Parashas Tazria teaches us to perform Bris Milah on the eighth day of an infant’s life: “On the eighth day you shall circumcise the flesh of his foreskin.” The… Read more »
Posts By: Rabbi Yehoshua Pfeffer
Coercion: Enforcing Performance of Mitzvot
The book of Vayikra begins with instructions for the korban olah (Elevation Offering): “If one’s offering is an elevation offering from the cattle, he shall offer an unblemished male;… Read more »
Electricity on Shabbos: A Halachic Overview
In this week’s parashah we find the Torah injunction to refrain from lighting fires on Shabbos: “You shall not kindle a fire, in all of your dwellings, on the… Read more »
When is it Permissible to Go to Court?
In the previous article we discussed the basic prohibition against taking a legal dispute to non-Torah or secular courts of law. As we saw, doing so involves a particularly… Read more »
Going to Court? Better Think Twice
Parashas Mishpatim begins with the words: “And these are the ordinances that you shall set before them” (Shemos 21:1). Based on the Pasuk, the Gemara (Gittin 88b) cites the… Read more »
Birthday Celebrations: A Halachic Appraisal
The day of Yetzias Mitzrayim, our redemption from Egypt, is a birthday: the national birthday of Klal Yisrael. This is stated by the Pasuk in Yechezkel: “And as for… Read more »
Chanukah Lights for Guests and Travelers
Lighting Chanukah candles is a mitzvah of the home. In the words of the Gemara, the mitzvah is defined as ner ish uveiso—“a candle for each man and his household.”… Read more »
Paying Ransom: Which Price is Too High?
Perhaps the most famous kidnapping in history is that of Yosef by his brothers, as told in Parashas Vayeishev. Yosef was subsequently sold to an Egypt-bound group of Ishmaelites,… Read more »
Hosting and Attending a Se’udas Bris
The Pasuk writes, in reference to Yitzchak: “The child grew and was weaned; and Avraham made a great feast on the day Yitzchak was weaned (higamel)” (Bereishis 21:8). Sefer Hamanhig… Read more »
How to Sound the Shofar
The Torah tells us that Rosh Hashanah is a day of sounding the Shofar: “And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month… a day of… Read more »
Halachic Aspects of Taking Photos
The current vacation season, coupled with Pasuk in Parashas Va’eschanan which mentions that the Jewish People “saw no image” (of Hashem), provides us with an opportunity to discuss a… Read more »
Endangerment to Save a Life
Dwelling on the heroic, and patently dangerous, deed of Pinchas, the Keli Yekar asks the following question: How was it permitted for Pinchas to place himself in danger? We… Read more »
Davening in Other Languages
The Gemara (Sanhedrin 105b) teaches that from the blessings of Bilam we know the curses he wished to inflict upon the Jewish people. One of his aims was that… Read more »
Birkas Kohanim: Participation of the Congregation
In this week’s parsha we read about the mitzvah of Birkas Kohanim. Sefer Chareidim has an important opinion about the mitzvah of the priestly blessing—Birkas Kohanim. Although the… Read more »
Chinuch for Mitzvos: From What Age?
The mitzvah of chinuch, educating our children in general, and specifically initiating them into keeping mitzvos, is among the central elements of the Jewish people. In one of the… Read more »
Nichum Avelim: The Mitzvah of Consolation
The Gemara (Sotah 14a) teaches that we are should follow the ways of Hashem—to emulate His traits (midos) as taught to us by the Torah. One of His traits… Read more »
Counting the Omer: Cases in Doubt
As we count the Omer, many of us will encounter some of the doubts typical of the Omer count. This week we wish to discuss these doubts. There is no… Read more »
Damages on Purim: Exempt?
An often discussed halachic element of Purim is the question of damages caused in the course of celebration, drunken or otherwise. Purim damages can be a simple case of… Read more »
Parashas Zachor: Halachos and Customs
The annual reading of Parashas Zachor fulfills the obligation of remembering the deed of Amalek as the Children of Israel traversed from Egypt. The memory of Amalek is a… Read more »
Indirect Damages: Grama and Garmi
One of the most striking features of Torah tort law is the concept of indirect damage. In contrast to modern law systems, Torah law includes an explicit exemption from… Read more »
Eating Chametz on Shabbos After Pesach
Shalom aleichem Rav Pfeffer, I saw your answer from 3 years ago about eating chometz on Shabbos Motzei Pesach. Can you tell me sources that I can look this up… Read more »
The Partition: Laws and Principles of the Mechitzah
When Pharaoh began to crack under the pressure of the plagues that continued to strike him, and wished to allow the Jewish people to leave Egypt to serve Hashem,… Read more »
Distribution of Maaser Money
In the past two articles we discussed the mitzvah (or custom) of giving maaser kesafim, and, following this, the priorities that define how best to distribute charity money. In… Read more »
Returning Lost Property: The Importance of Signs and Marks
Last week we began a discussion of the laws of hashavas aveidah, returning lost property. As noted, these laws are of importance the year round, but come into focus… Read more »
Selling Chametz for Pesach: Permitted Ha’arama?
In bygone times, the number of Jews who used to sell their chametz on Pesach was relatively small. The enactment of selling one’s chametz does not appear in the… Read more »
Birkas Ha’Ilanos—Laws and Customs of the Blessing over Trees
The Gemara (Berachos 43a) teaches that one who sees blossoming fruit trees during Nissan recites a special berachah: “Blessed are You… Who did not omit anything from His universe and… Read more »
Informing on Others: To Speak or Not to Speak
Acting behind the scenes throughout the dramatic episode of Parshas Toldos, Rivka is perhaps the first biblical example of an informant. The report of Yitzchak’s blessings opens with Rivka… Read more »
Midas Sedom: How the Trait of Sodom Enters Halacha
The Mishnah (Avos 5:10) makes the following statement: “There are four dispositions among men. […] One who says, “What’s mine is mine, and what’s yours is yours”—this is an… Read more »
Selling Land in Israel to non-Jews
In Parashas Vayeira we learn of the birth of Yishmael to Avraham Avinu. In the present article we will discuss a particular halachah that relates to non-Jews in general, and… Read more »
Parashas Noach – Foreign Languages in Prayer
This week’s article discusses the issue of using different languages for purposes of Keriyas Shema and for prayer in general. When can English, or other languages, be used? Is it preferable to use Hebrew without understanding, or a different language that one understands? Can foreign languages be used even in places where they are not the spoken tongue? These, and other questions, are discussed in this week’s article.
Time for Shnayim Mikra Ve-Echad Targum
This week’s article deals with the issue of when to read shnayim mikra ve-echad targum. From when can this weekly mitzvah be performed, and when is the last time for reading shnayim mikra? Are there special halachos concerning the reading of Vezos Haberachah and Bereishis? What are the laws concerning reading at night? These questions, and more, are discussed in this week’s article.
Atonement for Interpersonal Sins: Asking Forgiveness
As we approach Rosh Hashanah and the Ten Days of Repentance, we are confronted by the task of Teshuvah – repenting our misdeeds and bettering our ways in the future…. Read more »
Bribes, Gifts and Flattery— Laws of Bribery for Judges and Beyond
The Pasuk (Devarim 16:19) teaches us: “Bribery makes blind the wise and upsets the pleas of the just.” For this reason, the Torah states that it is forbidden to… Read more »
May a Dayan (Judge) State Falsely, “I Don’t Know”?
Parashas Devarim includes the imperative to judge with honesty and justice: “Hear the disputes between your brothers, and judge fairly – between a man and his brother and between a… Read more »
For the Sake of Shalom: When We May Deviate from the Truth
We are prohibited, as we have discussed over past weeks, to lie and deceive. Our words, our deeds and all our ways must be true. In the present article… Read more »
Time Restrictions on Onaah Claims
This week’s article extends the series discussing the laws of Onaah, and will specifically address the time restriction associated with Onaah claims. Why does the Onaah claim, unlike other… Read more »
May Kohanim Visit the Graves of Tzaddikim?
A halachic question that has been asked countless times over the generations, and which is still widely discussed today, is whether Kohanim are permitted to visit the graves of the… Read more »
Born Anew: Laws of the Righteous Convert
Many reasons are given why it is customary to read Megillas Ruth on Shavuos. Some note that Shavuos is noted in the Torah as the Festival of Harvest (Chag… Read more »
Torah Study and Torah Knowledge
Towards the upcoming festival of Shavuos, on which we received (and continue to receive annually) the Torah, we dedicate this article to the mitzvah of Torah study. As we will… Read more »
To Know or Not to Know: Laws of Onaah in the Light of Knowledge
One of the primary considerations in any transaction is the presence of prior knowledge. Continuing our series on the laws of Onaah, this week we will address the question… Read more »
Onaah: Beware of Price Fraud
In everyday monetary transactions one issue is that of Onaah—fraud related to pricing. Although the word fraud is associated with intentional acts of deception, the halachic concept of Onaah… Read more »
Compensation for Returning Lost Property
In this fourth and final installment in the series on returning lost property, we will discuss compensation of the finder for his efforts. A person who picks up a… Read more »
Are Finds Actually Lost?
One of the fundamental questions relating to returning lost property is whether the item is actually lost or not. Of course, a lost item (an aveida) needs to be returned,… Read more »
Notifying Clients of Change of Employer
Question: If you work in sales or customer service and move to a company that you believe is better for you clients, are you allowed to tell them that you… Read more »
Hashavas Aveida: Returning Lost Property
Of the many halachos that come into play as we approach the Pesach festival, one set that almost inevitably comes up is that of hashavas aveidah, returning lost property…. Read more »
Drinking and Judging: Laws of Drinking for Poskim and Dayanim
The story of the death of the Sons of Aharon, Nadav and Avihu, includes some of the most difficult pesukim to understand. The words are: “Nadav and Avihu, the… Read more »
The Purim Feast
Of all the mitzvos of the day of Purim, the mitzvah that perhaps occupies us the most is the mitzvah of se’udaspurim, the Purim feast. This is not to say that this is necessarily the… Read more »
The Joy of the Month of Adar: Why and How?
As the month of Adar has arrived, we address this week the famous statement of Chazal: “When Adar enters, we increase [our] joy” (Taanis 29a). The teaching of our Sages… Read more »
Coins, Custom and Contributions: Laws of Machatzis HaShekel
With Parashas Shekalim behind us, and with the festival of Purim ahead, we take the opportunity to discuss the laws and details of the Machatzis HaShekel obligation. Chazal underscore… Read more »
Transparency and Accountability of Charity Workers
Parashas Pekudei involves a detailed inventory of the materials collected for building the Mishkan, and explains what was done with them: “These are the records of the Mishkan, the… Read more »