Question: I wanted to down load the halachic will from you web site for some reason it did not work can you send it to me by email greatly appreciated menachem Answer: Here is a copy of what I found. Whereas no man knows when his time will come, therefore I the undersigned,…………………….., of [address] […]
Author Archives: Rabbonim of the Beis Hora'a
Dish towels during the nine days
Question: I forgot to prepare a dish towel ahead of time before the 9 days and used it clean (I forgot) during this time. Is this a big problem? Does anything need to be done? Answer: What was done is finished, but be careful that just in case these halachos are needed for next year, […]
Narcotics anonymous
Question: May one attend an NA meeting on Tisha B’av? Answer: If it is needed for the person’s health, it is permitted, like any other health related work. However if it isn’t needed then it is considered diverting one’s attention from the aveilus. Best wishes
Is changing linen allowed on Tisha B’av after chatzos?
Question: Is changing linen allowed on Tisha B’av after chatzos? Answer: It is allowed on the Tenth of Av after chatzos, but not on Tisha B’av itself. Best wishes
Taking painkiller on Tisha B’av
Question: I have a very strong headache. Happens to be I get very strong headaches when I fast. is it permitted to take a painkiller? Answer: Yes it is permitted to take a pill or suppository painkiller If you need to take a little bit of water to get the pill down, that is also […]
Can one say Tehillim after chatzos on Tisha B’av?
Question: Can one say Tehillim after chatzos on Tisha B’av? Answer: It is controversial. Some poskim allow it, but the minhag is not to. If it is for a sick person, then it is permitted. Best wishes Sources: M:B Shar Hatzion 554-8, Rivivos Efrayim 3-268, Mbais Levi 13 pg. 45, Divrei Malkiel 6-9-1, The Three […]
Smoking on Tisha B’Av
Question: Is smoking allowed on Tisha B’av Answer: Manny poskim forbid it, however there are poskim that do permit it. The Mishna Berura (555-8) says that while it is incorrect, if one is addicted he can be lenient and smoke in private, but only after chatzos.
learning on erev tisha b’av and on tisha b’av
Question: Can I learn amud yomi on erev tisha b’av and on tisha b’av Answer: No. It is considered learning torah, and is not from the parts of torah that we may learn on Tisha B’av. Sources:
Pregnant woman fasting on Tisha B’av
Question: My wife is in her fifth month of pregnancy. Her doctor (daati leumi) does not encourage fasting. Additionally, I saw that Dayan Fisher and R’ Shlomo Zalman were very lenient. Can she rely on this? Answer: According to most poskim, including R’ Shlomo Zalman (see Nishmas Avrohom 554-1, Halichos Shlomo 16-2) there isn’t a […]
Purchase a meal for someone sitting shiva during the 9 days?
Question: Hello, is it acceptable to purchase a meal for someone sitting shiva during the 9 days? (it is not exactly a “gift”). And, when buying kosher food for Jewish people, does one have to be responsible for their level of kashrut? (e.g., making sure they did not eat meat before serving dairy to them?) […]
Is Tanning allowed during 9 days
Question: Is skin Tanning allowed during 9 days? Answer: Technically it might be permitted, but it is not a proper thing to do during the nine days. Best wishes Sources: Shemuos Moshe 550-1, Mah Tovu 1 pg. 68 in the name of R’ S. Diblisky zt”l and Ybchl”ch R’ A. Nebenzahl shlit”a who both said […]
Closing up skylight and attic vent vs demons
Question: 1. I would like to close up a skylight. It can be opened but hasn’t been opened- it’s just decorative as it’s hard to get to to actually open. It does make the house very cold however. May I close it up? 2. My attic is not easily accessible and just used for storage. […]
Protecting one from Sakanah Covid-19
Question: Given the current Covid crisis are there any rules in Chazel as to how many people are dying a day is it time to close schools and Shuls? How about when to open them? How about opening up the Shuls in a community when giving the fact that this decision effects so many people even […]
Pest control question
Question: B”H Thank you again. Is it against Halacha to exterminate mice if the animal will potentially feel pain? This is obviously not the goal, but what does halacha say regarding removing mice if they are in the house and it could (maybe?) impact the food etc, and to do so will kill them? Thanks […]
Trapping on Shabbat
Question: B”H Thank you so much for your help. Regarding humane mice trapping (where the mice are caught in a cage and released), is there an issue if the traps are still set over Shabbat and the mice could be caught on Shabbat? What is the halacha to remove mice humanely if this is not […]
Buying food during 9 days for after Tisha B’Av
Question: Hello, Even though one is not to make extra purchases during the 9 days, is it permitted to buy food during the 9 days that will be eaten after Tisha B’Av (either after the fast or even after Shabbat?) Answer: There are no restrictions regarding buying food in the nine days, and you can […]
Divrei Hayamim 1 chapter 20
Question: Please see Divrei Hayamim 1 20:3 Was this genocide? If so, was King David justified? Answer: See Ralbag who explains that the reason that David did this was to send a message to all of the other nations not to start up with the Jews. As a side point, the people of Amon worshipped […]
Washing car during Shavuah shechal bo
Question: Can one wash his car during shavuah shechal bo? Is there a difference between washing the outside or the inside of the car ? Answer: It is controversial if it is considered like other cosmetic enhancements that we don’t do during the nine days or not. If it is needed than it would be […]
ריבית
Question: shalom shavua tov thank you for your very informative response regarding the 2 questions you asked 1 how was the money was borrowed ? the money was transferred into my bank account and we wrote a shtar rayah definitely not a shtar kinyan 2 have I made a kinyan on the house ? no […]
Listening to shiur when sweating from exercise
Question: Is it permissible to listen to a shiur while sweating from exercise? Answer: It is permitted. Sweating doesn’t not mean that you can not learn, if you touch the sweat from a part of the body that is usually covered, then you would have to wash or wipe your hands (if you don’t have […]
Girl going on a shidduch- is a manicure allowed during the week of Tisha b’av
Question: This year where not a nidcheh can a girl going on a shidduch get a manicure during the 9 days? Answer: Depending on the circumstances, if it is indeed needed for the shidduch, then it would be permitted. Sources: Cutting nails during the week of Tisha B’av is controversial if it is permitted or […]
Breastmilk and fleishig dishwasher
Question: Is it OK to wash baby bottles used exclusively for breast milk in fleishig dishwasher with fleishig dishes? What about hand wash with hot water in fleishig sink with fleishig dishes? Answer: Technically it is permitted, but it is a very bad habit to get into, because eventually you will end up putting the […]
Can a 13 year old boy say bedtime krias shema before maariv?
Question: Hi, My son age 14 has had anxiety and depression sometimes, and my family has gone through a years long messy divorce so there is a lot of stress in the background and at some level ongoing.. I try for him to get enough sleep which helps for his issues. This is a challenge […]
Avodah Zarah
Question: My question is in relation to that which was discussed in avodah zarah 51. It mentions an argument relating to breaking sticks and slaughtering grasshoppers before idols. My question is how did the Talmud rule? The topic was whether or not something has to be exactly like worship done in the temple, or if […]
Undertops and pyjamas during 9 days
Question: Is it ok to wear undertops and pyjamas during the 9 days that you didn’t ‘prepare’ beforehand? Thank you Answer: According to a many poskim they should be prepared before wearing them. Many people rely on the poskim that say that it isn’t needed, however it is prefered to prepare them beforehand. Even if […]
Activities on Tisha B’Av
Question: I am unclear as to what is permitted on tisha b’av. I see that work is permitted but discouraged. Is walking okay? Reading novels? Seeing friends? Using electricity? Answer: On Tisha B’av we are in active mourning, and we should not do things that will take our mind, and concentration off the destruction of […]
9 days/ day after tisha b’av
Question: B”H Thank you so much for your help. 1. If someone bought vitamins during the 9 days, and realized that maybe they should not have purchased during the 9 days, do they need to be returned and then repurchased after the 9 days, or may they be kept (and perhaps used if they are […]
Parents unpaid tuition
Question: My parents still owe tuition money for yeshivas that I went to as a Bachur and are slowly paying it back. Should I be the one to pay the tuition since it was for my education? And can Masser money be used? Answer: If the reason your parents still owe the money is because […]
May one do alterations or fix ripping clothing during the nine days
Question: My son is leaving to camp before Tisha b’av. His pants are ripped. Are we allowed to sew this up during the nine days? Answer: It is permitted to fix ripped clothing, however alterations on new clothing is problematic. If you are stuck and your son won’t have what to wear, you can be […]
Is a husband allowed to leave his wife in his first year of marriage?
Question: Is there a halacha about the husband not being able to stay away from his wife in his first year of marriage? Answer: Yes there is such an idea, see Sefer Hachinuch Mitzvah 582. However if she is mochel, or for a mitzva, it is permitted, Sources: See Chochmas Adom 129-18, Shulchan Haezer 12-10, […]
Chomer of Eirusin
Question: Why is the onesh of znus with an arusah (Sekilah) more chamur than with a nessuah (checek)? Answer: Rashi in Sanhedrin 50a D:H Al Korcach says that the reason an arus is more chamur than a nesua is because on one hand she is considered married to the husband since she is an arusa, […]
Can one read, walk, visit with friends on Tisha B’Av?
Question: Can one read, walk, visit with friends on Tisha B’Av? Can one take a shower for cleanliness (not leisure) after the fast ends but before midday the following day? Answer: On Tisha B’av we are in active mourning, and we should not do things that will take our mind, and concentration off the destruction […]
Pregnant halachas
Question: Why can’t a pregnant woman sit on stone’ Answer: My apologies but I have never heard of such a thing.
Covering a package that arrives on Shabbos
Question: Is there any problem with covering a package that arrives on Shabbos? I have a package that might be arriving on Shabbos outside our apartment and I don’t want the box to be apparent to neighbors throughout Shabbos. Can I cover it with a towel on Friday night? Answer: It is permitted to take […]
clarification on embarrassing
Question: B”H Thank you for your help. It is always appreciated. My question is: if two people are in a home and one of them is on a video call, and the other person (in the house) laughs at something totally unrelated in another room, is there any risk of “embarrassing the person on the […]
Theft?
Question: B”H Thank you very much for your help. Good Shabbos. (This question is based on something that happened years ago, before becoming observant). I purchased a luggage item online and when it arrived, it was a darker color than it appeared on screen when ordered. I sought to return it, however I wanted the […]
Washing hands in the morning
Question: 1) If a person goes straight to the bathroom upon waking , how does he wash his hands afterwards and which brocha does he make 2) If a person goes to the bathroom right before having bread in a meal can he wash only once and say two brachot 3) If a person davens […]
Relying on mesiras moda’ah
Question: Hi, If I did a chumra three times and I no longer want to continue doing it, do I have to do hataras nedarim, or can I rely on the mesiras moda’ah that we make during hataras nedarim on erev r”h and erev y”k? Also, does the mesiras moda’ah work if during hataras nedarim […]
Wash hands in warm water 9 days
Question: Is it allowed to wash hands for cleanliness in warm water during the 9 days? Answer: It should be with cool water, unless there is dirt that can’t be removed without the warm water or a medical reason. Best wishes Sources: M:B 551-94.
Using a swimming pool as a mikveh during quarantine
Question: Can I use our private swimming pool as a mikveh during quarantine? My husband was in the same location as a corona case at work and we are all in quarantine making public mikveh forbidden. Usually for women a pool would not count, but during quarantine is it allowed? Answer: A pool is not […]
Visiting kevarim before Rosh Hashanah
Question: In a place where there are not recognized tzaddikim per se, is there still an inyan to go and daven at the gravesite of family, friends, or communal leaders, etc? Regarding this specific minhag, is there still inyan to go earlier in the month? Thank you Answer: The main minhag is to go to […]
Home organizing during the 9 days
Question: Is home organizing/unpacking a problem during the 9 days? We moved into a new home about a month ago and now that we have summer vacation I would like to use the time to unpack properly and put things in their place. It is for functional purposes so things won’t be in as much […]
New Clothing Arriving during 9 Days
Question: I ordered new clothing for myself (I don’t know if it makes a difference, but the clothes are secondhand but totally clean) during the 3 weeks. They will be arriving during the 9 days (but not shavua sh’ chal bo). I assume that I cannot wear them during the 9 days even if they […]
My husband is Vaping
Question: Forgive me if this is the wrong forum to ask this question on but I don’t know who or where else to ask! My husband starting vaping (electronic smoking with different flavors of vape liquid which is meant for people who are trying to get off of cigarette smoking.) He did not smoke cigarettes […]
Being a good guest according to halacha
Question: Honored rabbis, my sheyla is a request for the basic halachic etiquette for a bokhur being a long-term guest in someone’s house. Because of certain world circumstances limiting movement, his best option is to stay for approximately six months in the guest room of a couple and their young child. He knows that he’s […]
Unwinding Metal Closure on Wine Bottle- Shabbos (Similar to metal twist ties)
Question: Hello this is a picture of a popular wine. The ring around the bottle is twisted closed. Before you open the bottle, the cork is in the top of the bottle and another wire wrapped enclosure is on top of the cork and hooks underneath the ring you see attached to the bottle. By […]
Grape juice during the nine days
Question: Can you drink grape juice in the 9 days ? Answer: Grape juice is included in the prohibition not to drink wine during the nine days. Although the reason for not drinking wine is because it brings simcha, and because it was used in the Bais Hamikdash, and grape juice, which doesn’t have alcohol […]
Picking up clothing from the dry cleaners during nine days
Question: If clothing were dropped off at the cleaners before Rosh Chodesh, and they were not ready until 2 Av, may one pick it up then and wear on Shabbos? Answer: If the clothing were given to be cleaned before the nine days, may be picked up during the nine days. Best wishes Sources: Nitei […]
Eating meat after davening maariv early on Rosh Chodesh Av
Question: If it is Erev Rosh Chodesh and you davened Mariv right after Plag , can you still eat meat until sunset. Please provide sources Answer: No. According to the Ashkenazi minhag of not eating meat from Rosh Chodesh, as soon as you davened maariv, the nine days starts. Best wishes Sources: Magen Avrohom 551-26 […]
Haircut and laundry after Tisha b’av which is on a Friday
Question: Normally the restrictions last until chatzos on Yud Av. Is this different when Yud Av is erev Shabbos like this year to do laundry and take a haircut? Answer: When Tisha B’av is on Thursday as it is this year (5780), it is permitted to do laundry needed for Shabbos and take a haircut on […]