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

Accounting on chol hamoed

Question: i sell 4 minim and would like to pay for merchandise and partners etc. This requires lots of accounting and counting etc. My question is whether this is permitted on Chol Hamoed – nobody specicifically wants it now and all expect it after YT but I prefer to have all payments made etc. asap. […]

Waving hair on Shabbos

Question: Can I twist my hair (two strands) overnight to create, maintain, or enhance existing waves/texture? Answer: Twisting hair in order to make waves should not be done on Shabbos or Yom Tov, however if you already have the curles, and you want to maintain them or even enhance them slightly, that would be […]

Tearing down Sukka on Chol Hamoed

Question: Hello I would like to know if it’s permissible to tear down a Sukkah on Chol Hamoed? For a few reasons. 1. Travel away for the second days, and the Sukka could get blown away or could get stolen. 2. I probably need the place because of the traveling . Thank you Answer: Essentially […]

Who can make the Sukkah

Question: Who should build a sukkah? Should a certain person do it? Answer: There is controversy if the placing of the sechach can be done by some3one who is not obligated in the mitzva, such as gentile women and children. Therefore there is a prefferance that it be done specifically by Jewish adult men. […]

Kiddushin on condition that husband is a tzaddik

Question: B”H Kavod haRav, Thank you for your help. Regarding the story of the man who betrothed a lady on condition that he is a tzadik and because he had a thought of teshuva, the marriage is considered valid- I was wondering if in such a situation, the lady was agreeing to marry him, or […]

WORKING ON CHOL HAMOED

Question: Thank you for your answer i am entitled to 27 days annual holiday from April to end of march unfortunately due to the fact that we made 2 chasunas i had to take a lot of time off which leaves me with a residue of 8 days between now and the end of march […]

ribbis?

Question: B”H Kavod haRav, Thank you for your help. A relative has a new credit card arriving in the mail (they are not planning to be in town when the card arrives) and they would like me to call them and tell them the credit card number and activation code when it arrives so that […]

WORKING ON CHOL HAMOED

Question: Is an employee allowed to work on Chol HaMoed? I have only 8 working days to take until end of March 23 this the policy of the employer who is a frum yid, Chol HaMoed has to be deduct ed from the holiday entitlement? Thanks Answer: We should not be working on Chol […]

Hefsek Tahara End of Yom Kippur

Question: Should I do a hefsek tahara at the end of Yom Kippur or wait until the following day? Thanks Answer: Yes, a hefsek tahara can be done on Yom kippur. If you have to wash yourself a little bit in order to do the hefsek, that is also permitted, as it isn’t considered washing […]

Jewish music in bathroom

Question: Hello, these two previous posts seem to contradict each other. Can you please clarify if listening to Jewish music while in a bathroom is muttar (with toilet and shower in same room)? Assuming that the songs will have lyrics that are psukim, and the person is only listening but not singing along. Thank you. […]

Forgivenss when I find it impossible

Question: I had an extremely traumatic time being at home with a sibling who I considered to have some very defining narcissistic tendencies and traits. He would always somehow justify himself, no matter how inexcusable his behavior may have been, yet expected the other person to fully account for themselves, if they had done the […]

Geneivas Daas

Question: I have two questions: 1) Is the issur of geneivas daas only when the other person is machzik tovah to him as Rashi says in Chulin (94a), what would be if he tells someone that his name is different than what it really is, besides the issur of sheker would there be an issur […]

Fixing or reweaving schach mat

Question: I have a schach mat, that has pretty much disintegrated due to the strings rotting. Can I restring the slats? If yes, what can I use to restring them? They are selling mats tied with mono-filament fishing line under the Star-k hechsher. Can I use mono fishing line? Alternatively, can I basket weave the […]

Ripping stocking cap on shabbos

Question: Kvod Harav, I would like to wear a “cap” (similar to a bathing cap) to keep my hair under my sheitel from sticking out by holding the hair together. The fabrics of the caps that I found are nylon or stocking material – so they are very thin and would probably rip very easily. […]

Forgot Pruzbul

Question: A widow who was unaware of the issue of Pruzvul and Shmittas Kesafim asked about a loan that she had made before Shemitta to a relative. The borrower needed the money to pay for a construction project that he was receiving a government rebate to sponsor, but he needed to lay out the money. […]

Last name

Question: In my family, some have the last name “Kay,” which had been shortened from a longer name. However, there is a disagreement on how to write this in hebrew, is it spelled with 2 yuds or only 1 yud? That is, kuf yud yud, or just kuf yud. Which one is grammatically correct? […]

Ribbis

Question: The law is that if an employer does not pay by the tenth of the month, they have to pay a fine for each day late. Is that “extra” money considered ribbis? Answer: Hello, This does seem to be ribbis, because a fine that increases with time is considered ribbis. What can be […]

Lottery drawn on Shabbos

Question: Is it allowed to buy a lottery ticket during the week, when the actual draw will be on Shabbos? Answer: Hello, I don’t see any problem with this, as the lottery is not being drawn because of you, and even if you do win, it is not considered to be Shabbos earnings, because you […]

Took item but don’t know who to return it to.

Question: I found a child’s toy in my possession (I’d estimate it’s worth around $15) and I can’t determine who the owner is. I work in children’s homes and asked a number of parents who I thought may own it, but each of them denied that it belongs to them. What do I need to […]

Father’s Kever on Chol Hamoed

Question: Hi, My father’s yahrzeit is on Chol Hamoed shabbos. Is it permitted to go to kever on Chol Hamoed (Friday)? Answer: Th general minhag is not to go to the kever on Chol Hamoed. You can go either before Yom Tov or afterwards. (Being that you can’t go to the kever within two days […]

Hot Food on Shabbos

Question: Is the obligation to eat hot food on Shabbos for both the Friday night meal and the morning Shabbos meal, or the Shabbos morning meal only? Also, can a person fulfill the obligation with a hot drink like tea? Is the obligation also for Yomtov or just Shabbos? Thank you Answer: Hello, The […]

Selichos

Question: Are selichos recited on Friday night Answer: Selichos are not recitred on the Sabbath. Best wishes Sources:

Kashrut of vegetarian product

Question: Can you eat a dairy product that doesnt have a Hashgacha if it is vegetarian and certified as such by competent public vegetarian entity. Answer: Hello, Just because the ingredients don’t contain animal products doesn’t automatically make them kosher. The machinery that the product is made on, may have been used to do […]

Ate sour dish on Rosh HaShanah

Question: I ate one of the Rosh HaShanah seudos at a friend’s house. Amongst other dishes, the friend served a courgette dish. When I began to eat this I tasted that it was really rather sour. I was unhappy about this but did not want to cause discomfort and so I finished the portion. However, […]

Drinking lemon tea on Rosh HaShanah

Question: Lemon tea is one of my favourite drinks. However on Rosh HaShanah I deprived myself of having the pleasure of drinking this, because of the sour element of the lemon juice. (I prepare the fresh lemon juice before Shabbos and Yom Tov.) Did I do the right thing? (In case it makes a difference, […]

Religious OCD

Question: Hi, I suffer from OCD, and I unfortunately have thoughts of kefirah, chiruf vegiduf (R”L) etc. during davening. Am I allowed to receive an aliya or say kadish knowing that these thoughts will or can be present? I did make a גילוי דעת שמבטל מחשבות רעות גם אם חשבתי (can be found here http://www.orlanoar.com/index.asp?act=read&go=readFaq&id=40572) […]

Davar Charif

Question: HI, I cut an onion with a fleishig knife and then grated it using a parve grater. Is my grater still parve? Thank you! Answer: Hello, There is controversy about this. In retrospect, you can rely on the poskim that it is still pareve, and if it is possible to kasher the grater […]

Selichos

Question: Are selichos recited on Friday night Answer: No, we don’t say selichos on Shabbos Best wishes Sources:

Segulah

Question: Do you have any information about lighting a candle for 40 days as a Segulah? Answer: Hello, My apologies, but I don’t have any informaton on such a segula, but nowadays you never know… Have a gmar chasima tova

Challah and Babka dough

Question: Hi, I heard if you make 5lbs of challah dough and make the Bracha of Hafrashas Challah that you can’t use part of that dough to make babka, it can only be used for challah. Is that true? Answer: Hello, What you heard is partially true. At the time that you are making […]

Geneivas Daas

Question: Is it okay to do geneivas daas, when the other person is faulty? In the beginning of the year, my teacher gave out a list of books that we could write essays on (she did write down any of the authors names.) I chose one of the books, called Invisible Man, read it, wrote […]

Maaser to Kever Rachel

Question: I donated money to lever Rachel for my name to he said at the kever for 40 days. Can I use maaser money for it? Answer: My understanding is that it is the kollel in Kever Rachel that collects money and does the davening for 40 days. One may use masser money for […]

Drinking small amounts on Yom Kippur

Question: I take a medication which makes my mouth feel parched in the morning and throughout the day. Is there any heter for me to drink with in small amounts (shiurim)? Answer: Hello, Drinking shiurim essentially is violating a biblical commandment, because eating or drinking even a little bit is not permitted. The idea […]

Shofar for women

Question: If one has a choice of when to hear shofar in shul either the first thirty or thirty during the chazaras hashatz or at the end what would be the order of preference? Are the ones during chazaras Hashatz the best as being during davening or the ones before mussaf because they are first? […]

Philip Berg Astrology

Question: Hello Cvod Harav, I read something about astrology and tikkunim and only realized it after it was written by Philip Berg. Without going into detail, he wrote about how to find what we were in our past life and what our tikkun is based on our natal chart. Is what he writes about these […]

Davening yom kippur

Question: Is an Ashkenazi allowed to daven Yom Kippur services at a shul that davens a different nusach, specifically if an Ashkenazi is going to daven at Chabad? Answer: It is better for one to daven with thier nusach, but one is allowed to daven in a shul that davens a differant nusach. When […]

Pruzbul on line

Question: Can I make pruzbul online Answer: There is a way to do it, and our Hebrew site did it, but right now it is too late for them to do it. Try a site in the USA. Have a Kasiva v’chasima tov

New Skin Lquid bandage

Question: Is one allowed to use new skin liquid bandage on Shabbos and Yom Tov? Answer: Hello, The liquid bandage is not an issue regarding healing on Shabbos, because it isn’t healing the wound, rather protecting it. Nevertheless it sholuld not be used on Shabbos or Yom Tov for a different reason. The liquid […]

Rosh Hashanah questions regarding food

Question: Hello, Can one do laundry Sunday before Rosh Hashanah or is that Rosh Chodesh? Can one eat hummus with vinegar in it on Rosh Hashana itself–even if avoid vinegar in vinegar on Rosh Hashana? When does one make kiddush during the upcoming holidays? What must be done between eating dairy and meat for Ashkenazi […]

“not possible…” Parameters

Question: Could you please provide parameters to assess when a situation is reasonably considered “not possible”: for starters, “not possible” for gentile to perform derabanon for choleh Shayn bo sekanah on Shabbos. How far are we supposed to go? How awkward of a situation do we need to enter to attempt? Whatever guidelines you can […]

Kever Rochel on Chol Hamoed

Question: Are you allowed to go to kever Rochel on Chol Hamoed ? Answer: Yes it is permitted. Sources: פסקי תשובות אורח חיים סימן תכט אות ד “”ואף לאלו הנוהגים לא לילך לקברות בימים מסוימים כר”ח, חנוכה, חודש ניסן, חוה”מ וכו’, מ”מ לקברי צדיקים נוהגים חסידים ואנשי מעשה מאז ומקדם שהולכים לציונים הק’ ומתפללים […]

Fraud Payment

Question: I received an invoice from my accountant via email for work he did for us. Before I paid, I received an email from them saying that I should pay to a different bank account. I made my payment and sent the notification that I made a different payment, they answered to say that they […]

Pruzbul

Question: When filling out a pruzbul do the dayanim and applicant write their full names and the full names of their fathers’ ? Thank you כתיבה וחתימה טובה Answer: Hello, There is no need to write out the person’s full name and name of his father. As long as he writes the name that […]

Putting sfarim under tallis

Question: I keep a Chumash and sometimes other seforim in my Shabbos Tallis bag. Do I need to make sure everything is stacked properly, or is it ok if the chumash is under the tallis? Answer: Hello, In general, we are not allowed to place things of less kedusha on top of seforim. Therefore […]

Seit billing

Question: Hi, I do seit therapy that gets paid through the board of Ed. Often students come late to school and it ends up messing up my schedule as sessions are 30 or 60 min each and they may come late. Since I can only bill on increments of 30 min, if he is ten […]

Wife’s pruzbul on money that was lent before she got married

Question: Thank you for the response! One clarification about a wife׳s pruzbul: even if she lended out the money before our marriage, the chov itself is considered nochsei milug as well and included in husband’s pruzbul? Answer: If the money was lent out before the woman was married, then it is not included in […]

Girls only concert.

Question: Is it permitted for a girl to attend a girls only concert that has a male singer? Girls generally sing a long at such concerts. Is it permitted to sing? Thank you Answer: The male singer is not allowed to her the girls singing. Even though he can’t make out the individual voice […]

Pen belonging to employer

Question: I found a pen (standard low-cost pen) that I accidentally took from a previous employer, from a job I left months ago. I’ve since moved, and am not in contact with the employer or employees. Do I need to find a way to return the pen? Answer: It is hard to answer such […]

Meter coupon

Question: If someone asks me for my parking meter coupon to help fight a parking ticket they got, can I give it to them? Similarly, would I be allowed to use someone else’s? Thanks Answer: My understanding of your question is that one person wants to show the coupon to the judge in order […]

Is there any difference between a cigarette and a cigar in regards to smoking on yomtov

Question: For those that smoke cigarettes on yom tov is there any reason why smoking a cigar would be different? Also would the cigar have to be cut before yom tov Answer: Before answering your question, it should be noted that most contemporary poskim say that even though smoking might have been considered normal […]