Question: Is one allowed to put dry (not moist) soft contact lenses in a saline (not disinfectant) solution on Shabbos and Yom Tov? Answer: Lenses may be put into plain… Read more »
Category: Ask
Maaser versus Repaying Student Loan
Question: My wife and I have been scrupulous in paying 10% to maaser for some time, however, this maaser has been at the expense of repaying debt for a student… Read more »
Selichot without a minyan
Question: I know I cannot recite the 13 Attributes without a minyan and that would include Shma Koleinu, potions in Arameic and pizmonim? Can I recite portions of Selichot in… Read more »
medicated gel on Shabbat and Rosh HaShana
Question: I have recently finished a long treatment program for severe psoriasis, after which I was instructed to moisturize the areas twice a day. In addition, I have a medicinal… Read more »
Mikvah for baal tokeah
Question: Is a bal tokeah required to go to the mikvah? I am being treated for a heel injury and it is hand wrapped by the doctor once a week… Read more »
Water of chicken dripped onto a container
Question: Water from a defrosted package of chicken dripped onto a closed plastic container in my fridge. Is the container now traif? Answer: I am assuming that it was not… Read more »
Toiveling keilim in a men’s mikva
Question: Can one toivel keilim in a standard men’s mikva? Answer: Toiveling keilim needs a mikva d’orayso on the level of a womens mikva. If the men’s mikva was made… Read more »
100% cranberry juice (no grape juice)
Question: Does 100% cranberry juice (only ingredient is cranberry juice, with no grape juice or other sweetener) need a hechsher? Answer: Yes it needs a hechsher, this is because the… Read more »
Maaser on a mortgage
Question: Hi, I recently refinanced my mortgage and pulled out some money in the process. Do I have to pay Maaser on that money, or not since it is technically… Read more »
Enough orlah taken off at bris?
Question: Someone who became religious was circumcised as a baby but has not had a mohel circumcise him. How can one tell if enough orlah has been taken off (so… Read more »
Sales of sefarim left behind in a yeshiva
Question: Someone was at a sale that a yeshiva made for sefarim left around yeshiva which were unclaimed. The yeshiva could not attempt to return the sefarim even with names… Read more »
Sefarim left behind in yeshiva become hefker
Question: Can a yeshiva decide that any old sefarim which were left around its premises become hefker even if they did not put up a sign? They will put up… Read more »
Uncovered liquids in refrigerator
Question: Greetings: Does the problem of “uncovered liquids” apply to uncovered liquids left inside a refrigerator? thank you Answer: Nowadays according to most poskim we do not have to be… Read more »
Moving a pin on a/c shabbos clock
Question: Dear Rabbi, This is a great site, I once asked you a question, but here’s another one. Is it permissible to move the pin on a Shabbos clock on… Read more »
Can I put food that was cooked in a dairy pot but is parve in a fleishig microwave.
Question: Can I put food that was cooked in a dairy pot but is parve in a fleishig microwave. Answer: If you have Sefardi Minahagim it is permitted. If you… Read more »
Rosh Hashannah Simanim
Question: On rosh hashannah, how should the simanim be eaten? Assuming one has made hamotzie: Should they be bought in and eaten one by one? Or should they be incorporated… Read more »
Mikvah
Question: What is the prep before immersing in the Mikvah if you had a total hysterotomy and are 65 Answer: In your case you would only have to make a… Read more »
Ketooba
Question: I have lost my ketooba what can I do? Answer: You need to to go a rov and your husband has to write what is called a “ketuba d’irchisa”,… Read more »
Temporary sticker on Shabbas
Question: Can one use a temporary sticker like a post-it note or flag (the smaller ones designed for bookmarking) on Shabbas if it is intentionally temporary and will be removed… Read more »
Asking forgiveness when embarrassed unintentionally
Question: If a person made someone else feel bad and embarrassed him unintentionally, is he obligated to ask him for forgiveness? Answer: If the embarrassment was caused to the person… Read more »
Mechilla not wholehearted
Question: If someone is mochel me and he “mostly” means it, but there still is some “kepeida” against me, does the mechilla work? I am not discussing a case where… Read more »
Cheating on a test
Question: Is it geneivas daas to cheat on any test? Do any of the following reasons apply: a) if it is no way at all related to the topic I… Read more »
Maaser to ones husband
Question: My husband doesn’t support me financially. This arrangement began right at the start of our marriage. He recently asked me to pay for some of his medical bills. Since… Read more »
Damage to someone through chilul shabbos
Question: There was an accident with my parked car on shabbos can I claim payment for the damage (from the person himself or the insurance) or do we say קם… Read more »
20 year old girl giving private lessons to her 12 year old cousin who’s not religious
Question: Is there a problem for a 19/20 year old frum girl giving private lessons to her 12 year old cousin who’s not religious(teaching him Hebrew and about Judaism)? Answer:… Read more »
kohanim in tiberias
Question: is there a map of where kohanim are permitted to travel in Tiberius Answer: I would advise you to call R’ Munk who runs an advisory hotline for kohanim… Read more »
texting while driving
Question: Am I obligated or allowed to tell the police about a driver that texts or disobeys traffic rules while driving Answer: The Minchas Yitzchok 8-148 discusses a very similar… Read more »
Pay myself with maaser for doing work for a Mossad
Question: I am an accountant, and from time to time a certain Jewish org that does charitable work asks me to do some work for them. I feel like I… Read more »
Deducting from Maaser money owed by Yeshiva.
Question: I taught at a Yeshiva for several years and being that the Yeshiva was in bad financial state I am still owed quite a bit of money that was… Read more »
Embarrassing a student
Question: Is a teacher allowed to tell a student out loud in front of the class to stop talking, to pay more attention etc. if it will cause the student… Read more »
Looked at immodest video’s when pregnant
Question: I am very shamed to say that when I was pregnant with my son I looked at immodest images/videos. I want to do teshuvah, however I feel like there… Read more »
Birthday Aliya
Question: Can one receive a aliya for his Jewish Birthday or a aliya is ‘exclusive’ for Bar Mitzvahs, Chassanim, Yahrzeit etc. Basically am I entitled to ask a gabbai to… Read more »
Postponing siyum for erev pesach or the nine days
Question: If one learned a masechta but never made a siyum, is it OK to make a siyum even weeks or months later, for the sake of erev Pesach (so… Read more »
3 noshim meshamshos bimoch
Question: I haven’t learned the sugya in a long time but as I recall Tosfos learns this as referring to cleaning the private area after intercourse. Based on his shita… Read more »
Typing Out the Word “Ch..st”
Question: I am a frum woman, and I work for a Police Department. I am putting together a substance abuse resource packet that is delivered by Police officers to goyish… Read more »
Bullfights
Question: Were going on vacation to Spain and would like to know if its permissible to watch a bullfight. Answer: My apologies that I didn’t get to answer you… Read more »
Does a hot water urn need to be toveled
Question: Does a hot water urn need to be toveled? If so how is it done that Answer: I am assuming that you are asking about a simple hot water… Read more »
Hot meat on Humus
Question: Shalom, Is there any problem in doing the following on shabbat? Pouring cold store-bought humus onto a plate and then putting on top of that hot/warm mince meat that… Read more »
Status of bugs in Garlic
Question: I live in Israel. A few months ago I saw an ad in our local circular that there was a problem with bugs in garlic and that one should… Read more »
Is it permitted for kohanim to visit amukah?
Question: is it permitted for kohanim to visit graves as long as they stay outside the building (like in amukah) Answer: According to R’ Munk, as of now Kohanim may… Read more »
kohanim in meron
Question: is there a map available of where kohanim are permitted to go in meron? Answer: I don’t know about any maps of meron. According to Rav Munk, an expert… Read more »
Is one allowed to wear an apple watch/fitbit on shabbos that counts your steps?
Question: Is one allowed to wear an apple watch/fitbit on shabbos that counts your steps? Answer: There are two problems with wearing such a 2watch on shabbos, the fact that… Read more »
Lukewarm milk in fleishig sink
Question: I accidentally poured lukewarm milk into the fleishig sink. What is the status of the sink? Answer: If it wasn’t hot, (you could put your finger into it and… Read more »
BUying from a thrift shops that is run by a church.
Question: CINCINNATI SEPT 2017 I have halachic question to ask. One of the thrift shops was run by a church called St. Vincents. They run it just like the thrift… Read more »
Is a man or women allowed to get their hair cut from the opposite gender?
Question: Is a man or women allowed to get their hair cut from the opposite gender? Answer: Please see the following posts where this issue was addressed. http://dinonline.org/2012/04/08/services-for-the-opposite-gender/
Female barber
Question: Am I allowed to go to a female person to get a haircut ? Is a female allowed to wash my hair before hand and then a man do… Read more »
Man helping his niece practice driving
Question: Is there a problem for a girl who is practicing for a driving test to drive around with her uncle sitting near her and helping her? Answer: If it… Read more »
Brother as shomer in car on deserted roads
Question: Is there a problem of Yichud for a brother(over Bar Mitzva) and sister(over Bat Mitzva) to travel with one man who is driving them in middle of the night… Read more »
Hair Covering in bedroom
Question: Hi, I’d like if possible a detailed explanation about the hair covering for a married woman. My husband says that it’s usser for it to be uncovered in bedroom… Read more »
Living with parents
Question: Dear Rabbi, Little was helped for my younger years and I returned to live with my family. I am faced with a future concerned about a move despite some… Read more »