Question: May I take tums on Shabbos for heartburn? Also, if I like the taste, do I make a bracha rishona? Answer: Thank you for your question. Under ordinary circumstances we should not take tums on Shabbos, unless the heartburn is so bad that the person’s whole body feels weak from it. When taking […]
Author Archives: Rabbonim of the Beis Hora'a
Doing a mitzva as a zechus for two people
Question: When you are doing a mitzva as a זכות for more then one person does it take away from the first or second person or the זכותים from the מצוה are unlimited? Answer: Thank you for your question. Before getting to your question, it is important to note that the zechus that is […]
Wife’s request of trimming mustache during Sefirah
Question: Hi, My wife hopes to be going to the mikvah tomorrow and she asked if it would be permissible for me to trim my mustache even though it’s during sefirah. Is this permitted? Thank you. Answer: Hello, It is permitted similar to when a person’s moustache is disturbing his eating. Best wishes Sources: […]
Gift card bought on Shabbat
Question: Hello, I was told the following is ok but was not able to obtain the reason. Could you help? A nonobservant parent bought gift cards on Shabbat and then bought me something using them. I did not know and was told it is ok to continue using them. I was also told that even […]
Massage
Question: Can a man get a massage from a sister? Answer: Thank you for your question. A man should not get a massage from his sister, getting a massage is a form of contact that much more than plain touching, and the Rishonim say that a man should not kiss or hug his adult sister. If […]
Who is right, the Torah, the Talmud and the Prophet, or modern writings?
Question: Shalom dear Rabbi, In the Talmud Tractate San’hedrin 99B, it states: “And Timna, the concubine of Eliphaz, Son of Esau, gave birth to Amalek.” (Bereshit 36:12) About this verse the Talmud questions: “Who was Timna, and why does the Torah make a point of citing her name, as part of Amalek’s lineage, even though […]
Heard music during the omer
Question: Hello, I was in the hospital and was not careful about reviewing laws of the Omer. I watched an online tape of a friend performing in a dance competition to music. I watched it multiple times. was this terrible? Answer: Thank you for your question. What you did was incorrect, and you should […]
Counting just the weeks but not days of the omer
Question: If I only counted the weeks and days of the Omer but not the day of the Omer, (if I counted 3 weeks and 5 days but didn’t say it is the 26th day of the Omer) or vice versa, is the counting valid? Answer: Thank you for your question. When we count […]
Counting half of the omer incorrectly
Question: If I counted the correct day of the Omer but counted the wrong weeks or days, or if I counted the wrong day of the Omer but counted the correct weeks and days, is the counting valid? Answer: Thank you or your question. When we count the omer we count the days and […]
How to avoid Aveira of causing anguish and losing money
Question: Rabbi, Thank you for your help. I generally am a person that does not see things as black and white or have a need for perfection. I understand that usually things are grey and that when making a decision you have to weigh all the pros and cons and often a choice is not […]
Meat spatula cooking dairy dish in dairy frying pan
Question: A meat spatula was used to cook a dairy and pareve dish in a dairy frying pan. What is the status of the spatula, frying pan, dairy plates used to serve the dishes, as well as the food itself? Answer: Thank you for your question. Unless you know clearly that the meat spatula was […]
Ruach Hatumah
Question: What Jews learn about Ruach Hatumah, or what is Ruach Hatumah for Jews in general Thank you Regards Answer: Hello, These are unclean or negative spiritual forces, something that Jews want to avoid. Have a good day
Shehecheyanu for new hat made from animal felt
Question: Can a person make a Shehecheyanu for a new hat made from animal felt? What if its made from wool? Answer: Thank you for your question. If the hat is made from wool or felt, then we would make a shechiyanu on it. However, this is provided that the hat is a prominent […]
PIDYON HABEN DURING SEFIRA
Question: Can a Kohen doing a PIDYON HABEN during SEFIRA shave and take a haircut? Answer: A cohen doing a pidyon Haben during sefira may not shave or take a hair cut. The idea that a baal simcha may take a haircut is said specifically regarding a bris milah, since a bris is like […]
Shoes for lefty
Question: What is the proper way for someone who is left-handed to tie his shoes (since his tefillin are reversed, and there is a connection between shoes and tefillin). Thank you Answer: Hello, He puts on his right shoe, ties it, and then puts on the left shoe and ties it. If he wants, […]
Writing yud then a heh
Question: Is there a basis for writing a dash between a yud and a heh in words that are next to eachother? Is this required? For example: gematria. Thank you! Answer: Thank you for your question. The reason people put a dash because according to some poskim, if there is a dash between the […]
Learning hebrew
Question: …apparently, through some reason, one teacher does not want, that I would learn and know Hebrew language… This teacher never wanted to speak Hebrew with me… what should I do? What I must do in such situation? Is there the prescribed by Alaha linguistical code of teaching modus operandi in the Yeshiva? Or a […]
How much money do I have to refund
Question: Someone enrolled in a course I give and paid by paypal. She then decided not to take part and has asked for a refund. Payal takes about 4% so I actually received in my account 4% less than the stated amount of the course. Do I have to refund the full amount or can […]
Maaser obligations on real estate inheritance which is being sold
Question: Rav, My wife and brothers inherited real estate a number of years ago. They were kept an managed by of of the brothers. They are now being sold and each sibling will take their portion and purchase other investments/real estate in a 1031 exchange. What is the ma’aser obligation that will take effect as […]
Making a Brocha on certain Mitzvos
Question: Why don’t we make a Brocha on writing a Sefer Torah? What about making a Sukkah? Thank you! Answer: Thank you for your question. The reason we don’t make a bracha when building the succah is because the actual building of the succah is not the mitzva, rather the preparation for the mitzva. […]
Mother’s name
Question: My mother does not remember her Jewish name and always uses the literal- hebrew translation. Should I just set this as her name (when using my name, son of, for a request); do I need to make a name change at shul, or formalities, to be official? If a name was desired to be […]
Fish and meat
Question: Sholom Uvracha, If one has to wait 6 hours between meat to milk because of meat stuck between the teeth, why don’t we have to wait between meat to fish? Why are we סומך on washing out our mouths and eating something when it comes to meat and fish, but not by meat and […]
What bracha do we say on pita chips
Question: Pita baked & some left over they bake a bit more to make them chips, what is the brocho? If the left overs are then fried w/spices are they now mezonos? If they are baked initially for chips, is the brocho mezonos? Answer: Hi, Pita chips made from left over pita (such as homemade […]
Candy wrappers
Question: Are candy wrappers muktzah? If they are, what should one do if a small child or adult family member hands one to you to throw in the garbage? May you take it to throw it? Answer: Thank you for your question. Used candy wrappers that are no longer useable, is considered like a […]
Putting ice made into a shape into a drink on Shabbos
Question: If I have ice in the shape of a specific item, like a star, heart or letter, is it permitted to put those pieces of ice into a drink on shabbos when I know they will melt? If permitted, may I also put the ice in my mouth and back into the drink? […]
Shemita regarding hadasim
Question: We live in EY. Someone gives my husband every week for shabbas, hadasim or rosemary or some kind of herb bush that has an aromatic fragrance. I’m assuming it grows wild somewhere nearby. Is this a problem with shemitta and does it have kedushas sheviis and do we need to ask this person (a […]
Paying for parking meter
Question: Hello dear Rabbi. I live in Mexico City and the following sheila arised: In this city the goverment has granted the right to charge for the use of parking places in certain hours and in some places of the city streets to a private company. Supposedly, some ownership is in the hands of Jew(s). […]
Medical care with ruach hatuma
Question: Is one allowed to use a person who 1)heals medical problems OR 2)tries to find out what the problem is, to know which medicines to use, with ruach hatumah? Answer: Thank you for your question. If indeed the person is using a kach hatumah, you should not use his services. Best wishes
knas bmakom mitzva
Question: I drank wine of a mitzva before Havdalah and didn’t say ata chonantanu do I have to daven over? (Second night of Passover I forgot to be mavdil till after kiddush) Answer: Thank you for your question. You do not have to daven shemona esrei again, because the knas for eating when one […]
Against Ayin horo
Question: A gentile worker of Serbian origin told us that one should wear underwear inside out and this would help against ayin horo. Is this a problem concerning קשה לשכחה? Answer: Hello, From Jewish perspective you should not do this. First of all because we do not copy things from the gentile superstitions. Secondly […]
Bracha recited before washing
Question: If one recited Al Netilas Yadayim before washing, and then one washed his hands, was the Bracha valid or is a new Bracha required? Answer: Thank you for your question. Although the minhag is to make the bracha after washing, if one made the bracha before washing (without talking out between the bracha […]
Bishul Akum Convert
Question: Can a convert eat food cooked by their parents? Answer: Thank you for your question. This is a sensitive and tricky situation, because there are foods that can be problematic for a Jew to eat when they are cooked by a non-Jew, even if the utensils and ingredients are kosher. It would be […]
K-Pop
Question: In Judaism, is it okay to listen to K-Pop? It’s popular music about a range of topics, but it’s different from American pop in that it is composed of mostly only boy/only girl bands, the singers are called “Idols”, the fandom of each group has a name and colored light stick, and most of […]
Ato choinantonu and havdolo
Question: If one forgot ato choinantonu and made havdolo al hakois but made a mistake in his havdolo which demands a new havdolo but only realized this mistake after he already drank the wine, does he have to daven she`moineh essreh again? Answer: Thank you for your question. You do not have to daven […]
References to halacha and chizuk for pru urvu
Question: Can the Rav point us in some direction on how to get more clarity about the mailah of having more children (after one boy and one girl)? Are there any sforim that the Rav can recommend that provide halachic understanding and hashkafic chizuk for the mitzvah of having children? Are there mekoros that can […]
Pidyon Haben during Sefira
Question: Can a Kohen performing Pidyon Haben during Sefira shave or have a haircut? Answer: Thank you for your question. There is a halacha (O:CH 493-2) that a person making a bris, the mohel, and sandek, are allowed to take a haircut during sefira. The reason for this is because the day of a […]
Erasing Hashem’s Name on a Penny
Question: They have at certain attractions, a machine, which you pay to take a penny and pound/squeeze it into a memorable collectable trinket. Is this a problem of erasing Hashem’s name because it says, “In G-d we Trust” and if it was done, should the trinket be put in Geniza? Thank you! Answer: Thank you […]
Maaser from a business
Question: Is one obligated in Maaser from what the business profits or what an owner takes as distribution? If it’s what the business profits, then what if the business cash flow can’t afford it (ex: it’s tied up in inventory), does he have to take out a loan to give the Maaser? Answer: Thank […]
Feng Shui
Question: May I practice feng shui Chenese art of furniture placement, but without using obvious idols figurenes. I wonder if a small miniature wooden ship on office desk is also forbideen? Answer: Thank you for your question. Jews should not practice Feng Shui as it contains ideas that are based on avoda zara. We […]
Deodorant on Shabbos
Question: Is there a problem with using roll-on (liquid) deodorant on Shabbos, considering that it will definitely get on clothing and give it a nice smell? What about putting it on while wearing the clothing? Is it different if the bottle incidentally touches the clothing and therefore directly imparts a scent to the clothing in […]
Yizkor Maaser money
Question: Can I give maaser money to fulfill my yizkor “bli neder etain tzedaka”? Answer: Thank you for your question. If at the time when you said that you would give the tzedakah, you didn’t specifically think that you want to give the yizkor money from maser, then you shouldn’t give it from maser […]
Giyores cooking for family on Yom Tov
Question: I know a woman who is on her way towards Geirus soon. The rest of her immediate family will not be converting , Just she herself. Since a yid cannot cook for a goy on yom tov, so therefore , after her conversion , will there be any heter for her to cook for […]
Honoring parents and brushing teeth in the kitchen
Question: What should be done if an adult child who pays his parents rent wants to brush his teeth in the kitchen, and his father is okay with that, but his mother wants him to brush his teeth in the bathroom. Thank you for replying. Answer: Thank you for your question. From reading the […]
Bracha on Matzoh Lasagna
Question: Over Pesach, I had a debate with someone regarding the bracha on ‘Matzah Lasagna’. I always thought it was hamotzi, at least if each piece of matzah used is a kzayis or larger because even if there is a lot of sauce/liquid making it ‘cooked’, the bracha would still be hamotzi. However, my friend […]
Stolen Packages
Question: Someone ordered products which were delivered on Yom Tov and left on the buyer’s porch. The buyer left them on the porch throughout Yom Tov because he claimed that the delivered packages were muktzeh (since they were delivered on Yom Tov). They ended up getting stolen. Who’s responsible, the buyer or seller? (Also, are […]
Stealing through false budget reports
Question: I know a woman who volunteered for a (non-jewish) school, she handled the budget reports to the district, the principal had a practice where if the budget wasn’t to a certain amount, he would tell her items to add just to get the budget higher. For example, if she was reporting to the district […]
Do I have to add a candle from now on?
Question: I walked to my son’s house on Yom Tov. I did not realize the walk (1hour) took longer than usual. I davened mincha when i was done my daughter in law said gut Shabbos and I said it’s not Shabbos yet and she said it is. I did not light (safek shkia) but my […]
General rule for ksamim
Question: I have a general question regarding ksamim. When does a person have to be concerned that a colored splotch is a kesem question? When someone sees some splotch of red, brown, or black color somewhere in the house or on clothing/linen etc, in what case does one have a chiyuv to evaluate whether the color […]
Graduation gown with crosses
Question: The graduation gown from Teachers College of Columbia University contains 2 King’s Crowns emblems – each has crosses on them. Is it permissible for a Jew to wear this? here are citations and pictures: https://columbia.shopoakhalli.com/PurchaseWizard/SelectPackage?EventId=MPSH https://www.wikicu.com/King%27s_Crown_(symbol) Answer: Thank you for your question. Although it might be distasteful, it is permissible for a a […]
Loan in place of maiser
Question: Being a loan is said to be greater than charity, can maaser be given to service a loan in place of charity, if someone requires this? (Logic dictates the money should be given to charity, when repaid, being from maaser.) Thanks. Answer: Thank you for your question. What you are writing is correct. […]