If soup was served at a meal on yom tov and there is leftover soup in the pot, can one freeze the soup after the meal so it stays fresh for the next time it will be eaten? The purpose of freezing is not necessarily to prepare for a future day but rather just to […]
Author Archives: Admin-EN
Anti-nausea Pill on Yom Kippur
If a woman is 6 weeks pregnant and has had symptoms of on and off nausea and vomiting for days before yom kippur, and the only thing that helps her so far is food and antinausea medication prescribed by her doctor, is there anyway for her to take antinausea medication on yom kippur? Does it […]
Meaty Pot in Milky Sink
How do you kasher a treif pot – a fleishig pot was washed in the milchig sink? Answer: Unless there was actually milk or milky food residue in the sink or on the scotch (or sponge) used to wash the pot, and the pot was washed with hot water, it is unlikely that the pot became […]
The Lulav
If the leaves lie against the spine, the lulav is mehudar.
If the leaves fan out to the side, but can be tied down to the spine, the lulav is kosher but not mehudar.
If the leaves fan out to the side, but cannot be tied down to the spine, the lulav is possul.
Laws of building the Succah
There is a mitzvah for every man to participate personally in the building, and whoever sweats over this task receives atonement for serious sins. However, women and children may assist with the building, and if necessary may build t
Crying on Yom Kippur-Shabbos
Is it permitted to cry on Yom Kippur that falls on Shabbos — if one is not allowed to cry on Shabbos? Answer: It is permitted to cry in prayer to Hashem, and out of appreciation of the gravity of the day. Sources: Mateh Efraim 582:28. It can be further stated that this form of […]
Bishul Akum for Potatoes
If a gentile cooks a baked potato is that bishul akum? what about if the gentile slices the potata into french fries? Are these items considered to be served at kings tables? Answer: A baked potato would fall under the prohibition of bishul akum, as would french fries. Sources: Aruch Hashulchan (113:8) writes that potatoes […]
Rice or Cake First
If one has rice and noodle kugel and cake on the table, can one make birkas mezonos on the rice if one wants to eat the rice 1st and then a few minutes later eat the kugel and cake? Or, do we say that since the rice is less chashuv, one has to make the bracha […]
Treats on Yom Kippur
Are we allowed to give treats to children under Bar/Bat Mitzvah who are not fasting on Yom Kippur? On the one hand Yom Kippur is a Yom Tov, but on the other hand, surely the Torah commands us to “afflict our souls”? Answer: It is permitted to give treats to children. Although the Torah commands […]
Pregnant Women at Kevarim
What is the deal with a pregnant lady going to kevarim? Is there any difference in regards to kivrei tzaddikim, such as Kever Rochel and the like? Answer: There is no prohibition for a pregnant woman to visit kevarim. Some poskim debate the question of the wife of a kohen visiting kevarim during her pregnancy, […]
Source for Bowing at the Beginning of Kedushah
Is there a source for bowing when saying ‘vekara zeh el zeh veamar’ during kedusha? Thank you! Answer: There is no clear source for the custom. However, the pasuk in Yeshayahu (6:3) is translated by Targum and by other commentaries as meaning that the angels take leave of each other, and this is probably the […]
Shehecheyanu on New-ish Fruit
a) If a certain fruit has more than one “season” per year, does one make a new shechiyuna on the fruit each season or yearly? For example, let’s say grapes have 2 seasons in 1 year, should one say a shechiyanu twice in that year even though the fruit isn’t really new at all to […]
Grinding Ice on Shabbos
If one were to make ices before Yom Tov (basically a big peice of frozen juice), and before serving the ices one were to take the spoon rub it against the ice in order to make it more of a sherbert, so the ice now takes the form of little tiny pieces, is this a […]
Washing Children’s Clothes
Question: I have a question regarding laundry on chol hamo’ed. I know that we can wash children’s clothing that is needed for the chag if there’s no replacement. We’re in that position – the kids are growing so quickly that we don’t buy replacements. We wash what they have and their clothes get dirty all the time. […]
Relief on Shabbos
Question: Is it permissible to urinate or defecate on grass or dirt during Shabbos? Answer: It is permitted to urinate on grass (O.C. 336:3). It is also permitted to defecate on grass or dirt in a city. In either case there is no concern that human waste is helping the plants grow (see last Biur […]
(Don’t) Turn OFF the Water!
Question: If I turn on a hot water tap on Shabbos by accident, am I allowed to switch it off? Answer: If you accidentally opened a hot water faucet on Shabbos and let cold water enter a tank that heats water, it is forbidden to close the faucet. If you let the water continue running, […]
Preparing To Clean
Question: We are considering buying a mechanized dishwasher — but I am confused about a Shabbos-related issue. I often see families that are shomrei torah u-mitzvos wetting and brushing down their dirty dishes on Shabbos before placing them in the machine to be washed after Shabbos. Isn’t this forbidden because one is preparing on Shabbos for after […]
Don’t Be Blue on Shabbos
Question: Can I swish the toilet brush in the toilet with a bit of cleanser if it gets soiled on Shabbos? Answer: Cleaning a dirty toilet bowl with a toilet brush on Shabbos is permitted. ((אין כאן משום איסור טוחן כיון שנמס במים והולך לאיבוד (שש”כ פכ”ג הערה מ”ה). ובמברשות לאסלות המצויות בינינו שהם עשויים […]
Urning a Cup of Tea Without Flasking
Question: We recently bought an electric hot-water urn for Shabbos. Previously we just stored water in a flask. This last Shabbos I found myself pouring hot water from the electric urn directly onto instant tea – the same way I used to do from the flask. In case the Rav is not familiar with this […]
Patronising A Store That Is Open On Shabbos
Question: Am I allowed to patronize establishments that are not shomer Shabbos? For example, can we take our children or our students to a bowling alley that is open on Shabbos? May I buy clothing made in a factory that operates on Shabbos? Answer: There is no prohibition on patronizing commercial establishments that do not comply […]
Preparing For Motzei Shabbos On Shabbos
Question: What can I do towards the evening as Shabbos is leaving to prepare for the night? May I bring a tallis from my study to the living room for the shaliach tzibbur to wear for maariv? May I bring a megilloh from home for the megilloh reading in shul? Answer: One is not allowed […]
Preparing For A Test On Shabbos
Question: If students have a Jewish history test on Sunday, are they permitted to study for the test on Shabbos? Answer: It is permissible to study a Torah subject on Shabbos even if you are studying in order to take a test during the week. The rationale is that you are acquiring the knowledge at […]
Irreligious Visitors On Shabbos
Question: We are planning a trip to visit my parents abroad. My parents plan to invite a lot of relatives to visit while we are there. Many of them will be coming to see us on Shabbos. Is that okay? It is their house and their party. They will, however, be inviting people in our […]
Trop for Maftir Yonah
Is the haftorah of Yonah on Yom Kippur leined with the regular haftorah trop, or does it have its own special trop? Answer: [To my knowledge the general custom is that] the regular trop is used. However, the reader ofter put special energies his reading, making the story come alive and inspiring the congregation to repent.
Bearing a Grudge
If your bear a grudge against someone, and it doesn’t effect her, and you know that by talking to her it wouldn’t help, and its just a matter of time — what must you do before Rosh Hashanah? Answer: The Torah instructs us not to “hate your brother in your heart,” and according to the Ramban this […]
Burning Challah
Is challah that is seperated from bread treif in chutz laaretz, or in Israel? Meaning, if one were to burn it in the oven and flip it with a fork, is the fork now treif? If it is treif, how should one burn it without treifing up anything else? Answer: Challah is considered ‘treif’ both […]
Spousal Bosis
Question: While we were learning hilchos Shabbos last week, my wife had the following question (regarding the point that someone else cannot make one’s possessions into a bosis since the other person has no right to effect a change). Can a husband cause something that his wife had been planning to use that Shabbos to be a bosis? […]
Women Eating Before Kiddush
Question: On Shabbos morning, is my wife required to hear kiddush prior to eating anything, or is it enough to make berochos before eating in order to be able to nurse? Answer: It depends on how much your wife normally davens. If she does not eat until she davens shacharis, then she may drink water […]
Taping Class on Yom Tov
Hi. I’m a college student and this yom tov I’m missing a lot of class time that is important to make up. Can I have a goy tape record the classes with the professors consent? Is she able to do melacha for me on Rosh Hashana, Sukkos, and Simchat Torah? Thank you for your time. […]
Eiruv Tavshilin
What is eiruv tavshilin?
It is a mitzvah instituted by the Sages. When Yom Tov is on Friday, or on Thursday and Friday, one is required to prepare food before Yom Tov especially for Shabbos.
Overpaid Salary
I worked for a short time in a frum school that was under a chain of schools owned by the histadrut. The salary was paid by the chain. The last salary they gave me over 1000 shekel extra. I tried over the next month or two almost every day to get through to the secretary in […]
Altering a Song for Production
I am looking to develop and market a product using Jewsih music and am wandering how this works as far as using other peoples music trademarks, copyright, and so on. Can one use a song and just change it a little? Does one need permission from the original composer? Any direction would be really appreciated. […]
Paying for Elevator
In my apartment building there are 13 neighbours. Originally, 15 units were marketed. One person bought two and put them together, installing an internal staircase between the two units. Another neighbour subsequently aquired the apartment below him and put them together, too, in the same way. The first pays double Va’ad Bayit, although he says […]
Laws Between Man and His Fellow
Question: Most frum Jews spend much more time learning and reviewing halachot bein adam la-Makom, including the minutest details and opinions, than halachot bein adam le-chavero (such as laws of business or returning lost objects). Am I correct in feeling that this is very much out of balance? Should we be focusing on both equally? Is the […]
Inheritance of A Child Born From A Pregnant Convert
Question: I wanted to ask about the status of a child who was born from a lady who was expecting at the time she converted. Is he fully Jewish? Does he inherit her and his Jewish father? Answer: If a woman who was pregnant converts to Judaism, if a daughter were to be born she […]
Selling It Cheap?
Question: An air conditioning company came to fix my A/C and I asked them if they had a spare remote control to sell me and they said they can give me a special deal if I leave the cheque open – is this okay or are they stealing it from the company to sell to […]
Non-Public Park
Question: In an apartment complex in Romema called “Ganei Geula” there are signs up stating the park is only for Ganei Geula residents only – is it stealing to use the park and what about simply walking through it? Answer: Indeed, using the park in a manner that the residents don’t allow is not permitted. […]
Unpaid Bill
Question: We pay our water bills through horaat keva (standing order). Recently, we received a bill, but the money was never removed from our bank account. We spoke to the water company and their records show that the bill has been paid by horaat keva, and we spoke to the bank, who claims that there was no […]
Is Gambling Permitted?
Question: What is the halocho concerning a) gambling just on one occasion b) regular gambling. Why is buying a raffle ticket different to gambling. Why is it permitted to run a lottery and to buy a lottery ticket . Thanks. Answer: There is a difference of opinion as to whether gambling is permitted or forbidden […]
Pen Taken In Error
Question: I had a job interview with a company in Yehud. Part of the interview was an editing test for which I was given a cheap ballpoint pen. I didn’t get the job, but when I got home, I found the pen in my bag. It is the kind of pen that can be bought […]
Noisy Neighbours
Question: Two families live in a duplex (two family home) and share a wall on the ground floor and first floor. Family A complains that Family B is noisy and wants to install soundproofing. 1) Can family A force family B to share costs of soundprrofing? 2) Family A says that in order to install […]
Vending Machine
Question: I put money into a vending machine to purchase a bottle of water and two bottles of water came out. Am I able to keep the extra bottle of water or must I find the owner of the machine and return it to him? The machine was located in the the Supreme Court house […]
Found A Skirt Among One’s Possessions
Question: Shalom Aleichem. I have the following shayla. Last year my wife gave birth in bikur cholim hospital and she left the hospital on September 5 (5th of Elul). About 2 months later around November or December we realized that there was a skirt that didn’t belong to my wife. What do we do? Answer: You have […]
Found – three folded $20 notes
Question: A relative of mine found found 60 dollars cash (3 20 dollar bills folded together) on Main street ( a very jewish area) in queens, on a Friday afternoon. Must she post a sign and if so what exactly should it say? Answer: No. Firstly, Odom memashmesh bekiso kol sha’ah – aperson notices immediately if he […]
Timing of the Repayment of A Deposit “Loan”
Question: One has an agreement which may be renewed on a yearly basis for services rendered and payments are made for those services per the agreement. With the commencement of the initial agreement, a loan (this is the provider’s terminology) of $1000.00 must be made to the provider of service; the receiver of the services […]
Forgot Pruzbul
Question: If I forgot to write a pruzbul am I permitted to collect my loan if the borrower is willing to pay me back? Answer: There is a minority opinion that the laws of Shmittah nowadays are not absolutely binding but are rather an obligatory custom. See also Terumas Hadeshen (Responsum 304) as to whether […]
Hetter Iska
Question: when taking mortgage from bank, the usuall contract is presented as a loan with an obligation to pay interest. This is what is signed by the borrower. So how does it help to add the words “this contract works acc. to the Heter Iska”, to change the loan into an Iska. The fact that […]
Hike In Bus Fare
Question: If I gave someone a punch on my bus card last week and this week the bus fare went up, can they give me back a punch this week? Answer: If the arrangement was that you would pay back cash, then one may not pay back more than the original value, nor may one […]
Borrowing Money Via Someone Else’s Bank Account
Question: Is it permitted to let a friend of mine borrow money from my home equity account and have him pay the interest on that principle being that I am not benefiting from that interest payment? Answer: No. The bank does not recognize your friend, only you. So the bank is lending you money (with […]
Interest On A Debt Arising From Damages, Not A Loan
Question: I borrowed an old used bike from a friend of mine to teach my sone how to ride a two-wheeler. The bike was crushed by a car (while on the ground). Is there a ribbis problem if I return a bike that I had in my garage if my bike is a more expensive […]