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Is tweeting bad things about a Jew not allowed?

Question: Dear Rabbis, I have a question that touches upon the spheres of journalism and lashon hara. I recently watched an excellent Netflix program which paints a rather unflattering picture of ,,,,,,,, — alleging that he is something of a slumlord and that the company he controls has a long history of treating tenants poorly. Is […]

Inheritance of property: Does initial inheritance still stand with new discovery?

Question: BS”D Regarding the laws of inheritance of property, if a daughter inherits because no male heir is known, but after the property is transferred a male heir is discovered; by halachah, does the daughter keep the inheritance, or must it be transferred to the son? Could I also please be informed of the source(s)? […]

Reuse of water used for kashering utensils

Question: Can the boiling water used for kashering utensils be reused for cooking? For example, to cook noodles. Answer: We do not reuse the water that was used to kasher for drinking. Although it can be argued that the non kosher taste is botil and nat bar nat, nevertheless this is the minhag Sources: Rema […]

Getting rid of nonjewish books?

Question: Concerning Abramelin the Mage, this book is arguably non Jewish in origin, but is based on Kabbalah magic and Jewish theology. How would one get rid of it since it contains divine names (has the Tetragrammaton on the cover)? Answer: It should be put into shaimos, and this way whatever it is , it […]

Tachanun in outdoor minyan (nusach Ashkenaz)

Question: We have a sefer Torah but it’s kept indoors and not visible until brought outside. On Mon/Thur do we not do nefilas apayim or should we bring out the sefer Torah either before davening (it will be laid on a table and covered with a talis) or after chazaras hashatz, at which time someone […]

Am I able to perform hatarat nidarim online to annul a stringency I took upon myself?

Question: I would like to annul the stringency of only keeping chalav yisrael dairy products as it has become increasingly difficult to do in my current situation. Am I able to do this through a video call of 3 men (including myself) or by having 2 men (one who could read Hebrew and one that […]

Do you need to give maaser from a loan?

Question: Hi rabbi, some has loaned us some money, we would like to know if we need to give 10% of that to maaser/tzedaka? Many thanks. Answer: Thanks for your question. You would not have to give ma’aser on the money of the loan itself, because it is not considered a profit. You would however […]

Fence around slanted roof used regularly

Question: Would one need to make a fence around a slanted roof if they walk on it regularly? I know most rabbanim say that a slanted roof does not need a fence since one usually only goes on the roof occasionally for repairs. A member of my family has recently been going out the bedroom […]

Counting sefira with a bracha when in doubt if one counted the day before or not.

Question: One who has a safek on a certain day if he counted sefira keeps counting with a bracha. Why don’t we say – there is a chazaka that he did NOT count, if he has no recollection of having counted and it is so easy to forget? The same way by other things we […]

Until when can u make Brucha on a budding tree

Question: Until when can u make Brucha on a tree? Answer: L’chatchila the bracha should be said during Chodesh Nissan, however if it wasn’t said, then the last time to say the bracha will depend if the person has already seen budding or growing fruits that year. If one did not see any budding fruit […]

Minyan and “essentials”

Question: Considering that all the “essential” stores are open, especially the highly “essential” liquor stores, and people are shopping there, and the “essential” busses and trains are running and are packed with people, and the “essential” parks are open and packed, and some people are taking “essential” walks without masks and without being makpid on […]

Interest on Bituch Leumi child deposits

Question: A couple of years ago, in article https://dinonline.org/?p=42499, you said all savings loans in banks in Israel are ok with no problem of Ribbis. Is this still true today? Answer: What was written there is still applicable, that all banks in Israel have a heter iska, nevertheless it is still better to make a […]

Koshering items that have not been used for years made of “un-kosherable” material?

Question: My family has inherited a number of pieces of china and other ceramic dishes, plates, and glasses inherited from a beloved relative who unfortunately did not keep kosher. We have had these items in storage for many years and would like to not have to sell/throw the items away, as they have immense sentimental […]

Making pagum the taam in old china dishes

Question: Regarding kashering old china keilim, on May 29 2017 you answered that “china is a material that cannot be kashered. The reason being, that it is a type of material that absorbs a lot and doesn’t expel what it absorbs”. That being the case, why would it not be possible to have the keilim […]

Starting the meal when making an early Shabbos

Question: What is the earliest time that I can do Kiddush on Friday night? For example, if candle lighting is at 7:20pm and sunset is at 7:38pm, am I able to do Kiddush between 7:20pm and 7:38pm? Or do I have to do Kiddush after 7:38pm, or even nightfall? Thank you. Answer: Technically you can […]

Magan Avos – No Minyan

Question: If someone is not davening with a minyan on Friday night, can he/she say Magan Avos without the beginning and ending brachos? Thank you. Answer: Yes he may say the paragraph of Magen Avos without the paragraphs before and after it even when one is davening without a minyan. Essentially the whole part from […]

Haircut in Omer for Shabbat Rosh Hodesh

Question: Follow-up on this question: https://dinonline.org/2020/04/16/haircuts-during-the-current-situation/ Is there an exception to haircutting, shaving during the Omer on Friday when Rosh Hodesh (Iyar) falls on Shabbat (see Siman 493, MB (5), end of first se’if) for the common custom of keeping the first 33/34 days? Answer: Excellent point! That is very correct. This year he would have a  […]