Question: I forgot to have a haircut on Lag B’omer believing I would have enough time before Shabbos. Unfortunately I didn’t have enough time. What can I do under the circumstances? Answer: Thank you for your question. The minhag of most people is to keep “sefira” for 33 days, there are however four different […]
Author Archives: Rabbonim of the Beis Hora'a
Avoda zarah necklace
Question: Hi Rabbi, I have a doctor who we believe to be good at what they do. At one point in my care, they started wearing an avodazaarah necklace. I was concerned about being in the vicinity of the doctor wearing this necklace. They deliver babies, even more so, I am concerned about that. They […]
Saying something over told to you in confidence
Question: I am related to someone that had a lot of money put away in savings. When it came time to marry off a child she went to use her money only to discover that a family member of hers absconded with all of her savings. I was informed about this in confidence from my […]
Computation of sheloshim
Question: I would like to know exactly when the sheloshim observance (getting family together for prayers, remembrances, etc.) should be. My mother was niftar on April 9 but the kevurah wasn’t until April 14. Is the 14th the first day? Then when would the sheloshim be observed? The night of May12? Also, is it halacha […]
Can I be yotzei my chiyuv of davening without being able to talk/move my lips?
Question: My doctor suggested jaw surgery, after which my jaw would be wired shut for a few weeks. How do I daven during recovery? Answer: You should daven the best that you can with the immobility that you will have. The halacha is that if at all possible, we have to daven while saying the words […]
Animal crackers
Question: Any problem eating kosher food in the shape of monkosher animals? Answer: It is permitted to eat animal cookies even if they are of non-kosher animals. You are eating a cookie, not the animal. I understand your sensitivity, however halachically it is fine. Best wishes
Listening to music during aveilus
Question: I read somewhere that while one may not listen to dance music and other rousing, joyous music during the year of mourning (for my mother), listening to classical music is permitted. Is that true? I would like to listen to it; while it doesn’t bring me “joy” necessarily, it aids me as background music […]
Repeating words for kavanah
Question: When a person prays Shomonah Esrei or Pesukie Dizimra for example can you repeat words multiple times in order to enhance kavaanah? Does this include G-ds name Ado—-? I find that this will enhance my kavanah.What about when says Tehillim? Can you answer all these questions? Answer: The words should not be repeated, […]
Teaching guitar while teacher is in aveilus
Question: My son has been taking guitar lessons from a good friend of ours, who hasn’t been charging for the lessons. The friend is now an aveil and would like to continue the teaching. May he do so, though he’s not getting parnassa from the lessons? If that matters, may he satisfy halacha by charging […]
Cake or cookies
Question: How does one assess the amount of cake or cookies that would be the equivalent of a bread meal and require washing? Answer: It is controversial how much cake or cookies this really is, some say that it is about 250 grams, (about 8 ounces), but others say that it is more than […]
Mother’s day
Question: Hi, There’s an American holiday next week (May 9) known as Mother’s Day. The origins of this holiday according to Wikipedia have nothing to do with pagan traditions. Can I wish my mother happy mother’s day and even get her a gift in honor of the day? Or is there some issue of bechukoseihem […]
Apology required?
Question: B”H Kavod HaRav, Thank you sincerely for your help. I help children in a Jewish playgroup and the age range is approximately around 6 to 11 (I do not believe any of the children are over bar/bat mitzvah yet). I was asking one of the children if she had her days “ticket(s)” which the […]
Generation decimation
Question: Dear Rabbi, I am guilty of marring the rope. Every time I free my serious side, the world on top turns my eye of joy into brass tight war. Dad crosses the line. Mother few can brush. Haste is too unhappy. Bread is never won. The grades kill us. Family is never type A […]
Stealing
Question: I have read the answer on this site regarding using a wifi connection without permission. If one used a school’s wifi without permission, there was a password but many students knew it, what should he do? Answer: Thank you for the question. Repaying the school for what you used, depends if the school […]
Issur to cause pain to a widow
Question: In our building, the Vaad Bayit (volunteer administrator for our apartment building) is an Almana who is (understandably) a very hard woman to deal with. She is a tough lady and insisted on keeping the Vaad Bayit job even as her husband got sick and unfortunately passed away. This caused much hardship for the […]
Cinema
Question: I was recently asked by a group of Bais Yaacov teenager girls what is wrong in going to the cinema, many couples go רח”ל . Could you please give me a write up in English with מראי מקומות explaining the איסורים involved – despite the ignorance of some. Thank you Answer: Unfortunately, I […]
Blame for not repaying loan.
Question: If at the time of the loan the borrower did not have the means to repay but had reasonable ground to think that he would at the due date is he still blamed? Answer: Thank you for your question on this sensitive topic. Unfortunately, the truth must be said that even if he borrowed […]
Sefer on Basar B’chalav
Question: Hi, I would like to more familiar in Hilchos Bosor V’chalav and to understand the shailos of kitchen mishaps. I am wondering if you recommend a sefer similar to Orchos Shabbos which goes through a synopsis of the sugya and takes it halacha l’maasa. Answer: Thank you for your question. You could try […]
Laffa for lechem mishneh
Question: HI Can one use 2 full laffas for lechem mishneh on shabbos? Thanks Answer: I am not sure I understand your question, but as long as the two “breads” are whole, they are good for lechem mishana. The fact that the laffa is full, does not change it’s bracha ,therefore regarding lechem mishna, […]
Decorating church
Question: Hi, May a party planner plan a non Jewish wedding and design decorations for the church ceremony? Answer: Technically can plan the party from outside the church, but Jews may not walk inside it or even enter the church grounds. We are told to distance ourselves from avoda zara. In general, it is […]
Lag B’omer
Question: Are there any obligations on this day? Or is more a celebratory day with different customs? Working okay? electricity? any restrictions? Answer: Before answer your question, our hearts are together with all the families that lost relatives in the tragedy that happened in Meron yesterday. There are no obligations, of anything that we […]
Putting on Tefillin
Question: Why do some people put on tefillin outside the Shul? Thank you Answer: The reason some people put on their tallis and tefillin outside of shul is because there is a preference to put them on before leaving our home to go to shul. Practically though most people don’t do it, because there […]
Various questions on Shabbos
Question: Is one allowed to put one’s dirty leather shoes under a running tap of water or is this considered shifshuf and only placing them into still water such as a puddle would be mutar? Is one allowed to wipe a plastic tablecloth with a little water on Shabbos or is this considered Libun (In […]
Tedaka
Question: Hi, What happens if someone is collecting money and I say I will give them a certain amount without specifically thinking or saying that I will give it from my pre set aside masser money account? Can I still give it from maaser money or would it now be a personal chiyuv that cannot […]
Freezing an ice pack on Shabbos for later use
Question: I had a tooth pulled on Eruv Shabbos and the dentist advised me to use an ice pack on Shabbos to keep the swelling down He provided me with a freezer pack with water inside which i must freeze on Shabbos and then take out to apply to my jaw to keep the swelling […]
Big debts
Question: When I was living in Eretz Yisroel I incurred 2 very large debts while I was living under extremely dire circumstances for almost 14 years. One was falling behind in the rent for a storage machsan, and the second was the electric bill to the vaad habayit for the machsan I was unfortunately living […]
Chazara on Shabbos
Question: If I want to do Chazara on Shabbos, am I allowed to put the pot down on a pot warmer without holding it and then return it to the hotplate or is this considered like putting it on the ground? Answer: If the pot warmer is hot enough that it can make the […]
Why should we listen to mitzvos dirabanan?
Question: Why should we listen to mitzvos dirabanan? Answer: You are asking an important question, as many people have misunderstandings about this. The reason why we must do mitzvos d’rabonon, is because essentially it is a mitzva d’orayso to do so. Hashem told us in His Torah (Devorim 17-11) על פי התורה אשר יורוך […]
blood
Question: Hello Rabbi, After purchasing some packages of food today I noticed some blood on my hands from cuts. I do not see it on the packages but I could have missed it. Is the food inside ok to eat or might some blood (if there) get in? Would it be better not to eat […]
Lifnei iver with minyan of less than ten people
Question: Is it lifnei iver to recruit someone to attend a minyan where there won’t be 10 mispallelim, without informing him that according to many poskim (MB 90:28) it is not a valid minyan (according to others it is valid)? Should one inform him that they are relying on a controversial opinion that it is […]
Asher yatzar
Question: BS”D Every time I get into a bathroom, should I tell Brachah Asher Yatzar? Or only when do something in the bathroom? Answer: The bracha of Asher Yotzar is a bracha of thanks to Hashem for giving us such a wonderful digestive system, and such a wonderful body, which works in such a […]
Homemade grape juice
Question: In order to make homemade grape juice, is it required for the grapes to have been picked and handled only by shomer shabbos Jews, or regular store-bought grapes are also acceptable? Answer: Regular store-bought grapes are fie to use for making wine even if they were picked by and handled by a non-Jew. […]
One milk and one meat stainless steel pot– got confused.
Question: Dear Rabbi, many months ago I started to cook two separate meals. One meal was milk, and at a different time, one was fleishig. Both times it must have been Eruv Shabbos or Yom tov because I was stressed out and rushing, but I either put hot milchig into the cold, fleishig pot or […]
Bnei Noach, Mezuzah and Tefilin
Question: BS”D A Bnei Noach can fulfill the mitzvot, such as: puts Tefilin, Mezuzah between others or is there a forbidden Halakha strictly? Answer: Thank you for your question. Yes they can fulfill mitzvot, suchas poutting on tfiilin or mezuza. They may not however keep Shabbos or study Torah. Best wishes Sources:
Electricity on Shabbos
Question: In my parents house, they have a bathroom light pull switch. Someone by mistake pulled the string to turn off the light on Shabbos and remembered before he let go that it was Shabbos. A guest there told him to put the cord between his teeth and then he can let go as it […]
Drinking coffee during davening
Question: Assuming I made a bracha before davening and the drink is something that is muttar to drink before davening, are there any points from the time I put on my tefillin to the end of davening that it’s permissible to drink on a weekday? Answer: From a technical aspect, I am not aware of […]
Looking at Exam
Question: I have an open book exam scheduled after the official date of the exam. The teacher provides past exams to use for study and practice. I initially assumed I would be given an alternate exam but my friend claims it will likely be the same exam. Do I need to refrain from looking at […]
Parev spoon in meaty soup
Question: I used a PAREV ladel in boiling chicken soup. Is my ladel now meaty? What do I need to do to make it Parev again Answer: Thank you for your question. You will have to kasher the ladle in order to make it parve again. Wait until 24 hours has passed from when […]
Buying knock off products
Question: Let’s say someone is selling sports equipment, however, they have no authority from original company to produce these goods; they function just as good as original, and even have the logo. The sellers don’t hide the fact they are not selling originals. Can one buy from them ? (If this question is inappropriate, please […]
Nidda
Question: Hi, I asked this question already but I’m not sure it went through. I found a small blood stain on a grey duvet cover this morning when making my bed. I’m not sure where it is from, however, as my wife and I have been together on this bed is there any concern that […]
Credit card refund
Question: Hi, I returned an item to a store for which I had paid for with credit card. They refunded me in cash. Im now realizing that maybe it’s a problem since a store pays a percent for cc payments. Do I have to return to the store and make them aware? Do I owe […]
Owing dentist for missed appointment
Question: I left late for my appointment at the dentist (hygienist, actually) and because of an unexpectedly delayed bus I arrived around 15 minutes late. The hygeinest refused to see me (which she is entitled to do) because another patient was due to arrive at 20 past the hour and she could not stay beyond […]
Shehecheyanu on Sefarim
Question: Do I make a shehecheyanu on buying a new sefer? Answer: The minhag is that we don’t make a shehechiyanu when buying a new sefer. The reason given by the poskim is because “mitzvos lav l’henos nitnu” (mitzvos were not given for the purpose of enjoyment), therefore we only make shehechiyanu on newly […]
Kesiva / mochaik birthday cake on shabbos
Question: Hello, Am I correct in my understanding that, if I would take scrabble pieces or chocolate letters and lay them on the table to give over a message ex. “I went to the kiddush”. It would be allowed because all I did was, I took already formed letters and brought them close to each […]
Tribe affiliation for child of Jewish mother, non-Jewish father
Question: B”H Kavod HaRav, With regard to tribe affiliation for a daughter of a Jewish mother and non-Jewish father, what tribe would she belong to when Mashiach comes if she is not married at the time? If we do not know which tribe she will belong to, may we know that she will be included […]
Non-Kosher animals that become Kosher
Question: Shalom, 1 – An animal not Kosher who went through a mutation, or an animal not kosher who give birth to a kosher animal, would it be kosher that animal(that was born)? 2 – An animal that is done in laboratory only with embryo(of an animal not kosher), and in the laboratory make an […]
Bar metzreh
Question: Is there bar metzreh if seller is a goy? The neighbor is a small shul and the goy would not sell to them because they did not get along. There is a for-sale on house for the past 4 weeks and wasn’t sold to neighbor. Is it ok for others to buy? Answer: Thank […]
Lag BaOmer
Question: Shalom. How early on Lag BaOmer can a person trim his beard, etc…? Answer: Thank you for your question. The Ashkenazi minhag as brought in the Mishna Berura (493-10) is to wait until after netz hachama, (sunrise) of the morning of lag baomer. Best wishes Sources:
Flowers on shabbos
Question: Is there a source for decorating a home on shabbos with flowers, lchovod shabbos? Answer: Anything that is done for the honor of Shabbos is kavod Shabbos, however I am not aware of any specific minhag to buy flowers l’kavod Shabbos. There is an idea mentioned in the gemora of a person who […]
Reciting diverse prayers during 40 days
Question: If o miss a day of a prayer intended to do for 40 days , whst can I do ? Answer: Thank you for your question. The concept of davening for 40 days, is a known segula, and it is hard to know the “halachos” of a segula. On the surface I would […]