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Author Archives: Rabbonim of the Beis Hora'a

Doing melacha prior to baruch hamavdil

Question: We have a case of Shabbos that goes into Yom Tov (i.e., Yom Tov commences on motzoi Shabbos). A lady recited the blessing over lighting Yom Tov candles and prior to lighting remembered that she forgot to say Baruch hamavdil bein kodesh l’kodesh. What should she do? Should she recite Baruch hamavdil and then […]

Repairing tzitzis when the hole ripped and they fell out

Question: As you are probably, aware some people make their Tzitzis with 2 holes on each corner to put the Tzitzis through them. Now, if the Tzitzis get yanked off and we’re left with one big hole, is it a problem to just sew up in the center of the whole and restring new Tzitzis […]

Are caffeine pills considered medicine on Shabbos

Question: Is it permissible to take a pill on Shabbos for performance enhancement (caffeine pills or pills to delay הוצאת זרע due to pre-mature issues)? Thank you Answer: Caffeine pills etc. seem to be considered healing by the poskim and therefore should not be taken on Shabbos. There are pills however that have a long […]

Lashon Hara and psychological treatment

Question: Prominent arbiters have ruled that a child or grown up may “bad mouth”, criticize, express anger in therapy sessions towards their parents and others and the therapist may facilitate and encourage such behavior because there is a “toelet”, benefit from these actions- “refuat hanefesh”, However, the patient is not aware of this and criticizes […]

Baby wipes on Shabbos

Question: Can one use baby wipes on Shabbos? Is there a difference if there are cotton fibers? Is there a difference between the wipes on top in box and the ones on bottom as the ones on bottom are wetter. Answer: Baby wipes are pre-moistened disposable tissues used to clean a baby when being diapered. […]

Torah’s translation into greek

Question: Bs’d Why is the so called Septuagint called “the translation of the seventy” (targum ha-shivi’im) and not “the translation of the seventy two” since 72 (shivi’im ve-shtayim) and not only 70 (shivi’im) sages worked on it? Answer: This is an interesting point. It seems that there is a difference between the Jewish and the […]

Is saying v’tain tal u’matar 90 times on Yom Tov preparing for the weekdays?

Question: If one desires to accustom himself to say vsein tal umatar by saying it 90x (so that he shall not have to repeat his prayer in a case of doubt), may he say it on Shabbos, or is it considered preparation for a weekday? Answer: HE may say it on Shabbos and according to […]

Eating Meat and the possibility of the animal having been mistreated.

Question: Clearly as far as kosher is concerned our meat qualifies for consumption. Recently I have been wondering (and speaking with people to evaluate) if the fact that animals are routinely mistreated in the process of food preparation taints the food from other perspectives such as tzaar balei chayim and perhaps even mitzvah habaah b’avaeira […]

Fleishig food heated on milchig dish in microwave.

Question: I accidentally heated fleishig food (chicken fingers) on a milchig Corelle dish in the microwave. What is the status of dish? Answer: According to the sefardi minhag it doesn’t have to be kashered, but according to the ashkenazi minhag it may and should be kashered. Wait 24 hrs. and then heat up a pot […]

Can one kasher the glass lid of a stainless steel pot?

Question: Can one kasher the glass lid of a stainless steel pot? Answer: There are different opinions on this. Please see the following link where this issue was discussed. https://dinonline.org/2017/01/05/kashrut-of-glass-plates/. With the lid of the pot, there is another consideration, that even for those sefardim who hold that glass doesn’t need kashering at all, however the lid […]

How do I toivel a toaster (the kind bread pops up from)?

Question: Is there any way to toivel a toaster (the pop-up kind of toaster, NOT a toaster oven) without ruining the electrical parts? If it’s submerged, it seems the whole system would be ruined. Or not? Answer: You should toivel it by placing the whole toaster into the water. Afterwards shake out any water that […]

Money found in house after Power of Sale

Question: While I understand that money found after a regular purchase has to be returned to the vendor, does this halachah change if the money found was in a house that the bank foreclosed on and which was sold “as is” under Power of Sale? Answer: You may keep the money and you don’t have […]

Can a couple have a Jewish wedding without a previous marriage get?

Question: Can a couple have a Jewish wedding without a previous marriage get? Answer: A married woman MUST have a valid get rom her first husband in order to remarry, and until she gets a get she is considered married to her first husband according to Jewish law in every way. A married woman that […]

Did Yosef forgive his brothers?

Question: Please see Bereishis 50:21. I heard it said that Yosef never actually forgave them with the word Mochel. His words appear to show that no ill feeling remained inside him. What’s the significance of the word Mochel? Is it linked with the 10 martyrs? What practical difference would mechila have made? Answer: Rabeinu Bachya […]

Souls of a tzaddik and a rasha bound together

Question: Please see 44:30. Alshich says the soul of a righteous person would not be bound up with the soul of a wicked person. What about Avraham and Yishmael; Yitzchak and Eisav; David and Avshalom. Answer: Very nice point. This Alshich is enforcing a rule that I have seen in the sefer by R’ Issac […]

Eating the shabbos meal when one is sick

Question: If a person is r”l very sick on Shabbos, to the point that eating will cause him to vomit, should he simply refrain from eating? Answer: The shabbos meals were given so we will enjoy the shabbos. If someone is sick ad by eating it will cause the opposite of oneg shabbos he shouldn’t […]

Chillul Hashem

Question: I was a student in law school. There are a few Orthodox students in the school, and I was the most visibly Orthodox among them. Unfortunately, due to my poor academic performance, I have now been dismissed from the law school. I would like to know whether I have transgressed the prohibition of chillul […]

Heter for collapsible chuppah vs umbrella

Question: At https://dinonline.org/2017/01/07/opening-a-foldingcollapsing-bima-on-shabbos/, Rav Zidell writes the following: “You may open or close the bima without hesitation on Shabbos. The reason for this is since it was made to open and close, it isn’t considered making an ohel. Another permitted factor here is that the bimah is not meant to cover anything, and it is […]

Being in a swimming pool when wife is a niddah

Question: May one be in the same swimming pool as his wife (dressed modestly) when she is niddah? Sometimes the husband and wife need to take care of the children within the same pool. Answer: The fact that they are in the same swimming pool is not a problem, as long as they are not […]

Learning Mishnayot for a Deceased Parent During a Leap Year

Question: Dear Rabbis, In the first year after a parent’s passing – and when it is a leap year – I understand that mourning customs are observed for twelve months while the yahrzeit itself is held after 13 months. Can you please advise as to until when mishnayot should be learned: for twelve months or […]

Davening SE without a siddur and I don’t know SE by heart?

Question: If one is not able to say all 19 brachos of the Amidah due to not having a siddur, should he say the brachos that he knows, or should he not daven SE at all since the brachos are me’akev one another (they are all essential)? If he already said the brachos that he […]

Is it prohibited to take advantage of government tax incentives from giving tzedaka?

Question: Tzedaka is such an important mitzvah which lies at the core of Jewish life. I came across a confusing article online in a Jewish Journal, which made it seem like tax incentives that one is able to receive by giving tzedaka is looked down upon and potentially even prohibited because it involves taking money […]

Acquiring in kiddushin and a get.

Question: Rabbi, Am I correct in my understanding of the Talmud (Tractate Kiddushin) and related Halacha? In Kiddushin 2A, it states that a wife is acquired by money, a contract, or relations. Then, in Kiddushin 2B, it explains that by this kinyan (acquisition) it makes her forbidden to all others. Am I correct in my […]

Maaser For Fees For Girl Schools

Question: I am aware that Rav Moshe Feinstein Zatzal says tuition for Girls schools should not be paid from maaser. What about fees such as registration fee and building fee etc.. for girls school? Money is tight. Thank you Answer: You may use maaser money for that. R’ Moshe was only talking about the tuition […]

Opening a folding/collapsing Bima on Shabbos?

Question: I was in a shul where someone cleaned the shul on shabbos and they have a folding/collapsing bima. For mincha they wanted to open it up and the question came up if it’s a problem of making a ohel, especially since it was a very large one. Does it make a difference since it’s […]

Melaveh Malka when I am full

Question: Hi, If I generally eat seudah shlishis within about 30 min before shekiah, then go daven maariv less than an hour later, it’s likely that I’m not at all hungry when I come home to make havdallah. I remember learning that one should not do any melacha after havdallah before eating a melaveh malka. […]

Making some new types of coffee on shabbos

Question: Shalom, I recently bought a coffee in Israel which says in the ingredients “97% Instant coffee freeze dried, 3% Roasted ground). Can I make it on Shabbos and if so how? Answer: This coffee that you are describing is a new type of coffee sold in Eretz Yisroel, and possibly in other places in […]

follow-up regarding bathroom during SE

Question: Following up on https://dinonline.org/2017/01/05/davening-again-because-one-had-to-use-the-bathroom/: Would the same apply (that he may not answer Kedusha or talk) even if we are talking about one who went to the facilities during Mincha, where there is no need to adjoin geula to tefilla? Also, if one already began to bless asher yatzar (which according to rav’s response […]

Wishing mazel tov to intermarried couple

Question: Can you please tell me if it’s permitted to wish a mazel tov or congratulations to a close Jewish friend or family member who is engaged to a non Jew? Answer: Unfortunately not. We are prohibited to give positive recognition or encouragement to an aveira. It is called chanufa, and intermarriage is definitely included […]

A couple that had a conservative wedding

Question: B”H A couple that got married by a conservative rabbi. The Eidim were also not Shomer Shabbos. What is needed for them to have a kosher wedding, (of course after verifying they are Jewish and permissible to marry each other)? Is a ring given again with all the blessings? Birchas eirusin and also birchas […]

If a dairy ceramic bowl is used for meat, how can you kosher?

Question: How can you kosher a dairy ceramic dish that was used for meat? Answer: The general rule is that if the dish did indeed become trief because of the meat it cannot get kashered, as ceramics don’t release what they absorb, therefore purging won’t work. We also can’t burn it out because it is […]

How to kasher glassware

Question: Can I take glasses from someone lax kosher-style home and make them kosher? Thank you Answer: Regarding kashering glass that was used for non kosher foods, the Sefardi minhag is to be lenient and washing them well will suffice. According to the Ashkenazim however, there are different opinions, most poskim say that although we […]

Davening again because one had to use the bathroom.

Question: If one needed to relieve himself during davening – SE, and the time he spent in the bathroom was longer than the time it takes him to say SE, now he needs to start over. If when he exits the restroom, they are saying Kedusha, may he answer, or do we say that since […]

Explaining the first verse in the torah.

Question: Please can you explain the first verse of chapter one from Genesis, and I’m a student in comparative religion I want to know if we really believe that the universe is self-existence and G-d didn’t make it and I read some translation one of them is (NJPS, NRSV…) that says the universe is self-existence […]