chabad tefillin a few months a ago and was davening Nusach HaAri until I heard a shiur about family minhagim and how they are more important according […]

Halacha Learning

Question: Shalom, At times I get overwhelm in learning halacha. There’s much to learn and I have not found a proper guideline in how to approach the topic and seforim that help guide one along in the topic. Say one wants to learn Siman Aleph Orach Chaim Tur Shulchan Aruch. Besides the Tur what other […]

Yichud on a shuttle in the airport

Question: Is there a yichud problem to go on a shuttle in an airport when there are no connecting doors between the cars and people can’t see in from the outside, and all the other passengers in the car are not-Jewish? Would it be ok if there are no other passengers in the car that […]

Smelling Non-Kosher Meat

Question: Is it true that a person should say I wish that I could eat treif, but Hashem says that it is Asur? Could there be a suspicion that if one says that, that one may come to eat it? Can one smell non-kosher food and get pleasure from it? Thanks! Answer: You are correct, […]

Davening Barefoot

Question: I recently saw a ruling that davenning barefoot is not permitted (in response to a question about learning Torah barefoot). Does that hold for davenning at home without a minyan, as well? That is, if I am davenning in my own home and we do not wear shoes in the home, must I put […]

Previous tenant left item

Question: I rented out my basement apartment, and the Jewish tenant bought a new oven. They eventually moved out, leaving the oven. Obviously it’s not like they forgot it there, but do I need to contact them (I’d prefer not to) to get reshus before making use of it or letting another tenant use it? […]

Status of parve pan used to reheat dry chalavi food (e.g. cooked pancake)

Question: I have my last parve pan and I accidentally reheated already cooked chalavi pancakes on it. (I didn’t put any oil in it. Just used it to reheat the dry pancakes.) Would my pan be considered completely chalavi now? Will everything that I will cook on that pan in the future be assur to […]

Davening during punishment

Question: If chas vshalom a person is being punished and they are suffering from the punishment, is it okay to daven for help, or is that chutzpadik? Answer: When we have a problem and we are in a time of need, we have a special mitzva to daven. Even though if it is indeed a […]

leading the funeral and saying Kaddish

Question: About leading the funeral and saying Kaddish: We had a funeral in a Kehila, and instead of the regular Rabbi they had an apprentice Rabbi Student , around 20 years old, leading the service, later came out that the youngster still had his parents , so he is not entitled to say Kadish. The […]

“Flavius Josephus”

Question: Dear rabbi, the question was about “Flavius Josephus” – please excuse typos. As I noted meanwhile he’s [allegedly] also known as “Joseph ben Mathitjahu ha Kohen” don’t know if _that_ is true. But I suppose he was a jew – correct me if I am wrong. A good week, Answer: In Jewish writings he […]

Souvenir figurine that might be an idol

Question: When I was in high school one of my friends went on a trip to India and brought me back a miniature statue of Buddha. My parents didn’t like it and wanted me to get rid of it but I insisted on keeping it and made a big issue of it and called the […]

When heading the catskills from Boro Park where is the correct place to say Tefillas Haderech?

Question: If one is headed to the catskill mountains from Boro Park where is the correct place to say Tefillas Haderech? Thanks Answer: You should say Tefilas Haderech either after the Washington Bridge or even on it. Sources: Skvere Dayan shlit”a

learning while barefoot

Question: Is there a problem to learn torah while barefoot? Answer: It is permitted to learn torah while barefoot. There are many societies that the people only go barefoot. in our society though it isn’t a respectful way of appearing , therefore we should not daven that way. this however does not apply to learning […]

Spring Valley Melatonin

Question: Does Melatonin need a Hechsher? Somebody brought me this to Israel, where Melatonin is hard to get and very expensive if available. I have high blood pressure and have had a stroke. Obviously, in the long run, I see that Israeli Melatonin from Solgar is sold in the US, although not here. In the […]

Regarding the moon during an eclipse

Question: Shalom This evening there will be a lunar eclipse. Is the any problem to look at the moon during an eclipse? Can you provide the sources for your answer? Thank you Good shabbos. Answer: My apologies that the answer didn’t get to you in time, as I was away for a few days. Regarding […]

Fallen leaves

Question: Leaves from a tree on my porch flew into my neighbors porch and stuffed their drain. Am I liable for damages? Answer: Answer from Horav Y. Fleishman ahlit”a Were you told to do something bec they could damage?. It is very likely that in any case even if you were warned that you are […]

Cut down a crabapple tree?

Question: Since crabapples are not usually eaten. And you also said, one cannot make a Birkas Ha’ilanos on it, since you considered it an Ilan Srak. Can one cut down a crabapple tree in his property? Thank you very much! Answer: Please see the following post, https://dinonline.org/2016/11/23/is-it-bal-tashchis-to-destroy-a-crab-apple-tree/ where your question was discussed. Best Wishes Sources:

Dairy garlic bread

Question: How is it possible that all the garlic breads in pizza stores in israel are forced by badatz to be made with milk to be mezonot isn’t it prohibited to make or eat dairy bread? Answer: We are not affiliated with Badatz Eida Hacharedis, so we can not verify that indeed the pizza stores […]

Washing meat spoon used for DE pareve desert in meat dishwasher

Question: After our meat meal, we cleared table and brought out pareve DE ice cream. We served ice cream with a meat spoon. Then we put the meat serving spoon in dishwasher and washed it with meat dishes. Is this permitted? Or is the dishwasher considered like a cooking utensil and the spoon would need […]

I used dairy stuff to eat food that had meat in it

Question: I used a dairy spoon to put food with meat in it into a dairy bowl. The food was in a meat pan out of which I served myself. I put the serving spoon on my dairy sink protector and started eating the food with another dairy spoon. I don’t think any of the […]

Ribis for a relative

Question: My brother-in-law wanted to borrow my van to do carpool from camp. I asked him since he is going to the camp, if he can save me a trip and pick up my son (his nephew) too. He said he thought it might be ribis because I asked him to do a favor at […]

Prayer said after chatzos (midday)

Question: If a prayer was said a few minutes passed chatzot, does it still count in G-d’s eyes or simply not anymore? (In terms of Shacharit). Answer: The time for shacharis essentially is until the end of the 4th hour of the day, b’dieved one may still daven shacharis until midday, however after chatzos one […]

When setting the table on Shabbos, is one permitted to make a fancy napkin presentation ?

Question: When setting the table on Shabbos with napkins, is one permitted to make a fancy napkin presentation rather than a simply fold? For example, to create a rose shape or a crown shape? Can one create a decorative presentation that is not meant to represent anything? For example, a pouch shape (where the utensils […]

Silver Kiddish cup with plastic liner

Question: In honor our of my spouses fathers Yartziet we donated a new kiddish cup. The cup is silver and has a plastic insert to protect the inside from the acid of the wine. We purchased the one with a custom plastic liner because the last two kiddish cups rotted inside because of the wine […]

Silver investor guidance

Question: Dear Rabbi, Can you comment on New Zealand which currently offers a silver one ounce coin that has the yad hey vav hey written on the bottom of a dead looking tree on the coin? I have thought clearly this is silver that I will not wish to own. Why is New Zealand chancing […]

Eating and Drinking while extended cycling

Question: While on extended bike rides lasting 2 hours or more without stopping , sometimes over 4 hours, we are constantly eating dried fruits or other sources of carbs including Mezunous products sometimes like Fig bars, etc.. Is one brochu at the start enough for during the whole ride, and do you lose your brochu […]

Milk soup spoon to drink chicken soup

Question: I accidentally used a milk soup spoon to drink chicken soup, what should I do with the spoon in order to reuse it? Answer: The spoon just has to be washed off in water that is not hot, and there is no need to kasher it. This is because the spoon was only a […]

Pool for Tevilas Keilim

Question: Can one use a swimming pool for tevilas Keilim? Answer: A swimming pool cannot be used for tevilas keilim, because the water does not stay in the same place and leaks out.

Cow head and large bull head, could this be Ovoda Zara

Question: Hi, I would like to hang a large cow head and large bull head in my kitchen. These are faux taxidermies. They are made of plaster and come in many different colors. I would like to purchase them in gold or in rose gold and hang the cow in the dairy part of my […]

Required to tovel an electric hot pot owned and used by a goy?

Question: Do I need to tovel an electric hot pot that is used for hot water that is owned and used by a goy? I am staying in a summer rental apartment in Switzerland that has an electric hotpot and I would like to use it for boiling water for hot drinks. Answer: There is […]

Do you have a map of where kohanim are allowed to go in Teveria?

Question: HI. do you have a map of where kohanim are allowed to go in Teveria? Answer: Unfortunately I don’t but you can call 079-5738138, and ask them for one. Best Wishes

Checking things with hechsher

Question: Do i have to check israeli oatmeal with good hechsher? I found black spots in my already cooked oatmeal but not in an uncooked pack(i checked pretty well) so not sure if black spots are bugs or burnt pieces. Answer: Normally the hechsher does not include the issue of bugs, unless it says so […]

Mezuza on door way without a crossbar

Question: Dear Rabbonim, If you have an entrance from a living room into a kitchen, both of suitable size, and the entrance has 2 walls but the משקוף is the regular ceiling which is the same for both rooms, does the entrance require a mezuza? If yes would we not say a bracha? Thank you […]

Shnei Mikrah

Question: finish If someone learned shnei Mikrah v’echad targum on Tisha B’Av are they yotzei? If not, what about in a year when Tisha B’Av is nidcheh? Answer: If a person said Shnayim Mikra, on Shabbos that was T’Bav, he is surely yotza, as there are numerous poskim who say that it is permitted to […]

What if someone missed saying Kaddish?

Question: What if someone missed saying Kaddish? Answer: If someone missed saying kaddish it is still possible to say kaddish at another minyan. If there isn’t any other minyan, I don’t know of any sources that talk about a way to make it up. There are however other things that one can do l’iluy lishama, […]

Using two hole Tallis koton

Question: Hi, I was at a sale of tallisim recently and the supply was low. I found begadim for a tallis koton, but they were the Chassidishe type (two holes in each corner) while I tie Ashkenazi tzitzis through only one hole. Is there any issue in using the beged and just using one hole […]

Shiflus vs. Gaavah

Question: I don’t think I have heard of shiflus before. You said it means lowliness and that it’s also bad, like gaava is bad. Please tell me more? Which is worse, gaava or shiflus? If you have to err on one side or the other, is it better to risk having gaava of shiflus? Answer: […]

Tisha b’av

Question: Can you do tevilas keilim on Tisha B’av? Answer: The actual tevila is not a problem and may be done on Tisha B’av, however make sure to do it in a way that you won’t be making your hands wet. For example if the tevila is done is a basket, or wear gloves so […]

Baal Keri on tisha baav

Question: If one becomes a Baal keri on Tisha baav night, can he go to mikvah? Are there any ramifications because of it? Answer: There are no ramifications that I know of. You may wash off the immediate dirty area, but going to the mikva should not be done on T’ bav. Sources: O:CH 554-8.

Marital relations during 9 days

Question: Sefardi here… when 9av is on Shabbat and therefore pushed to Sunday. Are marital relations permissible on Friday night? Answer: For Sefardim it is permitted according to many authorities. Sources: O:CH 554-19

Fasting on T’bav nidcha

Question: My wife is not a great faster can she break the fast after chazot today ? She has a baby of 5 months not breastfeefing . Answer: It depends on how she feels, and it is hard to give an answer without knowing the situation. Everyone feels weak on a fast, therefore that would […]

Using Product photos from the internet

Question: I sell tools on my website which I purchase from an authorized distributor. Manufacturers create high-quality photographs of their tools and make them available to distributors. My distributor passes on the images to its re-sellers but the quality of the image is degraded by the time I get it so I go to amazon […]

יחוד

Question: Sorry to bother you rabbi, is it a yichud problem is a women rent her guest house to a guy? Answer: Can you please give me some more information? Does the quest house have it’s own seperate enterance? Is there a door that joins the quest house to the rest of the house? Sources: […]

Buying an iPad during the nine days

Question: Can one buy an iPad during the nine days? Answer: It should really wait until after the nine days, unless there is a sale and you will not be able to get it at such a low price otherwise. There is however room to be lenient if it is really needed, but that would […]

May one purchase a sale item during nine days if it will be shipped after Tisha B’Av?

Question: May one purchase a sale item online during nine days if it will only be shipped after Tisha B’Av? The item in question is a vacuum. Answer: We are not allowed to buy things during the nine days, even if it will only be used after T’bav. However if the sale will not be […]

The 9 days

Question: Is it permissible to wash my windows during the 9 days, if I usually wash them about once a month? Answer: It is controversial, some poskim say that it is permitted, while others say that it isn’t in the spirit of the nine days mourning period to clean the house in a serious way, […]

fruit tree

Question: A tree that grows on it blackberries is it considered a fruit tree and is not permitted to be cut how about trimming the tree Answer: A tree that grows blackberries is considered a tree, in fact the bracha on blackberries is haetz. Regarding trimming the tree, it depends on the reason that it […]

Can i use a pareve knife for cold cuts

Question: I have a pareve knife that i keep pareve. I have huge bulky cold cut loafs that i need to cut and the only knife that would do the job is the pereve knife. Can i use it and wash it but it should stay pareve? Answer: It is permitted, as long as you […]

Reading on Tishah B’Av

Question: Dear Rav, I have an anxiety issue and I really find it very difficult not to do anything on Tisha B’Av except learning Tisha B’Av inyanim and saying kinnos.I just can’t learn Tishah B’Av inyanim all day. In past years, I many times just lied in bed and stared at the ceiling. Is it […]