Rabbi Yehoshua Alt Please send your feedback to yalt3285@gmail.com To join the thousands of recipients and receive these insights free on a weekly email, obtain previous articles, feedback, comments, suggestions, to… Read more »
Category: General
Fundamentals of Birkas HaTorah
The giving of the Torah, as detailed in Parashas Yisro, raises the issue of birkas hatorah—the beracha that is recited before engaging in Torah study. As we will see… Read more »
Hachnasas Orchim: Halachos of Hospitality to Guests
One of the most detailed accounts the Torah provides of incidents in Avraham Avinu’s life describes his remarkable dedication to provide hospitality to strangers. It seems that the Torah wishes… 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 »
KEYBOARD FOR PESACH
Question: I have a keyboard that probably has some sort of chametz stuck under the keys. Should I buy a new one for Pesach? Answer: You do not have to… Read more »
BRIS MILAH
Question: I learned that attending a bris milah is a great mitzvah that enables one to have all his sins forgiven, and it is a eis ratzon to daven when… 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 »
Eating Matzoh On Pesach
Question: I just read the article http://dinonline.org/2015/04/03/eating-matzah-for-seven-days/ on (not) Eating Matzah for 7 Days. Frankly, I don’t understand: 1) The mitzva of EATING matza is mentioned more than almost any other in the… Read more »
Moshiach the teacher
Question: Shalom, could you please help me with sources regarding Moshiach’s coming, specifically regarding him being a teacher. I am not referring to the ‘way’ he comes, namely be’ita or… Read more »
Three Weeks
Question: I had ordered a pair of shoes about a month or so before 17 Tammuz. They are a semi-handmade item, and it turns out that they the item was… Read more »
Credit card that I let someone else use, can he pay for the late fee and interest?
When you let someone use your credit card , you are essentially taking a loan upon yourself from the credit card company, because you alone are the one liable to… Read more »
Do I need to kasher the liquidiser?
Question: I accidentally put a cold milky (plastic) liquidizer into a hot pareve soup (which contained cooked onion) that was made in a meaty pot. The liquidizer is rarely used… 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 »
Succah Height
Question: If 20 Amos is Halacha l’moshe misinai how can R. Yehudah dispute the Rabbis? Thank you! Answer: The gemoro at the beginning of Succa discusses many possibilities for the… Read more »
Parve food
Is it permissible lechatchila to cook a parve food in a clean meat pot in a dairy microwave? What if your not sure if the pot is dairy or meat?… Read more »
mechilah
Question: i was in shul this past shabbos and the rov mentioned that the zohar says that during the week of hod in sefira,”taarin psichin.” i am going through a… Read more »
Does Meat Need to Be Kosher for Pesach?
Question: I bought expensive meat for pesach and afterwards I noticed that it doesn’t say kosher lepesach. It is totally unprocessed. Does it need a hechsher for pesach? Is there… Read more »
Kinetic and Solar Watches on Shabbos
Question: There is an automatic clock that works with energy that is produced through the body movement, may I carry it on Shabbos? Wouldn´t there be an issue of mavier… Read more »
Leaving Town for Birkat Hailanot
Question: Is it better to travel out of town for Birkat Hailanot? I think i read this in Yalkut Yosef. Why would it be better to specifically leave town for… Read more »
Pidyon Haben After Miscarriage
Question: I am wondering if a miscarriage that the doctor said the fetus grew 8 weeks (counting from the period) until the heart stopped and a D&C was done 10… Read more »
Therapy Work on Shabbos
Question: I have a shomer shabbos family in my neighborhood that are entitled to have social therapy services from the city for their son. They are entitled also to have… Read more »
Statues and Figurines
Is there an issue of having a statue, for example having statues with no religious significance (i.e. the wall st. bull) on one’s desk or at home. Likewise, is there… 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 »
Going to Sleep with Music
Is there a problem if one goes to sleep while listening to the radio? Also, what about waking up to music? I have heard this, but not sure if there… Read more »
Adar-Time of Joy
בס”ד
Shalom.Hope you are well .I appreciate all of your comments and encouragements on my Parsha review. I am offering all of you the opportunity to share in the mitzvah to honor a loved one by sponsoring my weekly parsha review, or for refua shelema (healing), or for shiduch, Atzlacha (success), etc. My weekly review goes out to over 5000 people in English and Spanish all over the world. Please contact me for more details.
This week is dedicated Le Iluy nishmat Eliahu ben Simcha,Perla bat Simcha,Yitzchak be Perla, Gil ben Abraham.For Zivug agun toMarielle Gabriela bat Gila.Refua Shelema of Gila bat Tzipora, Tzipora bat Gila,Dvir ben Leah, Abraham Meir ben Leah and Ruchama Noa bat Batsheva Devorah and all the Jews injured in the last terrorist attacks, and may we see an end speedly to the difficult times that Klal Israel is in at the moment. If you wish to read this article or previous essays please visit my blog at *http://thebeautyofTorah.tumblr.com/. Feel free to forward these words of Torah to any other fellow Jew. Enjoy and Shabbat Shalom
Yortzeit in Leap Year
My father z”l passed away last August, on 24 b’Av in Tel Aviv. He was buried on 25 b’Av . We are not sure, since this is leap year, if… Read more »
Law Suit Affecting Jew
If I have a house next door to me that belonged to a goy and i am in middle of a law suit with him and the property has a… Read more »
Brown Rice Wraps
What brocha should be said on gluten free, brown rice tortilla wraps? (Assuming that cheese will be melted on it)? Answer: If rice is the majority ingredient the bracha would… Read more »
שאלה חדשה מהאתר1
A bais din was involved in the breakup of a business between two partners. One of the partners, was stealing from the company. He presented partial documentation of his thefts… Read more »
did not receive answer
What does it mean when I get an email back from you answering my question and the link takes me to a page not found Answer: technical glitch, will resend,… Read more »
Kavana for Yiras Hashem
Does one need to have in mind he is before one furfills a mitzvah in thought. If one does how and how often should one have this in mind for… Read more »
Kavana for Mitzvos
Does one need kavanah before doing any mitzvah like tzedakeh and chesed or learning torah or any of the six constant mitzvos. It is difficult to have kavanah constantly. Answer:… Read more »
Forced Repayment 2
When someone lends you money and you do not pay back, the person can come and steal your money or force you to sell something from your membership, to pay… Read more »
Learning to Benefit Another
A fiend of mine who’s working told me to “have him in mind” (i.e. learn as a zchus for him) when I learn and he’ll give me money i.e. pay… Read more »
Various Questions
A few questions for the Rav. Are you allowed to build a puzzle on shabbos? If you are in your house with your maid, and you don’t know when your… Read more »
Short Cycles
Hi Rabbi – I have 24 day cycles and I ovulate around day 10 and I bleed for 7 days so I don’t know what to do about mikveh? Please… Read more »
Loan Honesty
Hi. 1) Is there any justification in somebody over-exaggerating (outright lying) his/her income whilst applying for account/loan/mortgage/credit card? 2) Let say a bochur receives £100 pounds monthly from his parents… Read more »
Biblical Question
Why is Yosef not listed in the land ? Answer: Which list are you referring to?
Cooking Milk on Shabbos
There is a concept regarding cooking on Shabbat of “En bishul achar bishul” – meaning that there is no concern regarding possibly cooking food that has already been cooked. Milk… Read more »
Article on paying dayanim
Do you have any articles in english on Schar Batalah/payment for Dayanim? Answer: There are currently no articles. Check in from time to time as new articles are put up… Read more »
Hashgacha Pratis – Divine Providence
In Chulin 7b it says: “a person does not stub his toe unless it was decreed upon him on high.” How is it known that this, and hashgacha pratis in… Read more »
Ethical Misbehavior
The case is that: You are at the Canucks game. Your face comes up on the big screen saying that you are the lucky winner and you won two free… Read more »
Protein Drink Before Shacharis
Am I allowed to drink protein powder mixed with water before davening Shacharis (but after Birchos Haschachar)? Answer: Water is permissible to drink before davening. Many are lenient with tea… Read more »
Spacing in Straight Menora
Does a straight menorah whether or oil or wax , need to have a finger space between each flame. Answer: A straight menora should have space between the flames so… Read more »
Hindu Co-workers
I recently began working at a company comprised mostly of Hindus. This is the first time I have been exposed to what seems like real idolatry. Most employees are in… Read more »
Gay Marriage
What does the Torah say about gay marriage? Answer: The Torah expressly forbids gay marriage See Leviticus 18:22. The only intimate relationship allowed in the Torah is between man and… Read more »
Speaking Money Matters on Shabbat
It is forbidden to talk about value for money on Saturday? Answer: It is forbidden to speak money matters and other business dealing on Shabbat.
Code of Jewish Law
I have a book titled “Code of Jewish Law” Revised Edition, 1961, Hebrew Publishing Company, New York. Is there a current edition or current substitute available and, if there is,… Read more »
Misbehaving person
A person from a certain unnamed organization is harassing my brother and his wife regarding their tenancy in a building that organization owns and which the person administrates. This Rabbi… Read more »
clarification
I have a question about the Sabbath, a friend of mine works in medicine, and I wondered whether I have problem of working on the Sabbath days or every day?… Read more »