After the third blessing of boneh yerushalyim in Birkat Hamazon, the gemara says it is praiseworthy to say amen even by the one saying the bracha. If one says the… Read more »
Category: Ask
Ointment for Lips on Shabbos
Is it permissible to use a soft jell from a tube on the lips for a herpes viral infection on Shabbat. Answer: Two issues need to be addressed: Medicine/Treatments on… Read more »
Pronunciation of “Old Hebrew”
Is our Hebrew language today different in pronunciation than the old Hebrew? Answer: There are many different ways in which the “Hebrew,” or rather the “Lashon Ha-Kodesh” of today is… Read more »
Shaping the Fish on Shabbos
On shabbos can one cut the gefilte fish in a way where the fish looks like a fish. One makes a triangular cut and then takes the triangle and puts… Read more »
Boys and Girls in One Room
At what age should you seperate brothers and sisters sleeping in the same bedroom for lack of enough space in apartment? Answer: There is no hard and fast rule for… Read more »
Personal Requests in English/Singing before non-Jew/Walking in front
1)during shemona esrei am i allowed to say personal bakashos (in english) not by shema koleinu- randomly- example:by rifaeinu? 2)what exactly is th e halacha about not walking in front… Read more »
Selling Cemetery
MY CEMETERY GROUNDS HAS ROUGHLY 6 ACRES, ROUGHLY 3 BEING USED. NOW THEY WANT TO SELL OR LEASE THE 3 REMAINING NOT BEING USED. WHAT IS THE LAW ON THIS?… Read more »
Priesthood Lineage
Is the Levitical Priesthood proven through the mother’s line or father’s? Answer: Although the basic “Jewishness” of a person is determined by maternal lineage, the status within Judaism is determined… Read more »
Blessing on Smelling Tea Leaves
Does one need to say a berachah on the aroma of herbal teas? Answer: Yes, if one smells a herbal tea with the intention of enjoying its scent, one should… Read more »
Tzitzis Over Undershirt
Does one have to wear his Tzitizis on the flesh of his body, or can one wear his Tzitzis over his tee-shirt. If not, why? Answer: There is no problem… Read more »
Mosaic Law
What is the Mosaic law? Answer: The Mosaic law is the law of the Book of Moses, meaning the Torah (Pentateuch), which was transmitted by Moses. The Book of the… Read more »
Worsihp in Biblical Times
I know that the people worshiped God in the synagogue on the Sabbath. Which day did the people worship GOD in the Biblical times? Answer: In biblical times, the worship… Read more »
Conversion After 8 Years of Study
I have followed the paths of Judaism for 8 years now. Can I properly convert to judaism? Answer: If you have studied Judaism and followed its path for 8 years,… Read more »
The Seed of Avraham
Abraham is told that the covenant is between him AND HIS SEED. Women don’t have seeds (sperm), they have eggs. So: How can you say that Judaism passes through the… Read more »
Upbringing 14 Year Old
My son is 14 and has mild anxiety .He attended religious schools. He not in a hurry to be religious. It turns out he learned at school that a man… Read more »
Mourning for Grandfather
My grandfather passed away yesterday. What are the mourner halachos for a grand-daughter? Answer: A grandfather is not one of the close relatives to which the halachos of aveilus apply…. Read more »
Reform Convert for Minyan
Can someone in a distant community include people converted to judaism under conservative or reform into a minyan, due to the difficulty to find bona fide Jews? I would say… Read more »
Becoming a Jew
How can I become a Jew? What do I have to do? Answer: The process of conversion is not an overnight matter, and requires a fair amount of preparation. Unlike… Read more »
Grace
I want to know the Jewish work/translation for the word GRACE. Answer: The word grace translates according to the context. The grace that a person possesses it termed chen in Hebrew…. Read more »
The Chosen People
Why are we called “The Chosen People”? Answer: The Bible describes the purpose of the Jewish people in the following terms (Isa. 43:21): ‘This people I [God] have created for… Read more »
Woman as Envoy
According to Torah can a woman become a messenger? Answer: The answer to this depends on the mitzvah involved. For mitzvos that a woman is herself obligated in, a woman… Read more »
Eating in Non-Kosher Restaurant
Under what circumstances can a rabbl bring his own food, cutlery, crockery etc. to a non-kosher restaurant, while his guests partake in non-kosher food? If he can’t, what is the… Read more »
Expiry of Rabbeinu Gershom’s Ban
Is it true that the poligamy was only suspended and will be permitted again in the year 2037? Thank you. Shalom. Answer: The prohibition against polygamy was enacted by Rabbeinu… Read more »
Origin of Yalla
My surname is Yalla. We live in India. Is the origin of this name Hebrew or Arabic? What would my origins be? Answer: It is difficult to know the origins… Read more »
Simcha of Adar
Do you have to be happy in adar? What is included in “Simcha” when Adar comes? Answer: The concept of simcha in Adar is generally understood to mean a spiritual/emotional state,… Read more »
Talking While Washing (Netilas Yadayim)
Is there a problem talking while washing your hand for netilas Yadayim? Answer: While washing, it is permitted to speak. After one has completed the washing, and before one makes… Read more »
Creation Before Adam
Was there another creation before Adam and our world? Answer: According to the simplistic reading of the Bible, there would not seem to have been. However, Midrashic sources (e.g. Koheles… Read more »
Rinsing Mouth on Fasts
Can one rinse the mouth out with mouthwash or water on a fast day? If I will be very careful not to swallow any of the liquid is there a… Read more »
Body Scanners in Airports
Some airports have deployed body scanners which produce vivid 3- dimensional images of the person. There has been much opposition to this invasive security method. I would like to know… Read more »
Spoon that Touched Pancakes
Pancakes (with no milk ingredients) were fried in a clean milchik pan. A plastic disposable spoon was used to spread honey on the pancakes (do not know if the pancake… Read more »
Praying to Cry
Are you allowed to ask Hashem to help you cry during davening or on days such as tisha be’av or yom kippur? Answer: It is permitted to ask Hashem for… Read more »
Hotplate on Shabbos
Why is there so much confusion about hotplates on shabbat? With or without a blech, putting cold solids or semi solids straight on without or with an upturned lid? Answer:… Read more »
Alarm Clock (Muktzeh)
I have a vibrating alarm clock that goes under my pillow that is plugged into the wall. Can I use such an on shabbos to wake myself up? Is it… Read more »
Rainbow Blessing
1. How many times a day can one say a beracha on a rainbow? 2. Is one able to inform someone else that there is a rainbow so that they… Read more »
Torah Verses Before Birkas Ha-Torah
My Rebbe says it’s allowed to only recite Torah passages (not study) before berchat HaTorah, but Artscroll it’s forbidden. Which is it? Answer: The question of reciting verses, not by… Read more »
Bar Mitzvhah/Yartzeit on Adar
The rama seemingly contradicts himself in certain halachas during adar aleph and adar beis. He writes a bar mitzva boy isn’t barmitzvah untill the date in Adar 2 but a… Read more »
Wrong Pronunciation of Name in Berachah (and answering amen)
If someone makes a brocho but says “ADINOY” for Hashem’s Name instead of “ADOI-NOY”, can we answer “Amain”? Does he have to repeat the brocho correctly? Thank you. Answer: If… Read more »
Questionable Tefillin
I recently opened up my bar-mitzvah tefillin and found that they did not have 9 yudin b’tziruf if spaces between letters are included. I chesboned that a yud with a… Read more »
The Sons of Moshe
Moshe Rabbeinu’s children weren’t at matan torah when Hashem gave the torah to Benei Yisrael. How is this possible? Why weren’t they there, and how could they miss such a… Read more »
Annointing Oil
1) Is anointing oil still part of Jewish ritual? 2) Is it available to the public (for sale) anywhere? Answer: Anointing oil was used in ancient times to annoint a… Read more »
Reward for Levayas Ha-Mes
I escorted a mais in my car in a funeral procession, but the casket was interred in a crypt. They put a packet of dirt on top of the casket…. Read more »
Mitzvah of Chinuch
Is the mitzvah of veshinantam levanecha and the mitzvah of chinuch the same, or are they separate mitzvos? Are these mitzvos min ha-Torah? Also, who’s obligation and/or right is it,… Read more »
Giving Stitches on Shabbos
Is there any halachic problems with a religious doctor giving stiches or surgical sutures on shabbos? Might it be considered koshair or tofair since the surgeon would be considered a… Read more »
Identification After Tahara
As a member of my Chevra Kadisha, we are often asked if the family may identify the body after the tahara is performed and the casket is closed. We don’t… Read more »
Do Non-Jews Have “Power of Conquest”
Hello! I’m stumped by the statement in Sanhedrin 59a that gentiles are not “children of conquest,” which, according to Rashi, means that they have not been given a land to… Read more »
Oversleeping/Washing Hands After Bathroom
1- During the amidah at what words should one take each step backwards and fowards? 2- If one is wearing tzitzit kattan A and then switches to B and then… Read more »
Whole Egg
Why is it not allowed to eat a whole hard boiled egg without first slicing it? Explanation woiuld be appreciated. Answer: I am not aware of this prohibition. It is… Read more »
Saving Documents from Damage on Shabbos
Muktzeh If a person is a lawyer by profession and he has a lot of client documents and other documents related to his business stored in a study in his… Read more »
Blessing and Prayer Before Uncovered Hair
I know that we are not supposed to pray in front of a married woman that doesn’t cover her hair, but sometimes, like at a sheva berachot, one needs to say… Read more »
Removing Facial Hair During Sheloshim
My Mom passed away 16 days ago. I am a married woman, and I go to work every day. I was just wondering if I could cut my facial hair on my… Read more »