Can one use supermarket frozen chopped spinach? Answer: If the spinach is finely chopped (this is usually the case), it is permitted for consumption. If the leaves are cut but… Read more »
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Changing Nusach
Is it a halachic requirement for children do act in the minhag and derech of their parents. Can a boy decide to take minhagim and act chasidish if his parents… Read more »
Check Made to Cash for Tefillin
Is there any halachic problem with paying for a religuous article such as tzitzis or tefillin for example with a check made to cash–when this is requested by the seller…. Read more »
Yom Haveset
If a woman’s yom haveset falls at night how many and when should she do (a) bedikah(os)? What about if the veset is during the day? Answer: If the yom… Read more »
Refund for Root Canal
A frum dentist has a professional relationship with a goyish specialist where the specialist comes in monthly to do his patient’s root canals. If the specialist does not perform the… Read more »
Trimming Moustache in the Three Weeks
Is it mutar to trim the top moustache during the 3 weeks? Answer: It is only permitted to trim a moustache during the Three Weeks (and during the Nine Days)… Read more »
Closing Up a Doorway
R’ Yehudah Hachassid advises against blocking up a window. What about blocking a doorway between two rooms? Answer: Although it does apply to external doorways, the instruction of R’ Yehudah… Read more »
Kashering the Microwave
When kashering my microwave, does it matter if the vessel is milchig or fleishig? What happens to the vessel when the microwave becomes kosher? Answer: Several authorities have written that… Read more »
Buying and Selling Jewelry in Nine Days
Is it permitted to buy jewelry during the Nine Days? If not, is it permitted to sell or is it lifnei iver? Answer: One should not buy jewelry in the… Read more »
Shaving not to lose job
I work at a Sephardic camp where shaving is done until the week of tisha be’av. Last summer I was almost fired because of my beard. Can I shave in order not to… Read more »
Not Kosher Medicine
I take a special medicine voluntarily called Creon. It is an enzyme meant to break food down easier in the digestive system. I just found out it is made of pork… Read more »
Davening to Secular Tunes
A shaliach tzibbur kavua has begun to incorporate tunes from secular sources in the Shabbos davening. For example, he sang kedushahto a popular broadway song. Some people sang along and enjoyed… Read more »
Mixed swimming for children
Until what ages can girls swim with boys (for non-relatives as well as brothers & sisters)? Answer: The problem associated with “mixed swimming” is the question of immodestly dressed girls… Read more »
Meat for Children in Nine Days
Do children have to keep the minhag of not eating meat in the nine days? If yes, from what age? In addition does this apply even if they do not… Read more »
Hair-Wash on Rosh Chodesh
May I have my hair washed and blow-dried at the hair-dresser on Monday (Rosh Chodesh Av). I have very thick, unrulely hair, that I can’t manage adequately. There will be… Read more »
Shirts for Nine Days
Can I try on more than 1 shirt for the 9 days? Answer: I understand that “trying on” implies wearing the shirt before the nine days, so that it will… Read more »
Meaty Sponge for Parve Utensil
Can a parve utensil be cleaned with a fleishig sponge and still remain parve? Answer: The utensil would remain parve provided that one of the following three conditions were met:… Read more »
Wearing All One’s Jewelry
Is there an inyan zecher lachurban for a woman not to wear all of her jewelry? If so where is the mekor? And is it a chiyuv (obligatory), or is… Read more »
When Can the Shortened Minchah be Prayed?
Is there any halachic basis for doing a chazi kedusha shemoneh esrei (where the chazan says out loud until kedushah, the kehillah answers kedushah and then the kehillah davens the… Read more »
Damaged Coin Machine
I put a coin into a gumball machine (which I assume was owned by a Jew since it was in a kosher restaurant) to buy a gumball, and the machine got… Read more »
Beracha “on the go”
If I made a shehakol on my water bottle at home, and then leave my house for different stores, do I need to make a new beracha every time I change… Read more »
Styling a sheitel in the Nine Days
Is there any halachic problem with a woman getting a sheitel washed/styled/cut during the 9 days? Answer: Having a sheitel washed and styled is equivalent to washing clothes,… Read more »
Cosmetic Treatments in the Three Weeks
May a woman (who got married 4 months ago) shave and tweeze during the 3 weeks? Thank you. Answer: It is permitted for a woman to undergo cosmetic treatment (shaving… Read more »
Washing on Small Pieces of Bread
At some weddings I have attended caterers only put out little tiny pieces of bread when people wash in the beggining of the meal. After the appetizers are served and… Read more »
Taking book out of bag with muktzah items inside
Is there a problem of taking a sefer out of a knapsack on shabbos when one knows that there are muktzah objects (e.g. pens, calculator, etc.) inside? And is there… Read more »
Netilas Yadayim on Utensils in the Sink
If one is washing any kind of Netilas Yadayim and there are utensils in the sink at the time, is there any change in the status of these utensils that… Read more »
Buying a New Fridge?
I am searching for a new fridge. Am I required to buy a fridge with a “Shabbos switch,” or can I buy a regular fridge and take out the light bulbs?… Read more »
Dragging Tzitzis on the Ground
Is there any problem with the tzizis of a tallis gadol touching the ground? For example if you are sitting in shule and the tzizis touch the ground, is that… Read more »
Fasting on Tisha Be’Av
What is the halacha pertaining to a woman in her 5th month of pregnancy in regards to the fast of the 9th of Av? Answer: A pregnant woman should fast… Read more »
Finding out gender of baby before birth
What is the inyan concerning finding out the gender of a baby before birth? Is it against Halacha or is it ok? Thank you. Answer: In terms of halacha there… Read more »
Tevilas Keilim in River
Can one use a lake or a river to toivel their vessels? Answer: Natural lakes and rivers can be used for tevilas keilim, provided they contain 40 se’ah (of course,… Read more »
Singing the Aleph Beis
There is an approach to teaching children to read Hebrew, which utilizes songs for teaching the letters and nekudos, in combination with other strategies. If a female apecial education teacher… Read more »
Using a Thermos on Shabbos
Can I pour hot coffee into a thermos on Shabbos and put the plastic lid on it? Can I pour hot coffee into a thermos before Shabbos and open and close… Read more »
“Shoplifting” Books
When one goes to the seforim store and picks up a sefer we know that hagba is koneh but what is paying the money to the teller have to do… Read more »
Mold in Rented Apartment
I rent my house that I am living in. I noticed about 2 months ago that my bathroom was a little damp. I didnt mention it to my landlord as… Read more »
Using Pool as Mikva
On erev shabbos, or anytime, is it acceptable to use a swimming pool as a mikvah? Answer: It is preferable to immerse in a rabbinically approved mikva; however, when such… Read more »
Time of Fast
what time does the actual fast start? Answer: The fast starts from Alos Hashachar, meaning from halachic “dawn” at whichever place you are in. Please see the calendar for the… Read more »
Underpriced Water Bill
My wife and I don’t have children. We moved into a new apartment where the past tenants had a hanacha (reduction) from the water company for their baby. We just… Read more »
Placing Kugel on a Hot Plate (Shabbos)
1) Taking kugel out of fridge on shabbos morning, and putting it on a hot plate on top of a upside down foil container: is this a problem? 2) Can… Read more »
Wearing Two Coats
Is it mutar to wear an extra raincoat in rishus harabim in order to bring one over to a friend? Answer: The question of wearing two items of clothing for… Read more »
Saying “I am a Nazir”
If one said “I am a nazir” without any intention of becoming a nazir (rather jokingly in response to a comment made to him about his hair being long), what… Read more »
Wool or Denim?
As a frum woman I understand what tznius is but what I don’t understand is the issue of denim vs. wool, or something dark pink vs. black or blue. Tznius,… Read more »
Milchig Oven for Fleishigs
I wanted to know what the halacha is about l’chatchila using a fleishig oven for milchigs. I know it is recommended to cover up the milchigs with silver foil (either… Read more »
Who Owned the Ring
Dear Rabbi, When my wife and i were still engaged, before our wedding my wife suggested that I buy the gold ring that we used under the chuppah from an… Read more »
Davening for Specific Shidduch
I heard that a person is not supposed to have in mind a certain person they would want to marry, when they daven, because it might not be the right… Read more »
Milky Ice Cream After Food Cooked in Meaty Microwave
if i made a egg (pareve) in a meaty microwave may i eat a milky ice cream thereafter? Answer: Yes, there is no obligation to wait after eating food that… Read more »
Hataras Nedarim for Cutting Both Challos
i have been makpid on the shitas Hagr”a for years by Hamotzi to cut both challas, but now i see that it is getting too much monetarily to handle, as… Read more »
Severance Pay for Yeshiva Rabbeim
DOES A YESHIVA THAT CLOSES DOWN HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO GIVE SEVERANCE PAY TO ITS RABBEIM IF IT HAS MONEY AVAILABLE? Answer: Today it is generally customary to give severance… Read more »
Work Supplies for Personal Use
Is someone allowed to use work supplies for personal use, if it typically won’t detract from the item? For example, a computer game purchased to enhance students’ knowledge,szissors, CD’s… What… Read more »
Tzniyus In Front of Sefarim
To what extent is there an inyun for Woman to be tzniyus in front of sefarim? Does it apply to her clothing? Covering her hair? What if there is only… Read more »