Question: B”H Kavod HaRav, A dry challah cover that is used with meat meals was put on a lightly wet/damp fabric that may have been wet from some dairy that leaked on it (I am not sure the mark was even dairy, and it was very lightly damp). May I continue to use the challah […]
Author Archives: Rabbonim of the Beis Hora'a
Roasting after cooking
Question: Can an Ashkenazi take out a piece of boiled chicken from the fridge on Shabbos morning and place it on the plata to heat up? Answer: Bewfore answering you and as a side point, R’ Moshe Feinstein zt”l held that even dry food cannot be placed directly on the plata, even though it […]
Shekel in flowers
Question: A family came to us from the north on ever Shabbos and brought flowerws. We alter saw that there was a shekel in the flowers, we called them and they said that theyprobably dropped it and we could abviously keep it but I am concerned that maybe it was from the seller or other […]
Zav and ritual impurity
Question: Hello Rabbi, This topic is a bit uncomfortable, but I experienced a bit of an abnormal discharge (which I think might fall under the category of zav) and I was wondering if any of those Halachos apply in our day. Should I go to a mikva or something? Thanks so much Answer: Thank […]
Niddah
Question: On the onas havest, would it be permissible for husband and wife to sleep each in their own beds, but whilst their beds are touching side by side? Answer: Thank you for your question. During onas havest sleeping in the same bed is not permitted, however harchakos, such as that he two beds […]
Chesed
Question: Good morning, It’s bothered me for some time that the world has lots of garbage and pollution on it and continue to make it worse. I believe that Hashem put people, and Jews in particular, on the earth to safeguard it and protect it and I feel like we don’t always live up that […]
Making Tzizit one corner at a time
Question: Is there any halacha about making Tzizit one corner at a time over a period of a number of days, or does all 4 corners have to be made all at one time? Is there a chumra like that? I might not have seen this halacha thats why im asking?Lchatchila or bedievid Answer: […]
A guest disposing of treif ingredients found in host’s home
Question: Rabbonim mechubodim, I have a question whose resolution is causing me much concern and distress. I’m a guest in the house of a divorced man whose kashrus observance has dropped significantly since his divorce. He still keeps general kosher laws but isn’t careful to check for hechshers at the grocery store. So my basic […]
Covid Vaccine
Question: Does a Jewish person have any responsibility (morally or Halchikally) to get a Covid vaccine based on the principles of communal responsibility? Why or why not? Answer: Your question is a bit controversial, and the subject of debate. However most poskim in Eretz Yisroel do say that with the personal advice of one’s […]
Accidental Haircut during sefira
Question: 1. I cut my hair during sefira, forgetting that it was sefira. Should I now keep all of the halachos of mourning for sefira during the entire omer until Shavuos? 2. Does it matter if it was done as a part of chafifa before tevila? (I did more than cut length though, I cut […]
Writing or sponsoring one letter in a new Torah scroll
Question: Is it possible to fulfil the Mitzvah of writing a Sefer Torah by writing a letter in a not yet completed Torah. Answer: According to many poskim a person fulfills the mitzva of writing a sefer torah when he not merely sponsors but buys a part of a sefer torah. Even though he […]
Babysitter heated her food and put it into a kosher bowl
Question: Hi, My babysitter cooked rice and beans at home (she has special pots she uses for vegan cooking which she said never touched alcohol, meat or milk-although not sure about vinegar…although certainly not used in past few days).. She brought it in and I heated it for her double wrapped and then gave her […]
Kashrus of whitening strips
Question: I bought an unfamiliar brand of tooth whitening strips (to be worn on teeth directly) was wondering if the ingredients are kosher. The following ingredients are listed: PVPK30, Glycerin, Hydroxypropyl cellulose, PVPK90, Auqa, Alcohol, Hydrogen Peroxide, Menthol. Thank you Answer: Thank you for your question. In consultation with a kashrus professional, the whitening […]
Tea on Shabbos
Question: Am I allowed to take hot water from an urn into a cup, then pour that into another cup that has a tea bag and sugar in it on Shabbos? If not, how can I do it? Answer: Thank you for your question. The sugar in the second cup is not a problem but […]
Hesech Hadaas
Question: Is seudas shlishis or learning considered a hefsek regarding washing hands again or not between minchas and maariv? Thank you Answer: A person that davens mincha in shul and stays to learn until maariv does not have to wash his hands again before davening maariv. This is because we assume that he was […]
Omer
Question: Is it permitted for middle aged single women to pluck their eyebrows and any other stray hairs during the Omer? Also, does it have to be done Thursday or Friday to honor Shabbat or is any day ok? Thank you Answer: It is permitted for a woman to tweeze stray hairs from her […]
Tweezing hair during omer
Question: May a single woman in her 30s or 40s tweeze stray hairs from face/body during the Omer? What about cutting nails during the Omer? Answer: It is permitted for a woman to tweeze stray hairs from her face etc. and it isn’t considered haircutting her hair. Cutting nails is permitted during the omer. […]
Pulling hair from beard during sefira
Question: One that has a loose ball of hair that dangles out of his beard, may he rip it out during sefira? Answer: Ripping some hair from one’s beard is not considered taking a haircut and permitted during sefira. Best wishes Sources: Shulchan Shlomo chap. 11 ftnt. 32, 36.
Written Torah Classes At Night
Question: BS”D Can a rabbi give Written Torah(תורה שבכתב) study classes at night? Answer: It is permitted for the Rabbi to give classes in the written Torah at night. First of all halachically it is permitted even to read the written Torah at night. Even those who say that it shouldn’t, agree that if […]
Speaking to inanimate objects: Avodah Zarah?
Question: Shalom. Thank you for your time. I have just heard a man speaking to his motorcycle whilst revving it. He said something like ‘Yes, baby!’ when revving the engine. Is this avodah zarah? If so, would saying ‘Come on!’ to a slow computer also be considered avodah zarah too? Answer: Thank you for […]
Following the rules
Question: A person who is in a kollel where according to the official rules he has to daven there, as well, would he be allowed to not daven there if there is some reason why he needs to daven elsewhere (e.g., he needs to use the bathroom right before Maariv and by the time that […]
Tanakh During the night
Question: BS”D Is there any halakha that forbids the reading of the 24 books written Tanakh, during the night? Answer: It is permitted to read Tanach at night. thereis a prefferance if one has the option to learn Tanach by day and the oral torah at night. However if this is when you can […]
“Beis Din” regarding hatoras nedarim
Question: I was matir neder recently (I asked a Rabbi how to do it properly) – one of the 3 lay people who were on the “beis din” told me afterwards that he misunderstood what I was being matir. I know that only one of the three people needs to know the content of the […]
Benefitting from business talk done on Shabbos
Question: On Pesach (might have been Shabbos, yuntif or both) someone was talking about a food purchasing/delivery option that I did not know about, and tried to tell me about it for my own purchasing benefit in the future. Is it considered benefitting from the incorrect speech if I look into and use the service […]
Calculate Shloshim date
Question: My mother-in-law passed on April 3rd, 2021 and buried on April 5th. When is her shloshim exactly please? Answer: Under the assumption that the burial was April 3rd before sundown, the shloshim is counted from the day of the burial (for those that were at the funeral). That day is day 1, and therefore […]
Saying “Tischadesh”
Question: Do you say תתחדש for glasses? What about for shoes? I’ve heard that not because glasses aren’t something you want to give a bracha to use and shoes because an animal had to die. Answer: The idea of saying תתחדש, essentially is תבלה ותחדש, we are blessing the person that the person should […]
Is it considered gambling to let the waiter choose which friend pays for dinner?
Question: I go out to dinner once in a while with a group of friends. We started doing a little fun thing where when the check comes, we ask the waiter to choose from one of our credit cards and whoever’s card the waiter chooses pays for everyone’s meal. Is this considered gambling/assur? Answer: […]
Kibud Av V’Em forbidden marriage
Question: Baruch HaShem, I am unsure of the following. Would a son of a Christian gentile woman and a Jewish man(purportedly a Kohen) fulfill the mitzvah of honoring ones parents if honoring them? I believe it is written the children aren’t consider either of theirs? I don’t want to honor Reshaim nor idol worshippers. I […]
A wrong refund
Question: Bought item in a Toys-R-us. Was wrong color returned for exchange on used model for cheaper. Instead of refunding me the difference or price they refunded me the full amount. She told me everything is taken care of and I can leave. Am I obligated to return to store and pay difference they mistakenly […]
Yom HaAtzmaot
Question: From what i understand, the vast majority of Chareidi (Ultra-Orthodox) Jews do not give any significance to Yom HaAtzmaot (Israeli Independance Day) other than a minority who perhaps give thanks for the good that has come out of the founding of the State. My question is, would it be Mutar or even suggested to […]
Is fasting during Ramadan for health reasons considered to be chukas hagoyim/miras ayin?
Question: I have been fasting 23 hours a day for almost a year now for weight loss purposes. I know not to do this during shabbat, chagim, and rosh chodesh but was wondering whether it is problematic during Ramadan? Should I bedavka shift my hour of eating to a time during the day during Ramadan […]
Mask – Dina Demalchusa Dina
Question: I am wondering if we leave assume theoretically that there is no issue of chilul Hashem or sakanah, does the concept of dina demalchusa dina alone require one to wear a mask, while the government has a mandate requiring masks due to COVID? Answer: Dina d’malchusa dina will only apply if the government […]
Shower – Hefsek
Question: In a Bdieved situation, such as when one doesn’t have a bathtub at home and Leil Tevila is Friday night, can one have a long shower instead? If a woman does a hefsek tahara and it is found to be bad, does she have to wash herself again? If one washes themselves in the […]
Fish and dairy
Question: Hello, I know some do not eat fish and dairy/milk together. If an Ashkenazi Jew eats milk and cereal and then ice cream, is there a waiting period before fish? Must one rinse the mouth and eat bread or something else pareve inbetween? What about between fish and milk? Answer: Thank you for your […]
Music, sefira, and depression
Question: If someone is suffering from mild depression, and is even having some thoughts regarding “why am I alive” or “what’s the point of all this” etc.., and they play an instrument and music in general is something soothing for them, are they able to listen to music and play the instrument during sefira? Thanks […]
Music omer
Question: Is it OK to listen to classical music on the radio during the Omer? Answer: Thank you for your question. The custom not to listen to music includes all kinds of music, even classical, as it does bring simcha. Best wishes
The function of the Nasssi
Question: What was the function of the נשיאים of the בני לוי ? We find that the נשיאים of the other שבטים helped to count the people and were sent as מרגלים, and בני לוי weren’t involved in that, but I can’t find much about the נשיאים of the בני לוי. thank you Answer: […]
Yud shel kesher not touching bayit
Question: If the Yud shel kesher is not touching the bayit shel yad in tefillin, can someone use a rubberband or a twisty to keep in place? What is the source for this halacha? Is it kabblah? How important is it? Is one yotzei? Answer: The source for this halacha is the Zohar (Pinchos […]
Laundry On Rosh Chodesh
Question: Since I got married over 10 years ago, I tried not to do laundry on Rosh Chodesh (although sometimes I forgot). As my family grows, I’m finding it increasingly difficult to not do laundry for two days as it really sets me back and I’m overwhelmed the day after. Is it permissible to be […]
$8,000 statue
Question: I own a $8,000 artistic statue of something that looks like a Hindu female avodah zarah. I’m not sure if it is an AZ or just a statue of a Hindu lady. I want to know if I’m allowed to sell it, I don’t want it in my house. Should I ask an expert […]
Prohibition of Jew going to secular court
Question: B”H Kavod haRav, Thank you for your help. Regarding a Jewish heir to a non-Jew’s estate-may the Jew allow a lawyer to probate the non-Jewish relatives estate in secular court without involving Beit Din? Would a Beit Din be required to give the Jew an ok to have the lawyer proceed to secular court, […]
Parve knife used on dairy equipment
Question: Hello Rabbi, Today I made the oven parve to cook some salmon which was prepared with onion and garlic powder which was then placed in the parve pan and heated at 425 degrees. Then two separate accidents happened. First, my daughter took parve french fries and placed them on a dairy pan and which […]
Teach my daughter about the ways of Torah
Question: Shalom. I would like to know of any literature or book that can instruct me on how to teach my daughter and my son in Jewish ways based on Torah from an early age. Todah Haba Answer: There is a lot of literature, but one book that comes to mind right now is […]
Getting over snub from friend
Question: I had a good friend I got to know in the summer while working together in a day camp. she has a personality that she makes friends very fast, pulls the friend to become very close to her, drops the friend when she doesn’t have patience to continue the friendship, and then blames all […]
Mopping floor on Shabbos
Question: During Shabbos or Yom Tov kitchen floor gets dirty from shoes. We just spent an hour cleaning it before Shabbos lchvod Shabbos. Is there a preferred way to clean a tile floor when it gets dirty on Shabbos? Water spray and wipe with paper towel? Answer: According to most poskim, it is permitted to […]
Adjusting Flame After Placing Blech
Question: Is it permitted to raise or lower the flame under a blech, after the food has been placed or does one need to remove the blech if they want to change the setting on the flame? Answer: The reason why we place a blech over the stovetop is because chazal were afraid that […]
Sleeping over water for netillas yadaim
Question: Is there a problem with putting a basin of netillas yadaim water under my bed during the night so I can use it to wash in the morning? Answer: It is preferable not to keep the water underneath your bed, however if it was, it may be used for netilas yodayim. Best wishes […]
Oz Yashir can cause sins to be forgiven
Question: Can Oz Yashir facilitate forgiveness only during pesukei dezimra or at any time its being said? Answer: The idea that saying Oz Yashir has the power to facilitate forgiveness is based on the Gemora that a person that had a miracle done for them, realizes it, and sings shira as result is considered […]
Highlighter on printed books in Hebrew
Question: BS”D Shalom, A person can use colored highlighter, or To mark With pen or pencil over a word in printed Hebrew books (talmud, Shulchan Arukh, Chumash, tanakh)? Answer: thank you for your question. It i permitted to mark up a sefer in a way that helps the person’s learning. for example, highlighting key […]
New AC during sefira
Question: Is it ok to buy a new window unit air conditioner during sefira? I could wait but the weather is starting to get hot. If yes, is there a price that would change that to a no? Thank you Answer: If you wouldn’t make a make a shechiyanu on it then it is […]