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Lending Jobs

Question: I’m a sophomore at NYU studying Finance and Economics. I’m quite interested in Real Estate Finance and I was wondering what restrictions I would have with regards to careers as an observant Orthodox Jew. There are 3 main institutions that I am curious about: Mortgage Brokerage, Traditional Bank Real Estate Lending(Large Firms like Valley […]

teshuva on shabbos/yom tov

Question: Can one do Teshuva on Shabbos/yomtov? Regreting sins and saying ASHOMNU, ect. Or only in ones mind? Answer: There is no problem to repent on Shabbos or Yom Tov. On the contrary it is is commendable to repent daily. It is only forbidden to ask a private request that might cause  undue anguish. Sources: […]

Eating in Non Observant Home with kosher kitchen

Question: My mechutanim – the parents of my son-in-law, a baal teshuvah and ben Torah (in Semicha program) are not shomer Shabbos. They recently had their kitchen kashered by Chabad, bought all new sets of dishes, utensils, appliances; my son-in -aw did tevillah. My son-in law and daughter now eat there, and my mechutanim claim […]

Why are there 4 lines of תובות and רשי that seperates from the gemara

Question: Why are there 4 lines seperating the gemara and rashi Answer: You are correct that most gemoras have 4 lines separating the gemara and Rash (and Tosefos) because that is the way the Vilna Shas was printed. Some want to say that it comes to hint that we should revise what we learnt at least […]

Besamim

Question: Can you please tell me what some of the most lechatchila options there are for besamim by havdala? We enjoy the aroma of esrog as well as mint leaves, but since both are different berachos than minei besamim it seems like the mishna berura would say it’s best to use cloves or something else(?) […]

Food in hands of non-Jew -follow-up

Question: Thank you for giving me a heter, as I was concerned that I had done an aveira by eating the pizza. However, please see here http://www.shemayisrael.com/parsha/halacha/Issue6.pdf that according to Rav Belsky zatzal, it would seem preferable for the pizza to be sealed. With all due respect, to say that the professor is concerned that […]

One sink

Question: We have one sink and very shortly after washing dairy dishes (although i dont THINK there was any water that was yad soledes bo used for washing) the rack at bottom of the sink were switched to fleishigs without cleaning the sink first and then boiling hot fleishig equiptment spagetti was poured into strainer […]

Would G-d destroy the righteous

Question: 18:23 Here and in 20:4,5 G-d is asked about causing the righteous to suffer. Here G-d acknowledges Avraham and finds further proof. On 20;4,5 G-d seems to back down completely. Are Avraham’s and Avimelech’s questions the same? What do we learn from G-d’s responses? Why did Avraham think G-d would destroy the righteous with […]

Amein

Question: A person is listening to his friend make Kiddush on Fri night with intent to be yotzi. The friend does not enunciate the words properly, swallows words, says it too quietly, and the listener realizes that he cannot be yotzi with this blessing because he is unable to hear the words. Should he answer […]

Digital frame on shabbos

Question: Is one allowed to keep on & look at a digital frame on shabbos? Answer: Although one is not actively transgressing Shabbos by  looking at a digital frame, nevertheless it definitely taints the Shabbos spirit and might be an act of disrespect. Also others might emulate him and extrapolate and start adjusting the digital […]

If pieces of bread touched cold cheese before going into the toaster, does the toaster become milchig?

Question: My wife was making cheese sandwiches for the children’s lunches when I commented that they would like it better if she toasted the bread. She took the American cheese slices off the bread and put it in the toaster (the pop down kind) to toast. When I commented to her that I had been […]

What happened to Avraham and Yaakov’s converts

Question: Why didn’t any of these converts or their descendants accompany Yaakov to Egypt? It can’t have simply been because he was outside Israel (see Alshich to chapter 12) since Rabbeinu Bachya says that Yaakov also made converts. They also didn’t accompany Yaakov to Egypt. Answer: The Alexander Rebbe (Chanoch Henoch) answered that Avrohom was […]