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Selling a property in Israel to a non-jew.

Question: Thank you for the informative article on this topic. I found that article because I am being faced with exactly this shailah. We live in a mostly secular / mixed Arab / jewish neighborhood in eastern jerusalem and have been trying to sell our apartment for a long time and move into a neighborhood […]

Switching donation from one organization to another

Question: B”H Thank you for your help. Regarding donating clothing- I said out loud that I was planning to donate clothing to organization A, but their policy of picking up donations is currently not in effect (and I do not know if/when they will reinstate this). I would like to donate the same items instead […]

Asking gentile to turn lights off on Shabbos

Question: When catering an affair  on Shabbos after the simcha ends friday night can the goy be asked to turn off the lights in the hall Answer: We are not allowed to ask a goy to do melacha for us on Shabbos. Although it can be argued, that we are not getting positive benefit from […]

In regards to amira lakum, is Bain Hashmashos more lenient then after tzeis?

Question: In regards to amira lakum, is bain hashmashas more lenient then after tzeis? Answer: Yes. During bein hashmashos there are a number of instances when we may ask a gentile to do melacha for us, even if the action is a melacha d’orayso. For example it is permitted to ask a gentile to do […]

If someone forgot to light a yahrtzeit candle Friday night can the goy be asked to light it?

Question: If someone forgot to light a yahrtzeit candle Friday night can the goy be asked to light it? Answer: A person who forgot to light a yahrtziet candle, may ask a gentile to light as long as it is still bein hashmashos.  This is part of the heter to ask a gentile to do […]

If I see the goyim loading my truck on their own do I have an obligation to stop them?

Question: When doing a catering job on shabbos, if I see the goyim loading the truck on their own do I have an obligation to stop them? Answer: Yes you do. If a gentile is doing work in public (like loading up a truck) and it appears that he is doing it for the Jew, […]

Can gentiles load up my truck on Shabbos

Question: When doing a catering job on Shabbos, regarding hachanah can the goyim bring out all the equipment outside once the simcha is over on shabbos in order for it to be ready to be loaded once shabbos ends? Answer: There are two issues with having the gentile’s bring out all the equipment for after […]

Finishing Shemona Esrei before kedusha

Question: Due to different circumstances, I often need to daven in a minyan that goes at a quicker pace than me. I know that if one starts later than the tzibbur and they won’t be able to finish quiet shmone esrei, they are required to wait until chazoras hashatz to say it with the chazan. […]

Paying ma’aser belatedly

Question: Hi, I forgot to take into account investment income (dividends, interest) and gifts from the government into my ma’aser calculation for last year (תש”פ) . I will pay it now. But is there some statement I can or should make so that my payment would apply to last year’s income? I did make the […]

Asking gentile to turn lights on a/c on Shabbos

Question: If the lights were forgotten to be switched on before shabbos for a shabbos sheva brachos or the air conditioner was forgotten to be switched on can the goy be asked to switch them on? Answer: Regarding the air conditioning, there is an opinion that if it is hot and the people will be […]

Asking non-Jew to drive to get something

Question: if something was forgotten for the Shabbos event, is the goy allowed to drive to the warehouse and bring it, are you allowed to ask him to bring it indirectly Answer: If the non-Jew could theoretically bring it without desecrating Shabbos  (i.e. the warehouse is not outside of the eiruv etc), even if he chooses to […]

Non-Jew that bought something for party on Shabbos

Question: if the goy goes on his own and purchases something on Shabbos which is missing from the party can you use that item at the party Answer: Essentially since the people he is buying the items for are Jewish, it is prohibited, however might be room for leniency under certain conditions. If the gentile […]

Tower of Babel and various Civilizations

Question: This question pertains to Parshat Noach. If according to our tradition, human kind, for the first time in existence, began to spread from the Middle East area after the punishment of Babel, around 1,765 B.C.E, how can we explain the existence of diverse ancient civilizations, from Egypt to Scandinavia, to China, etc where histories […]

Private information about our daughter

Question: My 16 year old daughter becomes a bit moody at her ‘time of the month’ which of course is very common. My daughter is comfortable discussing these issues with my wife but not with me, which of course is very appropriate. The problem is that when I see my daughter becoming upset I can […]

Sleeplessness after reciting entire Kiryas Shema ?

Question: BS”D What is the Halacha for someone who cannot fall asleep after reciting the entire Kiryat Shema Al HaMita? Answer: The Rema says that a person that can’t fall asleep after saying kriyas shema should repeat the shema again, (but without the first pasuk). Alternatively one can say other pesukim, or even think other […]

Ultraorthodox view of law

Question: What is the difference between how orthodox jews and ultraotrthodox jews view the origin of halacha? Answer: Thank you for your question. Before answering your question it is important to note that in Jewish literature there is no such term as orthodox and ultra-orthodox. The term ultra-orthodox is a term created by the media […]

Minyan with exactly 10 men and one left

Question: Regarding exactly 10 men and someone runs out in the middle, if the baal korei or chazan realizes someone went out in the middle of an aliyah or in middle of chazaras hashatz, are they required to stop until the person gets back? Or can they complete it since they started it with 10 […]

שעווה להורדת שיער

Question: האם יש בנתינת שעווה על השיער מעל הזקן ובסמוך לפיאות משום הקפת הראש או פאת הזקן, והאם יש בזה משום לא תלבש שהרי יעודו הוא לבנות Answer: על מקום הפאות אסור לשים שעווה כיון שזה תולש  את כל השער, ולא ישערו שם כלום מהשיער. אבל על הזקן מותר כיון שהוא כמו שלוקט שערות הזקן […]

Status of tablecloth in regards to Melabein

Question: R’ Moshe Feinstein (Igros Moshe Y.D. 2:76) discusses scrubbing a plastic tablecloth on Shabbos. He says to avoid any issue of Melabein, one may scrub it gently but not vigorously. I am wondering whether this applies to my tablecloth that I use on Shabbos? It is not made out of cloth or a fabric, […]

Asking gentile to bring Shabbos delivery inside

Question: can I open the door on Shabbos if I see my order about to be delivered to my house by the UPS driver? Answer: My understanding of your question is that you want to know if you are allowed to ask or let the UPS driver place the package inside your house, which means […]

Divorced sister walking brother down the wedding aisle

Question: Is it problematic if a divorced sister walks her brother down the wedding aisle since their mother cannot attend? Answer: The custom is that a married couple walk the chosson and kallah down to the chuppah, as a good siman. Therefore it should be a couple that walks them down. The divorced sister can […]

Does a mistake in the Haftora have to be corrected?

Question: Does one need to stop the baal koreh for mistakes made while reading the haftorah? It seems that there is much more leniency by the haftorah. Is that justified? Answer: If he the word wrong and it changed it’s meaning then he should be corrected, but if it is only a dikduk in the […]

Inviting Xian Leaders to Speak at Orthodox Shuls

Question: What is the halacha concerning orthodox shuls inviting Xian leaders (some of them are missionaries) to speak about non-missionary topics on their premises or on Zoom? Should we be cautious and not attend such an event? Thank you. Answer: Something here doesn’t sound right, unless I am missing some information. Why would an orthodox […]

Bishvil Yisroel- If the world was made for the Jews does that mean that the gentiles have no role?

Question: Dear Rav, When Rashi in Bereishis says that the world was created for Yisroel, does that mean that the gentiles have no real role in this world? Thank you very much! Answer: Let me explain this with an example. In the air force there are many solders and workers; the kitchen crew, the maintenance […]

Unisex looking smartwatch officially for woman

Question: Someone bought me a smartwatch which i would use for exercising and and it looked pretty regular. After looking it up it came out that it is officially for woman. in my opinion it doesn’t look feminine the only thing which is different about the men’s version is that its made bulkier to look […]

Engaging with antisemites

Question: Is there any good reason why a Jew should not waste his time engaging with anti semites either in real life or online? Thank you. Answer: Isn’t you question self answering? Most of us would say that wasting one’s time is a good reason not to do something! Nevertheless, it isn’t just wasting one’s […]

If I am catering a Shabbos job can I ask my goyim to load the truck after the shabos meal

Question: if I am catering a Shabbos job can I ask my goyim to load the truck after the shabos meal if not can they load it on their own or do I need to tell them that they are not allowed to load the trucks Answer: You should tell them that they should not […]

Spelt puffed cake

Question: Question regarding a spelt cake that I bought recently. They are cooked and appear just like rice cakes, but the only two ingredients are spelt and salt. Here is a link to it – https://www.koshercentral.com/grocery/health-gluten-free/organic-spelt/landau-spelt-cakes-salted-4-6z Is the bracha rishona mezonos and achrona m’ein shalosh? If so, can one be קובע סעודה with it on […]

Shul with Statues of Animals

Question: My shul has statues of lions holding a Luchot display on top of the Aron, davening towards the statues make me uncomfortable. Is this a halachic problem? Answer: Your question shows quite bit of sensitivity, and there is discussion among the poskim if it is permitted to have the lions there. Indeed a number […]