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

Ribis to goy

Question: Is it muttar to borrow money from a goy (no yid wants to lend me the money and I need it to fight pikuch nefesh for custody of my children that my husband stole and is abusing) the goy would lend it, but with interest please answer asap ty Answer: Hello, From a […]

Lighting Menorah

Question: If 2 girls are sharing an apartment together, can one girl be motzei the second girl with Menorah lighting? Answer: Hello, If the two girls are supported form separate places, then essentially, they are two separate people, and each one has her own obligation to light. If, however they buy the candles, etc. […]

Mechitza in Shul

Question: I daven in a shul where the ladies daven upstairs and the window overlooking the Bais Medrash serves as a one way see out, but the men can’t see in. I find on occasion some ladies (might be guests etc.) might open the window to see the davening sometimes halfway and sometimes all the […]

Honoring Older Sibling vs. Vekidashtoi

Question: Hope you are well, I was wondering: What is the halachah if someone is a kohen and he has an older sister, and there is two pieces of cake. One bigger than the other. Do we say, there is a mitzvah for the boy to honor his older sister, or perhaps do we say […]

Misrepresenting residency

Question: Hi Rabbi, I live in Israel, but also have citizenship in the United States, as I used to live there. I want the US government to advance pro-Jewish causes. To do this, I at various times try to reach the member of congress who is represents my former hometown. When I do this, am […]

Completing minyan

Question: I learn in a kollel across the street from a Shul. During the winter Mincha minyan is very early so the shul struggles to get a minyan. Is one of the yungerleit obligated to be mashlim the minyan for them or is it better not to be mevatel from seder and the shul just […]

Yichud in overnight babysitting

Question: Hi, Can I babysit overnight in the following situation? There is a 16yr old girl, 15 yr old boy, 12 yr old girl, 8 yr old girl, 6 yr old girl, and 2 yr old boy. Answer: Hello, It is not considered yichud, because there are four girls here, and theyt are the boy’s […]

Moch Dochuk

Question: Is one allowed to go to the bathroom between shkiah and zeis while the moch dachuk is still inside. If one did, does it invalidate the moch? Answer: Hello, With the obvious understanding that she hs to be careful with herself, it is permitted for her to use the bathroom while the moch […]

Cut sharp item with milky knife on meaty plate

Question: Someone took a milchig knife and sliced a lemon on a fleishig plate. The plate may have possibly been used for hot fleishig within 24 hours. What is the status of the utensils now? Answer: Hello, We should l’chatchila be careful not to cut sharp things with a milchig knife on a fleishig […]

Sitting Shiva for intermarriage

Question: Is there any basis (in Halacha or otherwise) for the custom to sit shiva for somebody who intermarried or converted to another religion? Answer: Hello, While I don’t know if this is the custom or not, however here are some sources for this. It is brought in Hagahos Ashrei (Moed Katan 59), (also […]

Smelling a Shmita etrog

Question: Can a person smell with a Bracha a Shimita etrog for enjoyment? Answer: Hello, Yes a person can smell an esrog during shemitta for enjoyment, and he can also make a bracha on it. Although smelling an esrog is not it’s primary function, as it is meant to be eaten as a fruit […]

Saying Targum at night?

Question: Shalom Harav , Whats the Halacha regarding reading TARGUM at night during the week please?Ty Chazak Baruch Answer: Hello, According to Kabbalah, a person should abstain from reading Mikra and Targum at night. However, halachically it is permitted, as stated on Mishna Berura Shar Hatzion 238-1, that although it is preferred not to learn […]

Dress guidelines in the Torah

Question: There is a Modern Orthodox woman who is a personal trainer with a large following on Instagram. She recently posted a video where she whips off her sheitel and dances in revealing exercise clothing, claiming proudly that this is what orthodox judaism is. People criticised her for her lack of tniyus and she says […]

Chanukah – What are the differences between Ashkenazim and Sephardim?

Question: Ha Rav, in reference to the holiday of Chanukah – What are the differences between Ashkenazim and Sephardim? May I ask that your sources be in English, please. Answer: Here are some of the differences between the Sefardim Ashkenazim regarding Chanukah. The Ashkenazim generally light a separate menorah for each man, whereas the Sefardim […]

Fragmented sefer leaving fragments

Question: I have a sefer with a hardcover binding, but the cover boards apparently have a fake leatherette plastic that is disintegrating and shedding fragments– these pieces–they have no kedushah? (dandruff like–sweeping up and throwable away with impunity)? Any problem amputating the cover and keeping the bound sefer? (no bizayon?) Answer: Hello, The fragments do […]

Maaser for kollel couple

Question: Does a kollel couple receiving monetary support from parents need to maaser that money? How about the kollel salary? Answer: Hello, Very often a kollel couple will not have enough income for their needs, and this is why they are getting supported from their parents. If that is the case, then they are […]

Tzeit Hakochavim

Question: When is the correct time Tzeit Hakochavim? I have always used the Chabad website which uses 3 Medium Stars, approx. 24 minutes as degrees after shkiah as the default, but I know there are other views. For example, some wait 72 minutes after shkiah. Answer: Hello, Technically we can say Kriyas Shema when there […]

Buying for Oneself during Mourning for Parent

Question: Hello, I am in the fifth or sixth month of mourning my father. I know now, after some research, that I may not give or receive gifts. However, I am not clear on what items I can or cannot buy for myself. I assume after 30 days, I can buy myself new pants if […]

Yarhzeit

Question: On yarhzeit for my father do I write his name Ben his father Or his name Ben his mother? Answer: Hello, There are different customs. The Ashkenazi custom is to wrote the father’s name, and the Sefardi custom is to write the mother’s name. Sources: Gesher Hachayim 28 3-(1).

Halakha against non-compliance with the laws of the country

Question: is there any Halakha that forbids us to go against the law of the country we live in? Answer: Hello, In general, there is a halacha called “dina dmalchusa dina” meaning that the law of the land is (often) binding in halacha. There are certain exceptions though. For example, if the government does […]

How to treat a Shmita Etrog

Question: How should one treat a Shmita etrog? Can it ever be discarded, and how? Answer: Hello, After it has dried out and is no longer edible, it can be discarded like any other esrog. The minhag is that since it is a mitzva item, we don’t throw it out in an embarrassing way, […]

Sticker on kli

Question: Hi, About a year ago we got a Betty Crocker pizza maker from amazon. There’s a sticker on the handle that says that to use oven mitts when touching it etc. We didn’t remove the sticker then and toveled it with the sticker on, but we later removed the sticker. Was the sticker a […]

Shabbos and child

Question: Hi Rabbi, I think I might have transgressed Shabbos. If so, can you please tell me how I can repair it? Over Shabbos, my daughter who is 4 years old, opened the freezer to get an ice pack and it started beeping. I said that “you left the freezer open” and she closed it. […]

kinuach and hadacha

Question: When I need to do kinuach and hadacha, is there any shiur I have to eat/drink, or can I just eat a tiny piece of bread and a tiny sip of water? Also, do I have to swish the water around my mouth or is it enough to just drink a sip of water? […]

Who pays to clean up fallen leaves?

Question: Shalom, one of the residents in a neighboring apartment building has a tree in his chatzer . In the fall, hundreds of dead leaves fall into the entrance of our building and we need to pay someone to clean up. Can we demand the tree owner pay a share of this cost? Answer: […]

Is this Minute Maid Apple Juice Kosher?

Question: Hi, is Minute Maid apple juice kosher? Is has a hashgacha which is not usually considered good. The bottles/cans say it is 100% apple juice and the ingredients listed are pure filtered water, concentrated apple juice, less than 0.5% of calcium citrate (calcium source), vitamin C (ascorbic acid), and potassium phosphate. Does Minute Maid […]

Donated car

Question: Can a donated car count towards maaser and how should I calculate it ? Thank you Answer: Yes, a donated car can count towards maaser. You would have to get it evaluated in order to find out what its real value is. Best wishes

Learning at night

Question: Can i learn Chumash Rashi at night, and what about being maavir sedreh? Answer: Hello, Although it is preferred to learn it during the daytime, it is still permitted to learn it at night. There are a few reasons given for this. First of all it isn’t prohibited to say it at night, […]

Davening in School

Question: I am unclear about the general way we say Shema in UK Schools: Boys daven long past sof zman (part of the year). Many are up before sof zman. So, what does that mean? Do we paken like Rashi or Rabbenu Tam in Siman 70? If they are chayav (which seems in fact the […]

Tevilas keilim

Question: Does a porcelain enameled cast-iron pot need to be to toveiled, and with a bracha or not ? Thank you. Answer: Hello, The enamel coating is a material that we do not have to tovel, hoewever on the other hand the fact, this hat the pot essentially is iron would require it to […]

Making music

Question: Is it allowed to make Jewish hip hop music, to bring people closer to HaShem? HaShem has given me a talent to be able to sing very well and I wanted to know if it is allowed to make Jewish kosher hip hop music. I was told that this is not recommended because if […]

Girl bought a phone and didn’t tell her parents.

Question: I am in 8th grade, and few days ago, somebody told me that a girl who is in my class who I am friendly with took some of her money that she had earned this year went to the store bought herself a phone and did not tell her parents. Now only me and […]

Tricking a Goy

Question: Is it mutar to order something online and then claim that it never came? I’m not asking about the lying aspect as I can say it in a way that isn’t lying. My question is regarding taus akum when they think that you are telling the truth and will refund me. Is this stealing? […]

Ribbis question follow-up

Question: Thank you for the response to the question I asked yesterday (regarding rounding up from $2.273). I wanted to just clarify regarding the nature of the money that I am holding: the store returned the group’s money to me and I need to now return the money to the group, so I am like […]

GEFEN NOODLE SOUP

Question: Hi, I was wondering whether I could cook GEFEN’s instant noodle soup because I heard from one of the Rabbis I learn with that depending on the brand and on how they make it ( if it’s already fully cooked) I could prepare it on shabbos? Answer: Hello, The answer to this will […]

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Question: Hi it’s me again.. The Rov said he has a answer to the question i asked about tehilim ( the question was, does one have to be careful to not have anyone in particular in mind when saying tehilim that discuss klalas etc.. since the Rama/ mishna berura say that there maybe a ch’sash […]

Basar bchalav

Question: Hi is coffee with milk considered to be גבינה עצמו or only like a תבשיל של גבינה? Do you have any maarei mokomos that discuss this? Answer: Hello, Milk is not גבינה, and it doesn’t have the same halachos. According to many poskim, there is no need to wait at all between drinking […]

Adding a bit of olive oil before lighting shabbos candles

Question: Regarding the advantage of lighting shabbos candles with olive oil, can this be achieved with regular candles, by adding a bit of olive oil to them? Answer: Hello, Although I haven’t seen anyone who mentions this idea, what you are writing seems to make sense. Although our candles nowadays give a nice and […]

Learn or Earn: Am I bound by my son’s Rebbe’s hashkafa?

Question: My son is close to completing a 4-year post-high school Bais Medrash program. The message from the Rosh Yeshiva is loud and clear: Every talmid (barring few exceptions) must become a full-time learner for life, and hence , he should expect to marry someone who can support him in Kollel. Is my son bound […]

Does this warrant teshuvah?

Question: I was walking home and someone caught me off guard and introduced themselves and told me he was a Muslim. I didn’t know how to respond and made a joke and kind of shrugged and said “Same G-d.” He laughed and I feel like maybe I said something wrong. I know Rav Avigdor Miller […]

Obligation to pay for unasked services

Question: Hi, We get magazine subscriptions delivered weekly to our home. Sometimes we get other magazines (that we aren’t subscribed to) delivered along with our subscriptions. I asked around, and they don’t belong to our neighbors. I’ve also reached out to the magazine company to let them know. My question is, if I get magazines […]

Shabbos – Bosis question

Question: After Shabbos, my wife found a shekel coin under a pillow of our rocking chair. Did the chair become a bosis of mukzah because of the coin? May I ask your sources be in English, please Answer: Hello, The chair is not a bosis and it may be moved. There are a number […]

Best time to pray Mincha

Question: What is the best time Lechatchila to pray Mincha? Answer: Essentially the best time to daven Mincha is between mincha ketana (2½ daylight hours before sunset) and plag hamincha (1¼ daylight hours before sunset. However, according to some rishonim it is fine to daven even from Mincha Gedola which is approx. half an […]

Ribbis question

Question: Hi, I laid out money for a few people to purchase an item and they paid me back the money. I ended up returning the item for them (and I received the refund), and ordered a different one for them which was a few dollars less. For example, if the new item cost $6.82 […]

Maaser to Rosh Kollel

Question: Kavod HaRav, I am a Gabbai for Adopt A Kollel in a shul in New Jersey. Recently our Rosh Kollel came to USA to join us for Shabbos to strengthen the relationship so as the Bale Batim would continue their pledges or increase them. This was his only reason to come to USA. Although […]

Making a Meat Dishwasher Pareve

Question: Our family recently stopped eating meat for health reasons. I have separate kitchens for meat and dairy. The meat dishwasher has not been used for about five months. I was wondering if there is any kashering method or amount of waiting that would allow me to change the status of this dishwasher permanently from […]

Hamavdil 3 times

Question: Is there any inyan to a woman saying “baruch hamavdil ben kodesh lchol” 3 times after shabbos? Somehow I picked that up and started saying it three times every motzash for a while. If there is no basis, can I just stop saying it? Answer: Hello, As far as I know there is […]

Clean clothes for davening

Question: How clean should a woman’s clothes be before she begins to daven? Should she clean off any spots from her clothes before she starts to daven? Answer: Hello, If possible, a person’s clothing should be clean before they daven, as davening is standing before the king of kings. If your dress has some […]

Closed garbage can with dirty diapers

Question: If there is a garbage can which contains a dirty diaper (or other smelly garbage) which has a cover, can someone be near the garbage can and daven/say brachos (if they cannot smell it at that time?) Answer: Hello, If the dirty diaper is covered by the garbage can, and the smell doesn’t […]

Personality influenced /determine by G-d

Question: Is a person’s personality influenced or determined by G-d.The personality traits a person has, not their character traits(ethics,morals).So I am referring here to things like if someone is a deep thinker,or very analytical or judges a lot of situations Answer: Yes, to a degree a person’s personality traits are influenced by G-d. Hashem […]