Question: Can someone tear silver foil on Yom Tov to use to cover food? Answer: We are not allowed to rip silver foil or saran wrap on Yom Tov, even… Read more »
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Ordered trees online for Shavuot, and seems like it will arrive by UPS on Yom Tov is it Muktza
Question: I ordered trees online for Shavuot. Seems like it will arrive by UPS on first day Yom Tov. Will I be allowed to accept it and place it in shul on… Read more »
Moving diapers on Shabbos
Question: I have a question. I know that one is allowed to throw out a diaper on Shabbos. Is it permitted to move a diaper on the changing table, while… Read more »
Bringing Bikkurim on Shavuos
Question: Were bikkurim actually brought on Shavuos by the farmers or did they wait until the day after Shavuos (until the wheat bikkurim, mincha chadasha was brought) to start bringing… Read more »
Question on informing
Question: B”H Thank you. Someone who is not Jewish was working in a building and seemed to make “romantic” gestures toward a resident (the Jewish resident did make the mistake… Read more »
Is approximate paying back a ribis issue?
Question: My sister picked something up for me from the store that I asked for. When I asked her how much it was she said “it was around $2”. Can… Read more »
What is Better Tefillah Btzibbur or Vasikin
Question: Hi If I have an option – either to daven Tefillah Kvasikin without a minyan or Tefillah Btzibbur later which is the better course of action? Answer: According to numerous… Read more »
Kashrus
Question: Shalom u Bracha Does Chalav Akum requires Kashering the utensils to those that are makpid on Chalav Yisrael? Answer: A person that cooked Chalav Akum in his pot etc…. Read more »
Destroying a bird’s nest
Question: If a bird created a nest on one’s home, in our case the gutter, and it may possibly cause damage to the home, may one destroy the nest? Answer:… Read more »
3 fasts before Bar/Bas Mitzvah
Question: What is the source of the minhag to fast three before a boys bar mitzva, I couldn’t find it in sefer haminhagim. Answer: You are in good company. There are… Read more »
Tanning on shabbos
Question: Why can’t I tan in the sun on Shabbos? And am I allowed to sit in the sun on Shabbos because I like how it feels? Answer: According to a… Read more »
Drinking water and bracha achrona
Question: I have a brachos shaila. It arises in the following situation… I am drinking water throughout the morning. At some point I may eat some other food like a… Read more »
Drinking wine on Yom Tov
Question: Regarding the mitzvah to drink wine on yom tov – should one drink enough to be b’simcha, or is it enough to drink a reviis of even low-alcohol wine… Read more »
Tefilla b’tzibbur when helping a sick person
Question: There is a bachur in the yeshiva who r”l had a stroke, cannot daven on his own, and someone stands next to him and davens out loud to be… Read more »
Avrohom giving the malachim meat and milk
Question: BS”D Shalom, In Bereshit 18:8, It says that Avraham gave milk and meat to visitors, there are Midrash that tells us that Avraham compressed the laws, and how he… Read more »
Challah from play dough
Question: Does one have to take challah from homemade play dough if he kneads the requisite amount of flour? Answer: Thank you for your question. If there is no intention… Read more »
How to put on a tallis
Question: I have seen many (Ashkenazi) men put on tallis in a particular way: they bring the back half of the tallis to the front of their body and then… Read more »
לא תעמוד על דם רעך
Question: האם איכא איסורא דלא תעמוד על דם רעך למי שמגיע לכולל או ישיבה מבלי מסכה Answer: .לכאורה כן כיון שהוא מסכן את הציבור Sources:
Dressing up as a mermaid
Question: Dear Rabbi, is one permitted to dress up as a mermaid (like Ariel from Disney movie or just a mermaid)? I did not know if they are mythological creatures… Read more »
Borer – removing skin from chicken for aesthetic reasons
Question: If one has a food that they wish to serve, for example, chicken or fish, where some eat the skin while others do not, but the hostess wants to… Read more »
Brocha question regarding Ikar Vtafel
Question: I understand that when I am eating a bowl of noodles and I take some cheese from on the table and mix it into the noodles so then when… Read more »
Eruv Tavshilin: Baal habayis or baalas Habayis
Question: Does it matter whether for the man or the woman to prepare eruv tavshilin and make the bracha? Is this preference psak din, custom, preferred? Does the man (ba’al… Read more »
Mesora Chasieros and Yesieros
Question: The gemara says that we’re not bekiim in chasieros and yesieros. How does this fit with the understanding that we have an unbroken mesora? Maybe this makes the kasha… Read more »
Manufactured grape juice- Stam Yanom?
Question: To make a kosher grape juice, does one have to be Jewish? or even a bnei noach can make and make it kosher? Answer: Yes, the people involved in… Read more »
fish shabbos
Question: I was eating by someone on Shabbos and unfortunately all the fish fell on the floor, and could not be served. I wanted to ask to be given a… Read more »
Gifts During Aveilus
Question: Is there a manner in which I or my children may purchase for my wife a birthday gift during her year of aveilus for her father? Does it make… Read more »
benefitting from work done on Shabbat
Question: B”H Thank you for your help, it is sincerely appreciated. If two Jewish people are roommates, and one is Shabbat observant and the other is not yet Shabbat observant,… Read more »
Reheated chicken soup poured into glass cup
Question: I had thought that already prepared chicken soup (which was in a throwaway plastic container) was actually parve soup, and reheated it in a parve stainless pot, and then… Read more »
Would this suit have shatnez
Question: https://www.macys.com/shop/product/hugo-hugo-boss-mens-classic-fit-stretch-dark-blue-plaid-suit-jacket?ID=9617528 I have heard that boss suits have had shatnez not sure if this would have Answer: My apologies but for such a question you have to ask you local shatnez… Read more »
Hataras Nedarim
Question: I already Asked this question recently and was told to reply with more information ,since your mailbox does not take reply I am re sending my question with more… Read more »
No kosher meat that touched kosher product
Question: B”H Thank you sincerely for your help, I really appreciate it. If non kosher meat (cold) brushed against a sealed kosher product, and the outside of the kosher product… Read more »
Prohibition of having children in difficult times
Question: BS”D Why is it forbidden to have children and marital relationships in times of calamity or difficult? Answer: The reason is that when Klal Yisroel is going through a… Read more »
Can one use a slotted spoon on Shabbos
Question: Can one use a slotted spoon on shabbos Answer: In general a slotted spoon should not be used on Shabbos. The reason being is that it is meant to… Read more »
Oat flour
Question: How do I check oat flour if it is too thick to be sifted? Answer: Thank you for your question. In consultation with a Rov that is familiar with… Read more »
paying tuition
Question: Hi. My son due to the covid 19 as no cheder, only 2 hours a day telephone conference from Rebbe Gemoro and Chumash, and no english and no buses expense… Read more »
When to say the ShLaH’s tefilla for children this year?
Question: Hi. Can you tell me when to say the ShLaH’s tefilla for children this year, that erev Rosh Chodesh Sivan is Shabbos? On Shabbos? Before Shabbos? Thanks Answer: Thank… Read more »
Purée Frozen Fruit to make smoothies
Question: Is it permissible to buy frozen strawberries, blueberries, blackberries which do not have a hashgacha for purpose of puréeing them and making smoothies ? Or does it require a… Read more »
Torah and bnei noach
Question: BS”D Shalom, Is there a halakha that prohibits bnei noach from studying the torah? Answer: In general if a gentile wants to do mitzvos, he may, except for two… Read more »
Buying baby clothes before birth
Question: Hello, What is the source for not buying baby clothes before birth? And practicaly speaking, how is one to deal with this is places where one is discharged from… Read more »
“Sit in beth midrash alone”
Question: Dear Rabbi I hope that everything is healthy at yours, as well as your mishpoche. Allegedly Hagaon M’vilna had been sitting in Beth Midrash alone. Maybe you have a… Read more »
Davening Outside
Question: Is there a chiyuv to daven with an outdoor minyan in these circumstances? If my porch is 10 tefachim higher than the ground on which my neighbors are gathered… Read more »
Is it a problem to bring a sefer torah to a outdoor minyan?
Question: is it a problem to bring a sefer torah to a outdoor minyan? Answer: It is permitted to bring the Sefer Torah to the outdoor minyan. Although it is… Read more »
Tuition obligation during a pandemic
Question: Chashuvah Dayanim, My son is 19 yrs old and goes to a new yeshiva bais medrash usually from 10:00 – 5:30. The yeshiva has 8 bochurim and is completing… Read more »
Cleaning oneself after bathroom
Question: 1) When wiping oneself of feces after using the bathroom, to what extent must one wipe themselves to remove all traces of feces? Often times, one can keep finding… Read more »
Why do we end davening the same way as four Mesechtos are ended?
Question: Many have mentioned the segulah these days of reciting pitum haketores. I was wondering why is it that specifically Brachos, Nazir, Yevamos and Creisos that are ended with the… Read more »
Bridal Veil
Question: I recently saw a question asked on your site about a bridal veil not being required at a second wedding- is it required al pi halacha at a first… Read more »
Ribis on credit card bonus
Question: If I spend a certain amount of money on my credit card within the first 3 months I get a cash bonus from the credit card company. if I let someone use my… Read more »
Flowers for Shavuot
Question: B”H Thank you for your help. Regarding decorating with flowers for Shavuot, is it ok to have dried (real) flowers, or does it need to be cut flowers in… Read more »
Claiming unemployment
Question: I lost my job 2 months ago due to covid-19. I have been claiming unemployment. Every time I recertify they always ask if I am ready, willing and able… Read more »
Does the seller owe me a commission for helping me sell his business
Question: Thanks for “hearing” my sheilah. A few weeks ago I saw an ad in a Jewish newspaper for a small online business for sale. I called and spoke to… Read more »