Is there any halacha regarding an alarm clock that wakes one spouse who wants to get up at say 4am, if it also wakes the spouse, who doesn’t want to get up then and will have trouble falling back asleep. the situation is exacerbated by the fact that the Spouse who wants to get up […]
Author Archives: Admin-EN
Parshas Bamidbar – Evidence used for determining identity
Maareh Mekomos: Rashi and Ramban (Perek 1, 18) Chidushei Griz (Ibid) Tosafos Rid Kedushin 66B Rambam Sanhedrin Perek 16 Shev Shmaytza (6, 15) For download the file: right click on Download and choose “Save traget as”
Rosh Chodesh Sivan
Are you allowed to hear music on Rosh Chodesh sivan? Answer: This would depend on your minhag with regards to sefira. One who kept from Pesach until Lag Baomer is permitted to hear music after Lag Baomer until Shavuos. One who began from Rosh Chodesh Iyar would keep mihagim of aveilus until the שלשלת ימי […]
Pact with Hashem
Hello Rabbi, I’d like to know please are we permitted to make a pact with HaShem?. I am torn between finding work close by my elderly parents who have been consistently emotionally abusive and unavailable but who now need assistance or doing as I wish, which is relocating to a frum community. Finding work in […]
Tzitzis by Night
Dear Rabbi If someone takes there tzitzis at night and hasn’t yet kiryat shema (as they davened mariv before nacht), is there a requirement to put on them on again when saying shema? Answer: The Mishna Brura at the beginning of Siman 24 brings from the Zohar that one must were Tzitzis when he is […]
Gelatin Non Food Products
I bought a nail polish remover and when glancing in the ingredients, I noticed that there is “gelatin” in it. Do I need to return this product in order to find a new one that does not containg “gelatin” in it or is it okay to use it since I am not actually eating it? […]
Lighting Shabbos Candles Through a Shaliach
If a divorced father wishes to make early shabbos by plag, how does he light shabbos candles if he leaves to shul for mincha before plag? Can his unmarried daughter light on behalf of him? With a bracha? Will there be a difference on this for sefard or ashkenaz psak? Answer: You may appoint your […]
Dairy on Shavuos
Dear Rabbi This Shavuos falls out on Saturday night and if we are to eat dairy on the first day of Shavuos and at night, how is this done? If one eats fleishig all throughout Shabbos and at our Shalosh Sueda, may a person eat the first dairy meal by day on Sunday which will […]
Overnight Eggs
Many times some eggs on the tray will crack on the way home from the store. Do I have to dispose of these eggs in keeping with the issur of not keeping open eggs overnight Answer: As long as the egg is still in its shell there is no problem of leaving overnight, even if […]
Tevilla on Motzai Shavuos
If a leil tevilah falls out Motzai Shavuos in Israel where it follows shabbos and one day yom tov, does one need to do preparation on Friday or can one do the whole preparation on Motzai Yom Tov? Answer: Ideally she should begin the preparations on Erev Shabbos and complete them on Motzai Yom Tov, […]
Tznius in the Home
Shalom, What are the guidelines of tznuit inside of the home? Thank you Answer: The rules for tznius in the home summed up in Shulchan Aruch O:C 2:2, “One should not say to himself I am in the privacy of my own home, no one sees me, for Hashem’s glory fills the world”. So one […]
Food Left Under a Bed
Food that was under a bed double wrap can it be eaten or it needs to be thrown out? Answer: Food left wrapped under a bed does not need to be thrown out and may be used. While one should not leave food there ideally, as is codified by Shulchan Aruch [Y:D 116:5], after the […]
Removing Food from Cooking Pot
Shalom, May one remove food from a hot but not fully-cooked pot of food? What if the consistency is very thin? Thank you Answer: I assume you are referring to Shabbos.One may not remove food from a pot that is still in the cooking process. By removing food we are concerned that he will cause […]
Preference of Caterer
I have the privilege of giving weekly shiurim in a shul in brooklyn. They asked me to speak about the following issue that has come up. As any good shul in brooklyn we have a hot kiddush every shabbos, and over the course of the year there has been some disagreement as to which caterer […]
Mi Sheberach Prayer
Good Morning Rabbi: My 32 yr. old son was diagnosed with an incurable spinal tumor. Is there a mezuzah made with a meshaberach prayer? Thank you. Answer: The Mezuzah is a scroll that has written on it the Shma Yisrael prayer, by a trained scribe, in the detailed fashion described in the Written and Oral […]
Parshas Bechukosai – Halachos of Transferring Stolen Property
Maareh Mekomos: Bava Kama 68B Choshen Mishpat 364 Ketzos 37 Bava Basra 43 For download the file: right click on Download and choose “Save traget as”
Equity Investment Ribbis
I am buying a cash flowing property and receiving a preferred equity investment from an institutional source (Fundrise) which does crowd funding. Fundrise was started by Jews but now has many other institutional investors – Asian funds, etc. Fundrise commits to provide me money to purchase the property and they get 7% interest current and […]
Teaching Christianity to Non Jews
Hello If one teaches non jews children in a classroom setting may she teach about different customs that Christians do i.e. bunny’s and eggs easter time, church and Santa on x-mas if her job depends on it? Thanks Answer: If the curriculum gives a general overview of different religions and their basic practices there would […]
Flowers for Wife in Aveilus
Is it permitted for husband to bring flowers to wife who is in shloshim like he usually does erev Shabbos? Answer: This would be permitted. The prohibition to give presents to an avel during shloshim is based on the prohibition of Shielas Shalom, inquiring about their well being and warmly greeting them. Here however the […]
Lechem Mishneh In Bag
Shalom, If a loaf being used for lechem mishnah is wrapped up or in a bag, is it best to remove it before using it? Thank you Answer: The Challah should ideally be removed from the bag before the bracha. The Mishna Brura quotes various sources that one should have his ten fingers on the […]
Velcro Wig Curlers on Shabbos
What is the halacha regarding using velcro (not heated) rollers to curl a sheitel on shabbos or yom tov? The curling is quite weak and straightens out after about an hour. Thank you Answer: Braiding or making up hair on Shabbos is generally prohibited because it resembles an act of building. However simple parting or […]
Behar – A Good Deal or a Torah Proscription
I am looking for a property to buy in Jerusalem. Recently, a friend notified me of a potential bargain: an elderly person, who is clearly unaware of current market prices, is selling his apartment for a very cheap price, approximately two-thirds the market value. May I purchase the apartment for the suggested price, or must I inform the buyer that the price is too low, and make an offer that reflects current market values?
Infestation in Organic Produce
Does organic food mean it does not have bugs? Are almond butter and organic nutella free of bugs? Answer: Organic food generally uses less or no pesticides, and often poses a greater incidence of bugs. The food needs to be checked and cleaned well, based on the incidence of bugs of that food. Search this […]
Unclear Minhag Avos
my grandfather is a baal teshuva and he never chose a rav so we have no official minhagim. My mother’s family comes from sighet and they were satmar chassidim. I decided I would follow minhagei satmar but my father objected due to some of their hashkafos. But before the family became satmar they were hardcore […]
Credit Card Purchase
As a Company we accept payments from customers made via their credit cards. We are charge by the bank for each transaction a fee of 0.67% of the transaction. 1. Can this fee be on charged to the customer? 2. Can a higher fee be on charged to the Customer? 3. On the basis that […]
Parshas Emor – Capital and Monetary Crimes
Maareh Mekomos: Kesubos 34 Ketzos 28 Shitah Mekubetzes Bava Kamma 70B Choshen Mishpat 208 For download the file: right click on Download and choose “Save traget as”
Company Car Accident
Hi, An employee who has had an accident with a Company car, while working for the Company, is he liable for the excess charged by the insurance? Answer: If you mean the insurance did not cover the entire accident, and the employee caused the accident through his own negligence he would have to pay for […]
Giving Forgiveness
A relative on my husband’s side once said something hurtful to me about finding a shidduch for a relative on my side. I feel in my heart that I have forgiven her. But her daughter is getting older and is having a hard time finding a shidduch. I am wondering if my “hurt” is impeding […]
Preemptive Maaser Payments
If I realized that I have been paying too much maaser each month due to not deducting certain qualifying expenses from income can I recoup the overpayment from future maaser? Answer: The Noda Beyehuda [volume 1 siman 73] rules that one may give preemptive maaser on many he has not yet earned and deduct it […]
Credit Card Minimum Purchase
I went to the grocery to buy and the bill was 9$ I paid with my credit card and he told me I need 10 $ to pay so I told him he should charge me 10$ is it a problem of ribbis I general is every purchase made with credit card a loan because […]
Using Recordings without Permission
A kiruv organization lend me a camera to record some shiurim for them. I ask a bachur yeshiva to help me with the filming, after the task he upload the recording to his private Torah Youtube channel. I kindly reprimind him to doing so. He answered me that the kiruv org wouln’t mind after all […]
Parshas Achrei Mos Kedoshim – Baal Talin – Moral or Financial Imperative
Maareh Mekomos: Bava Metziah 114 CH”M 339 Ketzos Ibid 1 Bava Kama 46 Teshuvos Mahara Sason For download the file: right click on Download and choose “Save traget as”
Meat Not Marked as Kosher
Can we eat chicken, beef, lamb from the store if it is not marked kosher or glatt kosher? Answer: Jew are bound by the laws of Kashrus, which involve both choosing Kosher animals, but also having them slaughtered by Shechitah (ritual slaughter). Meat foods that are not marked as Kosher cannot therefore be eaten by […]
Parents and Going to Yeshiva
I recently became a Baal Teshuva a few months ago and I’m so happy Hashem has given me this opportunity. My parents are not really okay with it, my mother less but my father is really not okay with it because he feels like it’s not the way he raised me and it’s like I’m […]
Haircut on Chol HaMoed
Is it permitted to push off an upsherin until chol hamoed in order for family members to attend? Thank You. Answer: It is not permitted to get haircuts on Chol HaMoed, so this is not an appropriate time for an upsherin event (see Shulchan Aruch 531:1-2). You can delay it until Lag BaOmer, which is […]
Davening with a Minyan or in Shul
Is it better to pray beyachid in mincha ketana than with minyan in mincha guedola?, according to masechet berachot, that tefilot nishmain bebeth knesseth, is it better to pray mincha guedola beyachid in beth knesset than mincha ketana in any other place? Answer: Although your quotation of the Gemara is accurate, it remains better to […]
Metzorah: No looking back
Maareh Mekomos: Chulin 10B Niddah 2B Sanhedrin 31 Choshen Mishpat 28 R”H 24B Makos 6 For download the file: right click on Download and choose “Save traget as”
Counted Wrong and Then Counted Right
B”H Shalom Shavua tov At the night, today, i realized that i counted after the prayer of Motzae Shabat: 11 days of the omer, instead of the correct 8 days!. During the night i counted again without saying any blessing and i said: “today it’s 8 days, that is a week and one day of […]
Shopping on Chol HaMoed
Is it allowed to go shopping for clothes on chol hamoed which are not for chol hamoed or yom tov??? Thanks and good yom tov. Answer: It is only permitted to shop on Chol HaMoed where there is some special deal that is only available now, and won’t be available later. Other than this, one […]
Tzitzis for Night and Day
I have two tzitziot, one for during the day and one to sleep in at night. When I wake up in the morning I take off my night tzitzit and put on my day one and make a bracha, is this allowed? And should I make a bracha when I put my night tzitzit on […]
Bedtime Shema
Do you say kriat shema during maariv and before you go to bed? And if it’s only before you go to bed can you say it while sitting on your bed? And do you have to face east during it? Sorry for all the questions I just want to know the right way Hashem wants […]
Is Mimicking Lashon Hara
Is mimicking someone lashon hara? If it’s something funny that happened can you mimic the situation and what that person said? Answer: This depends on the circumstances, and on the intention of the mimicking. Lashon Hara is a negative character trait, whereby a person hurts, speaks badly of, slanders etc. his fellow. If mimicking is […]
Registering on Chol HaMoed
I found out about a workshop a few days before yom tov. As there will be a mix of a variety of attendees attending, I asked my Rav a shaila about whether I could attend. He said we should speak after Pesach. The early bird rate is $795, and it expires tonight. After that, the […]
Washing Clothes on Chol HaMoed to Avoid Ruin
Is it permitted to clean clothing on chol ha’moed that if not cleaned will get ruined? Answer: If the clothes will get ruined otherwise, it is permitted to wash them so as to avoid their loss. This is included in the heter of “davar ha’aveid” (see Aruch HaShulchan 537:1). Best wishes.
Hisbodedus on Yom Tov
CAN ONE DO HITBODEDUT TO HASHEM ON YOM TOV? Answer: Yes, this is fine. For those who practice it the concept of Hisbodedus draws a person to Hashem and embodies the personal closeness between man and his G-d. There is no reason to refrain from this on Yom Tov, provided of course that a person […]
Treating Teeth on Chol HaMoed
Is one allowed chol hamoed pesach to go to dentist to have a filling made for a decayed tooth. Answer: Yes, this is permitted. A decayed tooth is a form of “illness,” and the longer it is left the more decayed and damaged it can become. Therefore, it is permitted to have this treated, just […]
Order Of Shnayim Mikra
can one do shnaiyim mikrah in the middle? can one do first one mikrah then targum then mikrah in that order? Answer: 1. What does “in the middle” mean? Please clarify. 2. Yes, this is fine. Best wishes. Sources: There are different opinions concerning the optimal way to do Shnayim Mikra. Some prefer saying each […]
Strawberries for Pesach
Question: I bought GlattTov strawberries. There’s an OU on the bag. Can I use them for Pesach? Thanks! Answer: Yes, if these are pure strawberries are kosher for Passover use. Best wishes.
Posting on Webside on Chol HaMoed
A person works as an executive director for a number of news websites. Part of his job is curating content and managing writers. This particular person bills his clients monthly based on his time spent. To take off completely for chol hamoed pesach would be somewhat of a loss in terms of the hours. However […]
Airline Meals after Pesach
Question: I am flying United Air from Israel to Germany then to Newark one day after Passover on Sunday. Can I eat the kosher TV dinner, for example United Air Jewish, or did they sell the chometz? Answer: United Air is not a Jewish airline, so there’s no problem of chametz after Pesach. For the […]