Question: Is one allowed to take a shower or shave on a yahrzeit for a father? Answer: Ir is permitted to shave and shower on a parent’s yahrzeit (except for the first one which is like an extension of the first year’s mourning). The only resrtictions are not to go to a wedding, and […]
Author Archives: Rabbonim of the Beis Hora'a
Chosen Mishpat cased not asked infront of the Rav
Question: Hello, last week I had a Choshen Mishpat case with a friend of mine. I asked a learned person at shul last week if he is qualified to answer my case and he said no and suggested I should wait for the rav of that Shul to return from out of town. I mentioned […]
Dowsing
Question: What is the status in regards to dowsing in halacha. Could you perhaps write an article about it, or if you have please send me the relevant link Answer: Using a pendulum is very controversial, with numerous poskim saying that it is permitted and nunerous poskim saying that it isn’t permitted. There are […]
Making sushi on Shabbos
Question: I’ve heard a claim that making sushi on Shabbos is a problem of Boneh, is that the generally accepted opinion? Am I correct, that if I’m not making it with any specific design or shape I’m just squeezing the contents together to make them in a general sushi roll form, would that be subject […]
Kosher dishes
Question: Is it okay to use the same set of glass dishes for both meat and dairy? I know some conservative Jews who do, but what do people who are frum do? Answer: Thank you for your question. Orthodox Jews don’t use glass dishes for milk and meat, because hot meat that is placed […]
Contract
Question: What’s the best way to make a contract “more official” instead of just having the 2 parties sign it (both parties are located in different locations)? Signing it in from of witnesses? Something else? Answer: Thank you for your question. From a halachic standpoint, the fact that the two parties signed the contract, […]
Haircut dilemma
Question: I went to a haircut last week, and paid less money for going to a junior barber. The barber gave me a good haircut and was diligent with my hair until at the very end he cut my neck. He did not offer me a discount but I am wondering if it was right […]
Ribbis on loan to a trust
Question: If Reuven is lends money to Shimon’s trust account but not directly to him and Reuven is the trustee on the account anyways so that he’ll take back the money he lends to it, at a later time, can Shimon say thank you to Reuven since he’ll get the money from his own trust […]
Kibud av v’em regarding my child’s education
Question: Hi Rabbi, If my parent tells me to educate my children a certain way and I don’t agree with it, must I listen to them anyway? What if their opinion conflicts with what my spouse feels as well is best for our children? Thank you Answer: Thank you for your question. It is […]
Hashavas aveida
Question: I live in Lakewood and was invited to spend Shabbos by a relative in a another part of Lakewood I took my kids to the park on Shabbos afternoon and found a pair of glasses at the park so I took the glasses and put into the baby stroller with intention to do hashavas […]
Disposing of papers that do not belong to us
Question: My husband owns some books that were in his house when he was a bachur. One of the books has a list of kabalos and draft of a letter that one of his siblings wrote. From a quick glance at the papers, it would probably be very embarrassing to return it to his sibling. […]
Shabbos candles
Question: If a woman is handicapped, can the shabbos goy light the candles and the woman then bless them? Answer: Thank you for your question. The gentile should not light the candles for the Jew, because he can’t be the agent for the Jew[1] for this. What the woman can do is, that the […]
Follow up on hatoras nedarim: Part 3
Question: Thank you, this is a follow up to part 2 of our hatoras nedarim correspondence: https://dinonline.org/2021/10/24/follow-up-to-hatoras-nedarim-question-part-2/ 1) Not learning during chazoras hashatz is something that I just did rather than a kabbalah that I said – would this be included in the original hatora where I spoke about learning commitments? 2) By false pretenses, I’m not referring […]
Owning israeli stocks
Question: Am I allowed to own stocks of a company that is owned by Jews (Israeli company)? My concern is that if they aren’t religious the company is working and adds revenue which ultimately makes the stock go higher so maybe it’s like your gaining off a Jews chillul Shabbos. also is there a stam […]
Luchos on top of Aron Hakodesh
Question: I know this is not strictly a halacha question but what is the reason of the ancient minhag to have the 10 commandments on top of the Aron Hakodesh or paroches etc., surely that all the other 603 mitzvos are just as important? Is it not slightly misleading and would appear as a misrepresentation, […]
Raw fish Muktza
Question: I’ve seen that the Aruch Hashulchin said that raw fish is muktza. Am I correct in assuming due to the prevalence of sushi nowadays raw salmon and raw tuna would no longer be muktza? Answer: Thank you for your question. You are bringing up a good point and in a certain sense you […]
Follow up to hatoras nedarim question | Part 2
Question: Thank you. This is a follow up to your most recent response regarding hatoras nedarim (https://dinonline.org/2021/10/20/follow-up-to-hatoras-nedarim-question/). 1) According to your response it sounds like the hatoras nedarim would not have annulled my kabola of not learning (or any other distraction) during kaddish & chazaras hashatz etc (as whilst I made reference to learning commitments […]
Washing and eating in car
Question: If I am in the car and can only wash in the restroom, can I still eat afterwards in the car? Can I touch the food? Avoid bread? Answer: Thank you for your question. When washing for bread etc. it is best not to wash in a restroom because going into the restroom […]
Living with a non religious relative
Question: A close family member (17 years old) who was in a bad situation moved in with me recently. I know I am doing the right thing, providing a safe stable place for this person and being them mekarev. The person is not frum anymore. They agreed to respect my standards in the kitchen etc […]
Is my pareve soup now fleishig?
Question: Mixed cold pareve soup (call it container number one) with same spoon that mixed a different container of cold left over pareve soup which had been warmed in meaty microwave (container number 2). Does that make container number one only allowed to warm on meaty side? I had planned to warm container one with […]
Saving mass-grave question
Question: It was recently shown to me that a Jewish mass grave in Poland is being allowed to be desecrated through the inaction of Polish Jewish community headed by…. I have taken upon myself to do the necessary to protect that mass grave site according to halacha. Since my teacher passed away 10+ years ago […]
New Mezuzah
Question: Our boiler room / laundry room had a toilet (no shower) in it. We have not used the toilet in years and finally had a plumber remove it and close up the hole. Does the room now require a mezuzah? We removed the door to the room years ago as well, but the door […]
Calculating Income for Maaser
Question: Hi, if one owns a business that is overall losing money- earning less money than expenses, does he have to take off a maaser from money he takes (as a salary, for example) for living expenses? Thank you. Answer: Thank you for your question. In order to answer your question, we need to […]
Toothbrush
Question: I could use guidance. My toothbrush holder tipped over and the brush bristles and paste touched the countertop. I know that it gets cleaned with the sink and that there have been other toothbrushes on the counter as well as meat pieces (unkosher because it’s a shared sink) in sink from spitting after brushing. […]
Status of Cooking Utensils
Question: I was frying onions, lentils and rice in a milky skillet and accidentally stirred the mixture with a meaty silicone spatula. Both the skillet and the spatula had not been used for any cooking for a least two weeks prior. What is the status of the spatula, the skillet and the food? Answer: Needless […]
Re: the decoration of the kipa by the precious stones.
Question: Re: the decoration of the kipa – yermulka by the precious stones. Dear Dinonline: There is a question I was contemplating for quite some time and, finally, had decided to ask You… Namely: Is it possible to decorate kipa (kipot – scull hat) with the jewelry? With the sapphires, diamonds, emeralds, for example (with […]
Hatan Bereishit
Question: Shalom Harav I need a speech regarding a Hatan Bereshit , is there anything special about it anywhere I can find out to learn more to put together something please let me know thank you Chazak Baruch Shabbat shalom Answer: Here are a few points that you can use in your speech. See […]
Giving tzedakah when poor person left
Question: I have just walked across the road to the dustbin. As I came up the steps onto the road, I saw two chasidishe dressed gentlemen descend the steps of the house opposite. They walked a few metres along the road, then stopped and came back to me, indicating their request for tzedakah. They have […]
Cooked milk in a pareve pot
Question: I accidentally added milk and cooked cereal in a pareve pot. What do I do with the pot to make it pareve again? Answer: Hello, It is good that you are reaching out to us. Here is what you should do. Wait 24 hours from the time that the pot became milchig. The […]
Required to daven
Question: How many do you need for chazoras hashatz Answer: Thank you for your question. There have to be nine people that answer amen. If there aren’t then the bracha is close to being a bracha levatala. Best wishes Sources: O:CH 124-4.
Putting a plug which is coming out of the socket back into into the socket
Question: Kovod harav If I have a plug to my fan which is partially coming out of the outlet but it’s still in the outlet, can I push that plug firmly back into the outlet? Answer: Thank you for your question. It isn’t clear from your question, what your case is and why you want […]
Secretly recording private conversations
Question: Hi, I was wondering what is the halachic position on secretly recording a private phone conversation? I believe in secular US and Australian law it is generally illegal, but in secular Israeli law it is legal. A follow up question is would information gleaned from a secretly recorded conversation be admissible in Beis Din? […]
Follow up to hatoras nedarim question
Question: Thank you very much for your service – this is a big to’eles! This is a follow up to my original question which you answered here: https://dinonline.org/2021/10/15/specifying-what-one-wants-annulled-before-hatoras-nedarim/ 1) Did the fact that I described the (possible) nedarim/minhagim tovim in general terms before the hatoras nedarim, help make the hatoras nedarim valid? I was embarrassed to […]
Kabala b’lev in halacha
Question: Hi, My question is as follows, I have these thoughts that if “xyz.. ” happens then I’ll do “abc”, do these thoughts mean anything in halacha (kabalh blev, neder) and what can I do to calm my nerves down? Is the mesiras modah I made m’vattel these thoughts? Should I say in front of […]
Weird Feeling
Question: What I am going to say might sound a little off. Can HaShem tell a person that he is Jewish even if there is no known Jewish ancestry? For example I sometimes have a weird feeling that won’t let me go , believing that my maternal grandmother is Jewish. When I believe that everything […]
Clothes from less observant days
Question: Hello Rabbi, Even I knew it was a violation of Shabbat to travel, I used to do it. Now I observe more, is it okay to wear clothes I took in the car or wore when I rode in the car on Shabbat or ate nonkosher food or they somehow “tainted.”? I have some […]
Apartments on top of Aron Kodesh.
Question: I have recently taken over a 90 year old shul which is in the basement of a building in Yerushalayim. We were thinking about getting a new Aron Kodesh and changing it’s location in the shul (along with changing the location of the women’s section). There are 4 floors of apartments above the Shul, […]
Candidate to Giur
Question: A person who is in the process of giur, can and should keep shabbes in their entirety? I heard a rabbi say that he has to keep the complete shabbes, is that right or is there some Halakha that forbids a person who is in the process of guarding the shabbes guerin completely? […]
Metal pareve spoon in meat sink
Question: Metal spoon pareve was in sink with greasy meat dishes with cold water and then used to mix grain cooking with hot water in pareve pot. Do any of the dishes need to be kashered to make them pareve again? Don’t want them to be for meat. Answer: Hello, The pot is definitely […]
Is it still Pareve?
Question: I cooked pasta in pareve pot and poured hot water that was taken from Shabbos kettle with a fleishig plastic measuring cup. That cup had been in fleishig sink with greasy meat dishes before. I think I had washed it with cold water so not sure if it had grease residue left. My question […]
Praying while in labor
Question: Can a woman in labor pray when the bottom part of her body is completely exposed? Thank you! Answer: Thank you for your question. She should try to get them to drape something over her whenever possible. When she is exposed it is problematic for her to say tefillos, as a person may […]
Kashering ceramic knife
Question: I have a ceramic knife that I did not use for a long time and I am not sure if it was fleshing or not, can I kasher it? Answer: Hello, Although in general ceramic cannot be kashered, in this case where you do not know if it is fleishig, the halacha is […]
Why do Jews worship Israel?
Question: Why do Jews worship Israel? Simple question Thanks Answer: Thank you for the question. Here’s a simple answer, the Jews do not worship Israel. Although the Jews believe that there is a certain holiness to the land of Israel, we definitely do not and are not allowed to worship anything except G-d Himself. […]
Cut My Neighbors Tree
Question: I recently built a sukkah in my backyard for the first time. I had to cut branches from numerous trees in order that my schach should be kosher. I accidently cut down part of my neighbor’s tree. I even cut the part of it that was growing in his property. The tree was in […]
Family inheritance
Question: My brother who passed away suddenly and who was religiously estranged, left the bulk of his large estate to a non Jewish friend. Our eldest brother who would be one of the halachic heirs, is understandably shocked and emotionally upset. He has asked me to ask a shaila on his behalf. Legally he has […]
Working on Tov Ayin
Question: Hi, I was wondering how a person can develop an ayin tov. Perhaps you have some ideas? I think that developing that middah would really help me and other too, but I am not sure how. Thanks Answer: Thank you for your question. The idea of ayin tova is the opposite of tzarus […]
Bedikos after conclusion of 7 clean days
Question: Hi I was scheduled to go to the Mikvah last wed 10/13. I wasn’t able to. I did proper Bedikos until then and including wed. I have done bedikos since then but definitely missed at least 1. If I do a Bedika today- can I go tonight? ty Answer: Hello, Yes you may. […]
Milchig Fleishig dishwashers.
באר משה (ח”ז קו”ע סי’ ס’, ריח הבשם פרק ג’ הע’ ל”ד) – “אסור להשתמש במדיח כלים לכלים בשריים וגם לכלים חלביים אלא צריך ליחד את המדיח הכלים רק לכלי בשר או לכלי חלבי”. הגר’ הענקין זצ”ל (ריח הבשם פרק ג’ הע’ ל”ד) – “שאסור להקל בדבר”. הגריש”א זצ”ל (אבני ישפה ח”ג סוף סי’ ע”א, […]
Child to die before completing the batzvah
Question: Shalom dear Rabbi, it’s true that every child who dies before reaching bar mitzvah age goes straight to the Gan Eden ? Answer: Although I don’t have a specific source for this, but it would make sense because the child’s neshoma is sin free. Best wishes
soul
Question: What is the way to find the other half of one’s soul in this lifetime Answer: There are differant ways of going about finding one’s bashert. One very important point is that we have to pray to Hashem that he send our soulmate to us soon. May Hashem help you find your true […]