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Author Archives: Rabbonim of the Beis Hora'a

Harachaman for Birkhat Hamazon

Question: If I am reciting at Birkhat Hamazon at someone else’s house and we are benching together but there is not a mezuman (just the husband and wife), should I still include a harachaman for the baal/baalas habayit or this considered as if benching alone and thus say the harachaman for a yachid? Also, what […]

Blessing after learning Torah

Question: Is it appropriate to say an after blessing for learning Torah if the learning is via watching videos on the weekly portion? (Torah anytime.com etc…) And if so, is it said at the end of the day? (In case more learning occurs before sleep)…What is the after blessing? Thank you in advance for your […]

Prohibitions on Yahrzeit

Question: Are marital relations allowed on yahrzeit? Answer: Yes. The only person in mourning forbidden from marital relations is an ovel during the week of aveilusfollowing the funeral.  Regarding the day of the yartziet, the only restrictions are, that the first one the aveilus continues for that day, in subsequent years the ovel should not go […]

Is there any sort of tashlumin for kiddush levana

Question: Shalom Shalom, Is there any sort of tashlumin for kiddush levana? Also, is the chiyuv communal? Thank you Answer: Unfortunately I don’t know of any tashlumin for Kiddush Levana, However as a general rule, when someone does something wrong one of the ways to fix it is by learning those Halachos. The chiyuv of Kiddush Levana […]

Warming raw edible greenbeans on Shabbos

Question: Is it a problem to warm on Shabbos raw green-beans that are edible on a hot plate? The green-beans will become soft and hot, and maybe also crispy (They are from a frozen bag, but they have already defrosted) Answer: Yes there is a problem with heating any uncooked food, more than Yad Soledes […]

Saying bracha on tefillin shel rosh quietly

Question: I was once told that a bracha over the tefillin shel rosh should be made silently? Is this correct? What about saying the bracha loud enough so someone can say amen? Answer:   There are different opinions if the teffilin shel rosh needs its own bracha or if it included in the bracha of […]

Talking torah to a person who intermarried

Question: Do Jews have an obligation to discuss Torah with the intermarried? If it is clear that one who is Jewish in intermarriage has no intent to destroy his “pretense” of marriage to encourage conversion or just find right unmarried life until a proper shidduch is respectable, does a jew have an obligation to approach […]

Immodest Pants

Question: I read your response about women wearing pants as being immodest. But shouldn’t pants be immodest for men as well, since very often, especially when sitting, the male organs protrude at the crotch? Indeed, trousers for men were a relatively modern invention originating in European culture. Previously, in all cultures, men also wore masculine style […]

Legitimacy of the Rabbinate

Question: Hi 1. Do you feel it is a legitimate halachic opinion to reject the legitimacy of the modern day orthodox rabbinate? 2. Where does the modern day orthodox rabbinate draw its legitimacy? 3. Can you offer a good resource on the halachic development of conversion? 4. Is the rabbinate a purely political institution? Answer: […]

Asking a non-jew to ask another to do melacha on Shabbos

Question: In general, would it be permissible for a Jew to instruct a Non-Jew #1 to tell a Non-Jew # 2 to do a Melacha (on Shabbos) for the Jew? Answer: In general it is not permitted, however in a situation involving a big financial loss it is permitted, however even when it is permitted, […]

Unusual Notes in Tenach

Question: Does anyone comment on the karnei para on Bemidbar 35:5 and Yehoshua 19:51. I believe there are 16 of these in Tenach. There are also meircha kefulahs in Bereishis 27:25 and Bemidbar 32:42 Do they have any deeper meaning? Answer: Regarding Karnei Para, I saw an explanation as to the connection between the amount […]

Surnames related to King David?

Question: My Great Grand Mother’s surname is Halfin. I know that surnames such as Halpern, Heilprin and Halperin are believed to be of Davidic Decent. I also believe that Halfin may be a misspelling. We are doing family genealogy. Can all these surnames be the same-spelled differently? Thank you in advance for your help, Jeff […]

Feminine napkins on Shabbos

Question: Is it permissible to use pantiliners with tape on Shabbos? Answer: There is alot of discussion among the poskim regarding using the old tapes for diposable daipers. The tapes on feminine pads and pantiliners would be the same thing. It is permitted to use them, however it is prefferable to open and reseal the […]