Question: May one read a secular book containing the word “G-d” (fully written out) in the bathroom? Is this book consider at all a dvar be’kedusha? Thank you very much… Read more »
Category: Daily Living
Learning and Davening after non kosher
Question: I am in the process of becoming more observant and therefore have not fully begun to adopt the laws of Kashrut. Therefore, at times I eat something non-kosher and… Read more »
Saying Asher Yatzar
Question: Is there a concept that one can only make the blessing of Asher Yatzar if the toilet is flushed afterwards. Or can one say it even if he did… Read more »
Order of dress
Question: Does the order of dress apply to women? If one puts on an undershirt and then underpants and then starts to put on regular bottoms but remembers and goes… Read more »
Praying using specific terminology
Question: When we pray we are taught to be as specific as possible. This is one of the reasons why we invoke the mother’s name as opposed to the father’s… Read more »
Touched mouth before washing hands in the morning, do I have to wash it now?
Question: “A person should not touch one’s mouth, nose, ears, or eyes before washing hands in the morning” What if one touched the nose without thinking while half sleeping? Then… Read more »
Elbow touched clean clothes- wash them?
Question: If one’s elbow touches clean clothes before washing in the morning, are the clothes okay to wear or must they be washed? Answer: The clothing are fine and there… Read more »
Ruach Ra on hands
Question: bs”d Thank you for providing this wonderful service to Klal Yisroel. I have a 17 y.o. daughter that unfortunately is challenged in her observance of mitzvos. It is unclear… Read more »
Modaah & Giluy Dat
Question: Cvod Harav, I’m replying to questions 59650 and 59669. Here is a copy of the Ben ish Chai’s ZTL modah & giluy dat: והריני מגלה דעתי ורצוני לפני הקדוש… Read more »
Wash after meal
Question: Hello, I recently came across mention of washing after meals. I see that some say it is obligation, others say custom and that there is also a difference of… Read more »
Kriya shma at night
Question: Is it proper to say kriyas shma al hamita (ribono shel olam until adon olam, excluding shema and birchas hamapil) a while before going to bed? Sometimes I am… Read more »
Tefilin and Shema
Question: If one misses the zman for Kriyat Shema and Shachreit and doesn’t put on Tefilin and therefore in the afternoon decides to say Shema with Tefilin, May they do… Read more »
Shemonah Esrai when possibly not clean after bathroom
Question: If an individual flatulated before the Amidah and then again after the Amida and when he went to wipe that area noticed that it was brown (on the paper… Read more »
FORGOT TO DAVEN MINCHE
Question: WHEN I DAVEN MAARIV I EXPECT TO MAKE IT UP QUESTIONS: WHICH COMES FIRST REGUALR MAARIV and then the makeup or vice versa? Do I say Yaale Vovou Thx… Read more »
Niddah and Substances
Question: Hello Rav, I am not sure if my last question came through. I am sorry if this is a repeated question. I have asked before about the concept of… Read more »
Is one allowed to daven with severe depression?
Question: When I was very young I was diagnosed with chronic clinical depression. I’ve had long stretches of life, sometimes months or years, without being able to feel any kind… Read more »
Impure
Question: Hello Rav, If a man is determined to be ritually impure is he not allowed to touch people? I have been concerned of this issue and again an issue… Read more »
Intrusive Thoughts
Question: What should one do about intrusive thoughts and how bad are they considered to be in Halacha? For example, if one is in the shower, or otherwise in a… Read more »
Email before birchos hashachar
Question: Is it assur to check my email before saying birchos hashachar? (I am a mother of young children and usualyl do not daven shachris so I have in mind… Read more »
washing after bathroom
Question: Hello, is it okay to brush teeth in the bathroom and then get dressed before washing after exiting the bathroom? or does the washing have to be immediate? I… Read more »
Shehecheyanu blessing on fruits
Question: Hello, Would this blessing be said for foods such as jarred applesauce (if one has not had fresh apples yet?), jarred hearts of palm, or fresh grapefruits or pineapples (given… Read more »
Beracha on cereal and milk, ice cream sandwich
Question: When you are eating cereal & milk, are two Brochos made? Which comes first? What about an ice cream sandwich? Thanks. Answer: Hello, When eating cereal and milk, only… Read more »
Microphone for weekday davening
Question: Hello and thank you for this service. To give a little background. I am the gabbai for the outdoor minyan which has taken place in the chatzer between a… Read more »
Desecration of Kedusha
Question: If one is wearing tight pants, and one senses a small amount of a sense of pleasure because of this during davening, or while learning etc…may one continue to… Read more »
Hand washing after both bathroom and morning wash:
Question: Good to know. If you’re at home? How does washing work? You need to use the kitchen sink? Ps. Does this also apply to morning hand wash as well?… Read more »
Bathroom washing hands after usage:
Question: A person once informed me on something new on washing after bathroom usage. You can’t wash in the bathroom. You can only wash once you’re out fully. Is this… Read more »
Food that was touched before morning washing
Question: Hello, I am now learning and observing more laws. If I used to buy food before washing three times, is the food still ok to eat? For example, I… Read more »
Terminology for women in morning blessings
Question: Alright, it says with a star * גוי – Blessed are you, hashem, our god, king of the universe, who did not make me a gentile. For men it’s… Read more »
Star indicator meaning in prayer
Question: In prayer the blessing (standing up) section, I’ve noticed a star * indicator near a few brachos. Does this mean that for a women a few wordings should be… Read more »
Reciting Shmone Esrei with the Shliach Tzibbur
Question: HI, 1. Can you explain the concept of davening together with the Shatz as tefillah btzibbur? Must every word be said together, including Kedusha, Birchas Kohanim, Elokai Netzor, etc?… Read more »
TEHILLIM in the EARLY MORNING BEFORE BIRCHAT HATORAH
Question: Can someone say TEHILLIM for praying purposes in the early morning before saying Birchat Hatorah? When is the earliest time to say BIRCHAT HATORAH? Answer: Hello, A person should… Read more »
Aliya while needing to use the restroom
Question: If one is a Kohen or a Levi, and the only one in the shul avaliable to receive an Aliya, but needs to use the restroom but is excessively… Read more »
Daven A Second תפילה after donating a kidney
Question: Lechvod Harav, I donated a kidney. The surgery was in late afternoon. In the morning when I davened שחרות I did not remember that I did not daven מעריב…. Read more »
May retzuos of tefillin touch the ground?
Question: I would think that retzuos cannot touch the ground since they are tashmishei kedusha. But I see nearly everyone not being careful about this. The only source I can… Read more »
bathroom during learning
Question: Hi! I was in the middle of learning with my chavrusa and needed the bathroom badly (gedolim, not ketanim). The bathroom in that beis medresh is tiny and was… Read more »
Brocha Achrona when drinking from a straw
Question: Does one make a brocha achrona when drinking from a water fountain? When drinking from a straw? Does it make a difference if the person drinks a lot at… Read more »
Morning Netilas Yada’im when planning on going back to sleep
Question: Hello, I woke up very early and accidentally rubbed my nose and then I used the bathroom, hoping (but not confident) that I would go back to sleep. Therefore,… Read more »
Is saying Shir Hama’alos considered a Hesech Hada’as
Question: Hi! I have 2 questions regarding Hesech Hadaas 1) If I have a little bit of water in the kitchen, not enough to require a bracha achrona, then put… Read more »
Does eating one pomegranate seed require a bracha acharona
Question: Does eating one pomegranate seed require a bracha achas m’ein shalosh because of the Halacha of berya? Answer: One seed of a pomegranate is considered a “beriya” ( a… Read more »
Bnei noach, Guerim and not kosher wine
Question: gostaria de fazer 2 perguntas; 1 – Can a bnei noach make Beracha(hagafen) from wine with a non-kosher wine? 2 – Can a candidate for Guerim make a kiddush… Read more »
Made mazonos by mistake on food
Question: If you made a mezones on anything , are you yotzei bedeved. Is this true ,is this only be certain foods. Where is source for this Answer: Yes this… Read more »
Finishing Shemona Esrei before kedusha
Question: Due to different circumstances, I often need to daven in a minyan that goes at a quicker pace than me. I know that if one starts later than the… Read more »
OLIVES during meals
Question: Picked olives during a bread meal, does it require a separate BRACHA? Answer: Do you mean picked or pickled. Pickled olives are part of the meal and don’t get… Read more »
Chewing gum in bathroom
Question: Hi, can I chew gum in the bathroom? for example when taking a shower. what about candies? Thanks Answer: Hello, A person should not chew gum when using the… Read more »
Minyan with only ten men
Question: I was in a shul with exactly ten people and four already davened. I was of those that had not davened. However, I am makpid to daven with asara… Read more »
Eating meal before mincha or maariv
Question: It seems to me, from the Shulchan Aruch, that it is only muttar to sit down to a meal after mincha ketana, if there is a person in town… Read more »
When does a night worker say birkas hatorah
Question: Hi, I have several questions: I work all night basicly every night in a bakery all night long and sleep by day, lefi what I remember learning in kollel… Read more »
Sleeplessness after reciting entire Kiryas Shema ?
Question: BS”D What is the Halacha for someone who cannot fall asleep after reciting the entire Kiryat Shema Al HaMita? Answer: The Rema says that a person that can’t fall… Read more »
Speaking while using the bathroom
Question: Is a woman allowed to speak while using the bathroom? Answer: There are two reason why the Shulchan Aruch says that we should not talk in the bathroom. One… Read more »
Minyan with exactly 10 men and one left
Question: Regarding exactly 10 men and someone runs out in the middle, if the baal korei or chazan realizes someone went out in the middle of an aliyah or in… Read more »