Question: If one realizes during the Fast of Gedalia that he did not make Havdalah last night, what should he do? Answer: Should say havdalah on Fast of Gedalia and give… Read more »
Posts By: Rav Y Wiener
Nut Cake during Aseres Yemei Hatshuva
Question: Permited? Answer: The prevalent custom not to eat nuts or sour food is only on Rosh Hashanah. If they are part of an ingredient in a cake to enhance the flavor… Read more »
Saving Non-Jews
Question: Does the issur of lo moridin velo maalin apply to the non-jews of today? Answer: The issur only applies to the the pagan idol worshipers not to the non-Jews of… Read more »
Not specifying a neder
Question: I did Hataras Nedarim on erev R”H and was thinking of a few specific nedarim that I had made throughout the year. However, I was not able to specify… Read more »
white bugs (I think mealy) on the pomegranates
Question: If I found these bugs on some of the pomegranates on our tree, is there a special way I need to check the pomegranates? What am I looking for?… Read more »
Speaking until the end
Question: Please see Devarim 31:30. Why does it say he said until the end of the song. Would we have thought that Moshe would have stopped in the middle? Answer:… Read more »
Hashkafah about Tefillos on Rosh Hashanah
Question: Why do we find so little tefillos for the umos haolam on the yomim noraim with the exception of uvechen ten pachdecha and meloch? For example, we say uchsov… Read more »
General Sukkah Questions
Question: How much, of a sukkah covered in skach, can be coverd by the roof and still be valid? Further how much wood planks can be places under and above… Read more »
Hatas Nedarim – Privacy
Question: Hi, An addendum to my previous question is – I am obligated to explain to the three people what the kabala/neder was and why I couldn’t keep it even… Read more »
Gender Issue
Question: It Is common in (Western) society for men to shake hands with other men in social and business contexts and it is known that there is a prohibition for… Read more »
Can i take food from Yeshivas kitchen without permission?
Question: it stealing to take food from the Yeshivas kitchen without asking, if eventually they will use it/ serve it. For example, there is a box a cereal thats out… Read more »
Minimal amount for marital relations
Question: Is there a minimal amount of time which a husband must have marital relations? What if the husband does very infrequently and the wife does not complain? Answer: Most… Read more »
Can children build forts on Shabbos out of cushions and blankets?
Question: Can children build forts on Shabbos using forts and blankets? Is it Boneh or Ohel? Answer: Even though it is only a temporary ohel (tent) it is still forbidden… Read more »
Checking raisins in America
Question: Your requirements for raisins are directly against all the major agencies in America, who require no checking at all. Is your policy only for E’Y, or also America? Has… Read more »
Regarding wine barrel aged grain spirits, malt liquors, and beers…
Question: Regarding wine barrel aged grain spirits, malt liquors, and beers, if the barrel has been cleaned and scraped as required by FDA and Health department standards, is the barrel… Read more »
Is video evidence permissible in court?
Question: Does video surveillance hold the same authority as witnesses in the eyes of modern halacha? If so would you need two sets of footage similar to how two witnesses… Read more »
Dikduk
Question: L’Kvod Harav Shlit”a, My question is regarding two nekudos: 1) is pronouncing a tzeirei like a segel problematic (example: saying yisroel instead of yisroail; shomer instead of shomair; etc…. Read more »
Trees and Orlah – In Israel
Question: Dear Rabbonim, First question: Our garden contains two fruit producing trees which have been planted too close together (Less than a foot). One Large old one and another around… Read more »
Schach
Question: Being that Schach has to be put down L’shem the Mitzvah of Succah, is it permissible for a woman to lay the Schach and have this in mind, even… Read more »
copying Audio to USB
Question: Is it permissible to copy music from CDs that one purchased to a USB in order to be able to listen to music in the car for the purchasers… Read more »
Fasting
Question: Dear Rov. I have been diagnosed with a mental disability and high blood pressure, chronic anxiety and depression taking numerous medications with chest pains. I believe that I am… Read more »
Pomegranites
Question: I was at a someones home that has many pomegranate trees. They gave me permission to take what I wanted . Is there a halacha against picking them and… Read more »
Does having anal sex remove status as besula?
Question: If one has had anal sex before marriage more than once, with a Jew, full penetration, are they still considered a besula? Answer: She is not considered a besula… Read more »
hagofen
Question: Reuven makes Kiddush on wine Friday night. When Reuven says the bracha of hagofen, he has in mind additional wine that he will drink during the seuda. Later, Shimon… Read more »
hefsek
Question: One washes for bread at work and says al netilas yadayim. While walking to his desk etc., one is asked a question or approached by a supervisor, coworker, asked… Read more »
Overtime
Question: I work for a company tgat send me out to different clients. My boss does not pay me overtime. I have one client that is ready to pay me… Read more »
shabbos
Question: If one eats a banana on Shabbos and the peel remains in his hand, with no edible remnants, is it muktzah? What about a candy wrapper, once the candy… Read more »
Divorce, honoring father, and especially grandmother
Question: My brother was divorced and now his children will not have any contact with him. I do not know all the reasons of the divorce. What they also did… Read more »
Maaser and Debt
Question: Due to the financial crisis in 2008, I had to borrow very substantial sums of money from family in order to stay afloat and for my family and I… Read more »
tachanun for women
Question: I heard that women don’t customarily say tachanun. So does that mean they should skip that in selichos. If so, exactly what parts should be skipped in selichos? Answer:… Read more »
hamapil after chatzos
Question: Should one skip hamapil if it is after chatzos or should one say it? Answer: Even though there is an opinion that according to the Zohar Hamapil should not… Read more »
“Carlebach-style” Selichos
Question: I recently have seen on many frum websites “Carlebach-style” Selichos. The tzibbur sings songs whose words don’t even come from the Selichos. They jump up and down and get… Read more »
Medicine on Shabbos/Yom Tov
Question: Can a Chazzan with dry vocal chords take saliva inducing nose drops and pills on Shabbos and Yom Tov? What about on Yom Kippur? Thanks Answer: Many poskim permit… Read more »
Unavoidable light sensors in my apartment on Shabbat
Question: I recently rented an apartment and when I came home on my first Shabbos I noticed that the only entrance is equipped with motion detector lights. I did a… Read more »
Early Slichos Minyan
Question: The (Orthodox) shul across from my home has a Slichos minyan at 11pm, which I’d like to attend. I live in Central Israel and chatzot is about 12:30 at… Read more »
caffeine suppositories
Question: Are caffeine suppositories permissible on Yom Kippur? Thank you Answer: Although one is allowed to use caffeine suppositories on erev Yom Kippur to make the fast easier, on Yom… Read more »
Laws of Shiva and Working
Question: I’m a commissions analyst for a telecom company. I calculate the monthly commissions for the Inside and Direct sales teams, managers and Directors. Approx. 25 employees. The calculations are… Read more »
Reuse of glass jars
Question: Is it permissible to re-use glass food jars for storing dry food such as nuts or grains or leftovers from meals without having first been immersed in a mikvah?… Read more »
Grama Benizakin
Question: What is the biblical source that grama in damages is patur? Thank you Answer: See Yad Rama Bava Basra 26, Birkas Shmue Bava Kama 13,14 &20 Also Kuntrasey Shiurim… Read more »
Yerusha
Question: I got a significant amount of money as inheritance. Do I have to give maaser on all of it soon or can I save and disburse it yearly over… Read more »
New motion detector without red light
Question: If this new detector does not have a light to show movement, is there a chashash of a Shabat transgression when walked in front of it? Answer: Since you… Read more »
Feishig mix up with milchig cutlery
Question: I fried onions that had previously come into contact with salami in a milchig frying pan using a milchig spoon. The onions were cut with a fleishig knife. The… Read more »
Muktzeh
Question: If a hat is hanging on a tree on Shabbos, and subsequently falls off by itself or is removed by a goy, may one wear this hat on Shabbos?… Read more »
Must a diffuser be toiveled?
Question: Does a diffuser need to be toiveled? A diffuser is of course not a vessel and is just used to make sure that a pot is heated evenly. Thanks… Read more »
Kiddush Levana
Question: One can still say it from the Gemara even after the zman for saying it has passed, or one can say without Sheim UMalchus. Answer: One can always read… Read more »
Washing body
Question: How should one wash himself in the shower? I know that you start from the head and then move downwards. My question is does the right leg go before… Read more »
Removing a Whitehead spot on Shabbos
Question: Dear Rabbi On Shabbos, if one has a whitehead spot (a covering of white over a red spot), could one gently remove the white with a tissue if there… Read more »
Abarbanel on “Ad Hayom Hazeh”
Question: In his introduction to Neviim Rishonim, Abarbanel uses the phrase “ad hayom hazeh” to disagree with Bava Basra 14/15 about who wrote the books of Neviim Rishonim. The phrase… Read more »
shofar
Question: I learned that something that is on a tree bein hashemashos Friday evening is muktzah the whole Shabbos. Let us assume that there is a shofar on a tree… Read more »
gozez
Question: I noticed that when I am eating, sometimes hair ends up on my plate. I assume that it is hair from my mustache that came off in the course… Read more »