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

Shabbos – Mechanical Refrigerator

Question: Ha Rav, we have a mechanical refrigerator. If we wait until the compressor starts, we will have to wait around an hour to prepare for Kiddush/meal. What should we do in order not to be mechalel Shabbos? Answer: I don’t know what you mean by a mechanical refrigerator. There are however a number […]

Took home hotel towel by accident

Question: We were in a rented house in Florida. When I came home, I noticed a small hand towel had been packed into my luggage by accident. Do I need to return this to the management? Answer: Thank you for your question. You should return the towel to its owner. If the owner is […]

Divorcee then widower – what is my status

Question: Good day, I was a divorcee and then remarried and my husband passed away. Is my current marital status a widower and am I still considered a divorcee? Answer: Thank you for your question. This sounds unfortunate, but as for now your halachic status would still be divorced, even though you are also […]

Kli Shemelachto L’issur for said issur

Question: Hi, a bit of a hypothetical question. If I were to use a kli shemelachto lissur for the issur itself would I be “over” on muktzah? Is that not ltzoirech gufoi? If we assume that the issur is a remnance of the qezeirah on all keilim then I don’t understand why there would be […]

Real estate broker commission and bar metzra

Question: A real estate broker brought me a buyer for my house. I said ok to their buyer’s price but had to first ask bar metzra. Bar metzra said he wanted it for the same price. I never signed any paperwork at all yet to anyone. the broker is now asking for her commission. Do […]

Shabbos – Borer with plasticware

Question: Ha Rav, I selected what I thought was two forks but ended up with two forks and a knife. I have forks, knives and spoons separated in a standing divider. The knives are behind the forks. I had no intention to use the knife for immediate use. Did I break Shabbos? Answer: Hello, […]

Working with woman

Question: Hi As part of my job I need to supervise ladies working with children to make sure they are using the right methods and working properly. I am paid by the insurance company to come usually for a block of 2 hours at a time. Am I allowed to look at the lady working […]

Honoring parent/ avodah zara

Question: B”H Kavod haRav, Thank you for your help. A parent recently returned from a trip and gifted a baalas teshuva daughter a bracelet with a small avodah zara on it. The parent does not realize it is there. Should the daughter say something or simply not wear it and ignore the issue? (May the […]

Mini Lemon’s from Garden over Shmita

Question: Good Day, We have a mini lemon tree in our garden, here in Israel. I have picked a number of the lemons. Can I consume them or do I need to give them away ? Thanks Answer: There is no need for you to give them away. There is a mitzva called “biur”, […]

Shloshim when shiva started before the burial

Question: Hi Rav, I have a unique situation. My Mother passed away on Tu BiShvat this year, Sunday night. We buried my Mother in Israel on Tuesday night. We had a levaya where my Family attended in USA. My Father (Badel LaChaim) stayed in USA and started Shiva then with some of my siblings. I […]

Koraya on Shabbos via tearing Tissues

Question: Ha Rav, Two ?s: 1. a family member was holding a tissue to blow their nose when the tissue got stuck in their glasses, a small piece of the tissue tore off. Did they break Shabbos? 2. Before Shabbos, a family member put a tissue under a jar in the refrigerator. On Shabbos they […]

Yohrzeit during leap year

Question: If a person was niftar during Adar of a regular year, when does one observe the yohrzeit during leap year (Adar I or Adar II) ? Answer: There are various customs regarding this. The Sefardi custom is to observe the yahrtzeit during the second Adar. The Ashkenazi custom however is to observe he […]

Shabbos – caught in the rain

Question: Ha Rav, 1. I got caught in a heavy rain shower. I rubbed the front thigh part of my pants which were soaked. Did I break Shabbos? 2. Snapping the last button of my coat, I might of squeezed, since the coat was still wet at the bottom, did I break Shabbos? Answer: […]

Shabbos – wiping your lips after eating beets

Question: Ha Rav, We ate beets and when we wiped our lips, the beet color went on the plain white napkin, did we break Shabbos? Answer: Thank you for your question. One may wipe any dirt or blood, or the colored food on his lips with a napkin, tissue, or gauze pad, without any […]

Shabbos – Borer with clothes

Question: Ha Rav, I had pants and two sweaters in a pile, I spread them out on the bed, took the sweater I wanted, did I do Borer and break Shabbos? Answer: Thank you for the question. It is not considered borer for two reasons. The first is that large items in a pile […]

Can an 8 year old boy be motzei his sister (13 years old) in shabbos kiddish?

Question: Hi can a 8 year old boy be motzei his sister (13 years old) in shabbos kiddish? Thank you Answer: Hi, A child cannot be motzei his adult sibling or any other adult. The reason is because there is a rule that only a person who is obligated to do a certain mitzva […]

Ground vs instant coffee on Shaboss

Question: Shalom rav, I heared that one should be Makpid not to make Ground coffee on shaboss since it’s bishul. But we hold one can make instant coffee. My questions is what is the difference between instant and ground coffee, as they are both roasted? I did a lot of research and ground coffee is […]

Seeking help from HR regarding racist behaviour of coworker

Question: I worked in a multicultural office funded by federal funds to administer a govt. program. One of my coworkers constantly said derogatory comments about a specific racial group. This racial group were clients of the program as well as coworkers. She would accuse this group of taking advantage of the program. Many racial groups […]

Is this considered maaser?

Question: If I donate cc points to buy a poor person a ticket to Europe to daven at kivrei tzadikim can I count this as maaser or is this not considered a necessary need and therefore would not be maaser? Answer: Thank you for your question. Your cc points are worth money, therefore if […]

Refinishing table and kashrut

Question: Hi Rabbi, I have a table (made of wood composite) that we got used. If I repainted the table surface and sealed it, would that barrier be enough to be like a new kosher surface upon which to place hot dairy or meat without a covering or tablecloth? Thank you. Answer: I have […]

Traveling for work and pleasure

Question: Hi, If I travel somewhere for the sake of both work and pleasure, can I incorporate this into a travel expense to calculate ma’aserable income? I wouldn’t travel for pleasure alone, nor for work alone — only for the option of both (the travel is difficult physically). Answer: Thank you for your question. […]

Cost of commute

Question: I drive 34 miles daily to work. This is the major use of my car. Besides the cost of gas, can I deduct cost of car insurance? Repairs? IRS allows $0.60/mile when computing costs for a business. Can I just use that number instead? Answer: Thank you for your question. Taking the cars […]

Kashering george foreman

Question: Is there a way to rekasher a George foreman that was made treif either with a blowtorch or by some other method? Answer: Thank you for your question. It is hard to answer without knowing why it is treif. If it is because a non-kosher piece of meat was placed on it, and […]

מים אחרונים

Question: לאחרונה יצא מים אחרונים קטן בקבוק שמשפריץ (כדי להחזיק בכיסכל הזמן ) והשאלה האם אין בזה בעיה כי זה משפריץ ויכול ליזול מים אחרונים על הסביבה (ולמה) Answer: שלום, מה שנוגע בידים הוא המים אחרונים אבל מה שמשפריץ ולא נוגע באצבעות, אינו מים אחרונים וממילא אין בזה כל בעיה. כל טוב Sources:

Clothes with name “Christian”

Question: I received a gift from someone. The garment has the name”CHRISTIAN” on it which is the name of the designer. Can it be worn as is, or must it be blanked out, or removed before it can be worn? Its on the inside. Answer: Hello, There is no problem wearing garment. The name […]

Avel on Purim Katan

Question: Hi Does an Avel Daven on Purim Katan for the Omud? Many thanks for this great resource!! Answer: Hi, There is controversy about this. If you want you can daven for the amud. Best wishes

Melo lugmo for grape juice

Question: If i drink a melo lugmo after havdalah, do I have to make a bracha aharona? I can only drink that amount due to acid reflux. Answer: You can only make a bracha achrona if you drink a revi’is of the grape juice. Best wishes

Taking Pill out of Package on Shabbos

Question: I take a blood thinner pill for my heart. The pills are enclosed 7 to a “page”. To take out a pill, one normally pops the pill through the backing thereby squashing the aluminum encasing. Can this be done on Shabbos if it may cause wording on the backing to be torn – an […]

Forgiveness and Holding a Grudge

Question: I worked in a very bad place. I had an abusive boss. Before she left I told her I forgave her for what she did to me. I wanted to be free of it all. I felt like Hashem was at my back. She did not ask me for forgiveness. She had actually called […]

Olives and eggs

Question: Here is a perplexing question: Although the main requirement is to only eat a kazayis of bread for the seudos of Shabbos and Yom Tov, however, I always understood that it is actually required to eat the amount of an egg in order to be able to say the brocha of al natilas yadayim. […]

Fresh egg has blood in yolk

Question: Hello. I always crack the eggs in a separate bowl to check for blood in the yolk which would then be thrown out if there was blood. What if we boil eggs? If they are hard boiled, how can we possibly tell if there is blood in the egg. We normally eat hard boiled […]

Keeping Commitment

Question: Can you ask someone to be mochel money you owe them. For example, A while ago, I told my friend I would pay her money if I broke my diet that I was going on for a short period of time. I broke it but I didn’t pay her. Even though I meant it, […]

Maariv after shabbos and holidays

Question: Why do we only have one minyan after shabbos and holidays? Why don’t we have a bunch like we have the rest of the week? And why do we do it immediately after the holiday ends? Answer: Thank you for your question. There is no problem with having numerous minyanim at different times […]

Lending out used Tfilin

Question: My son has unfortunately not been using his Tfilin for a few years now. I would like to lend them to someone who will use them,or to a mentor that will have young men use them. Being that my son’s spiritual state was on the decline for a few years before he actually stopped […]

Passover at non religious parents house

Question: Hi, I am religious and I live with my parents but they are not religious. They do not clean the house of chametz on Passover. Should I find another place to stay during Passover or is it ok to be in a house with chametz even though it’s not mine. Thanks. Answer: Thank […]

Shlomo Hamelech`s Dream

Question: I know this is not really the forum for this question but I still would appreciate if you could explain how Shlomo Hamelech`s dream in Melochim A (Perek 3) in which he was praised and rewarded for asking for Chochmoh, whist it is well known that Torah received without toil is of little benefit. […]

Forgot to light neirot for Shabbos, what do I do as a guest?

Question: Hi, my wife forgot to light shabbos candles this past week. I would just like to know if we must light am extra candle every week.(we have 2 kids so we light 4 candles every shabbos).also should we take it om as a bli neder in case we out and we only have to […]

Waking up after chatzos

Question: If I go to sleep very late at night., and because of that I wake up late after chatzos, is this considered an oines and I can daven 2 minchas? And what if this happens almost every day? Answer: Hi, As a one time occurrence we can say that it is an oines, but […]

Chatzitzah Tefilin

Question: If a person noticed a while after putting on Tefilin shel Yad that a small part of his shirt is under his retzuah (straps), when he removes it, does he say a new bracha due to the chatzitzah? Answer: Thank you for your question. Before answering your question, it is noteworthy that there is […]

Whats the Beracha

Question: A local bakery is selling small pita bread but baked with zartar spice and oil on the top. Does this change the beracha to Mezonot? Answer: Thank you for your question. The spices that are placed on the top of the pita bread are merely for taste and the Bracha will still be hamotzei. […]

Shir payos

Question: What is the shir payos that we pasken . Thank you Answer: Thank you for your question. It isn’t clear to me what you are referring to by “shir payos”, but here are the basics. The part of the head included in the prohibition not to remove the “payas harosh” is not to […]

Being forced to pay tuition

Question: The cheder where my boys attend received a new administration which raised the tuition to an amount that I cannot afford. They say if I do not sign a contract for the requested tuition and I leave my children in cheder then it’s stealing. Can I leave my children in cheder without signing a […]

Conditions of using a free trial

Question: Hi, There are online companies which offer free trials for their service (let’s say for a 30 day period, for example). They say that “if you are not 100% satisfied with the service,” they will give you a full refund. Am I allowed to use this service if I am intending to use it […]

Torn tzitzit string

Question: If one of the strings of tzitzit breaks where the strings go through the hole in the beged, that is above the kesher elyon & thus between it & the beged, is it permissible to retie the torn string, if possible, or to glue the two pieces together if there is too little string […]

Question regarding pruzbal/ corporate tax

Question: B”H Kavod haRav, 1. In the following scenario, I am seeking guidance if this is ok to do. A building is sold by a Jew to another Jew. The total sale price was 2 million. The first lump sum (given at the closing and not part of the yearly fixed installments) was 1 million. […]

Question about exchange rate and ribbis

Question: I sent someone a payment in dollars. The agreement was she would send me the equivalent in shekels. I did the dollar payment and about an hr later she sent me the shekel payment. In the meantime when I checked the currency converter after she sent me the shekels, I saw I overpaid her […]

Making something hefker in a dream

Question: if someone makes something hefker in a dream does it actually become hefker Answer: Hello, No, it does not become hefker. All the best Sources:

Kel Melech Ne’eman in Kerias Shema al Hamita

Question: When one is saying Keriat Shema Al Hamita and just saying the 1st paragraph (as he has already said shema after nacht), does one add Kel Melech Ne’eman, or is this only if saying all three paragraphs? Answer: Hello, It is only when saying all three paragraphs. It is worth mentioning that the […]

Is a helicopter ride permitted?

Question: My friend recently went on a helicopter ride in Hawaii with her family for fun. When I found out, I was very startled she did that, because I thought that this type of activity was Assur as it is considered sakanos nefashos. she told me in response, that she researched the company beforehand and […]

Fish after meat

Question: Can one eat sushi (fish) immediately after eating chicken and/or meat? Answer: The custom is usually to eat the fish before eating the meat or chicken, however it is permitted to eat the fish afterwards. You should however take a drink of something between the meat and the fish. Have a good Shabbos […]