Question: An old friend recently served expensive scotch at his home to celebrate. He did not sell his liquor supply last Pesach and I drank some without knowing that. Is… Read more »
Category: Ask
mechiras chometz when adult children contribute to household expenses
Question: hi, if adult children live together with their parents. and children buy food or contribute to food purchases. is it sufficient for a parent to sell chometz. or does… Read more »
Sale of Chametz
Question: I reside in Sydney Australia and will be spending Pesach in Johannesburg South Africa. There is about a 9 hour time difference with Sydney time being earlier. What is… Read more »
Tallis Gadol
Question: Is it a sin for a single Ashkenazi (not a yekkie) male to wear a tallis gadol? Is one allowed to wear one? I’m confused. Thank you and Shabbat… Read more »
Bracha on kilayim
Question: Does one make a birkas sheheyanu on a new fruit which is kilayim? for example a hybrid of an apple & pear tree Answer: It is controversial if one… Read more »
Place with avodah zara Images
Question: Hi, purim sameach To releive the stress and tension I do some massage sessions . The only place near home, with same gender terapist has some Buddah statues all… Read more »
Kasher Meat Silverware
Question: My mom has been staying with us and she brought a glass mug from her house. She does not keep a Kosher home. She ate soup out of the… Read more »
Applying mascara
Question: How much mascara is halachadig allowed? Answer: It is hard to give an exact measurement, however I once heard from guideline from a very famous chosson teacher, that “she… Read more »
makeup
Question: Is one self required to apply more mascara in the public due to the husband wanting? Answer: The technical answer to your question is that it would depend if… Read more »
Mug used by a person that doesn’t keep a kosher home
Question: My mom has been staying with us and she brought a coffee mug from her house. She does not keep a Kosher home. She has only used the mug… Read more »
Does anyone speak about saying tikkun chatzos before one goes to bed?
Question: Does anyone speak about doing this BEFORE one goes to bed? Is that allowed? Answer: While tikkun chatzos should preferable be said at chatzos (midnight), however if it is… Read more »
Shabbos meal during year of aveilus for a parent
Question: My father passed away 3 months ago, am i allowed to partake in a shabbos meal at my Shul with my husband and family and the rest of the… Read more »
Hotel during Pesach
Question: Dear Rabbi I am planning to attend a Pesach program for the first days of Pesach. If someone who is a non-Jew (e.g. a live in housekeeper or other… Read more »
Children Toys
Question: My daughter received a stuffed elephant from her aunt that just came back from Thailand. Should I get rid of it? It’s decorated in vibrant colors and Pom pom…. Read more »
How can the son’s of Haman convert?
Question: We are taught that the son’s of Haman learned Torah in Bnei Braq. How can this be? Isn’t there a Mitzva to wipe out Amalek? Answer: You are bringing… Read more »
Maaser
Question: Is donating a prescription medication that I can’t sell maaser deductible? Answer: Technically you could take it from maaser. Practically though you can not take off too much money… Read more »
Tefillin Bag Material
Question: Is there any requirement regarding the type of material a tefillin bag (or tallis bag) can be made from? Can leather be used and if so, does it matter… Read more »
Inheritance of a wife and sons
Question: When a man dies, the heritage goes, only, to the children, not the wife? Then, what went, wrongly, to the wife, 40 years ago, now, that she died, can… Read more »
Chatziza
Question: What do I do if I was not able to remove the hair on my legs in time for the mikvah (which I usually do before the mikvah)? Is… Read more »
Firstborn daughter “Bechora”, in yiddishkeit
Question: What significance is given to a firstborn daughter “בכורה” in yiddishkeit? I know the Chazal “בת תחילה יפה לבנים”. Are there other relevant Chazal? Is there even such a… Read more »
Making a brocha when there is a door open to a bathroom
Question: If I am in a bedroom/living room or any room that has an adjacent bathroom and the door the the bathroom is ajar, do I need to close it… Read more »
Chashivus of having boy over girl
Question: Chazal discuss the chashivus of having a son versus a daughter. How are we to approach this in 5779? I wonder if our view may have a changed over… Read more »
Am I permitted to play Mah Jong on Shabbos/Yom Tov?
Question: Am I permitted to play Mah Jong on Shabbos/Yom Tov? Answer: My apologies but I am very familiar enough with this game. From my research it seems that it… Read more »
Parve knife washed with hot meaty sponge
Question: Someone in my kitchen washed my Parve knife and Woden cutting board with a meaty sponge that was probably recently used. I don’t know what temp the water was… Read more »
Does one repeat psukei dzimrah if he misses after shemonah esrei
Question: If one were to skip parts of psukei dzimrah (everything except for Baruch sheomar,ashrei and yistabach) does he repeat it after davening and if so what order? Answer: It… Read more »
Checking self after passing gas
Question: Once in a while, upon passing gas, I find that I have soiled myself very slightly. do I have to be choshed every time I pass gas that I… Read more »
Eating kosher food when poor
Question: Shalom If the person is in a state of poverty and situation that it has to receive donations of food to survive, and some of that food is non-kosher…… Read more »
Are sea urchins, oysters, camels meat or camels milk and land snails kosher?
Question: Shalom Are sea urchins, oysters, camels meat or camels milk and land snails kosher and allowed to eat? Answer: All of the above are not kosher and may not… Read more »
Washing hands for bathroom count for tefillah?
Question: If one uses the washroom before davening and washes his hands does that work for davening? And would it depend how many times one would wash for the washroom?… Read more »
Does washing for after washroom work for davening?
Question: If one were to use the washroom before davening and wash does that work for the tefillah following or would one have to say Asher yatzar and then re… Read more »
If one misses Baruch Hashem liolam, does he repeat after shmonah esrei?
Question: If one skips Baruch HaShem liolam (3rd brachah by Maariv) because the minyan is faster and he wants to daven with the tzibur shemonah esrei, should he repeat it… Read more »
Jewish law
Question: Is it avodah zarah to own an easter egg jewelry if it is for decoration not religious? For those celebrating Jewish faith. Answer: Please see the following post. http://dinonline.org/2019/03/15/easter-egg-as-decoration/ Thank… Read more »
Granddaughter wedding
Question: If a grandmother dies, can a granddaughter have music at her wedding after shiva but before shloshim Answer: Please see the following post. http://dinonline.org/2019/03/22/avel-and-daughters-wedding/ Best Wishes Sources:
Avel and daughters wedding
Question: Can an avel be at his daughters wedding that has music, after shiva before shloshim? Answer: Hamakom yinachem eschem btoch shar aveili tzion vyerushlayim. Regarding your question, the father… Read more »
Shaving on Purim
Question: Is there any issue with shaving on purim for a man Answer: According to a number of poskim it is preferred not to shave on Purim, others tough say… Read more »
If I by mistake broke my fast do I have to fast for the rest of the day
Question: If I by mistake broke my fast do I have to fast for the rest of the day Answer: Yes, you do continue fasting. Best Wishes
Forgot to say al hanissim
Question: Do u have to say over ahmonei esrei by mariv if u forgot al hanisim Answer: Whenever al hanisim is forgotten, whether it is by davening or by bentching… Read more »
Inadvertedly Ate on Ta’anis Esther
Question: I inadvertedly ate some nuts on Ta’anis Esther, and after eating a couple of nuts, I realized it was a fast and stopped. Must i continue fasting today? Must… Read more »
Torah Reading
Question: Shalom. Say a group of ten men who missed kerias hatorah (the shul itself did not have any leaning that morning) got together to lean. Is kaddish said after… Read more »
Missed 1st day of Shiva Nikiyim
Question: If a woman’s did a hefsek taharah (Saturday night) but forgot to make a bedika on day one of shiva nikiyim (Sunday) does she need to do a Hefsek… Read more »
Shopping on Taanit Esther
Question: Can I shop online for a computer tablet if there’s 15% off today only? The offer ends at 8pm tonight (fast ends 6.54pm) Many thanks Answer: It is permitted… Read more »
Pas Yisroel
Question: OU fig bars – have to be Pas Yisroel? Answer: I am not familiar with this, but there are far greater potential issues with fig bars such as the… Read more »
Kinyan without knowing the owner
Question: If I own an object, for example a pen, but Reuven mistakenly thinks it is his and gives it as a gift to Shimon. If I had in mind… Read more »
Visiting cemetery on Purim or next day Shoshan Purim
Question: Any prohibitions to visit cemetery on Purim or very next day ? Answer: The custom is not to go to the cemetery on Purim, or on other days that… Read more »
Tzedakah to Goyim on Purim
Question: Dear Rav, Why is it that in the rest of the year, there’s an inyan to give goyim tzedakah mipnei darke shalom (verachamav al kol maasav) but on Purim,… Read more »
Mishloach Manos to Family Member
Question: Does one fulfill the mitzva of Mishloach Manos if it’s given to one’s father, brother, nephew etc.? Or should it be given to a non-relative? Thank you. Answer: It… Read more »
Mechanical alarm clock
Question: May one stop the ringing off a mechanical alarm clock? Why? Thank you Answer: It is permitted to stop the ringing of a mechanical alarm clock because there is… Read more »
Forgot to daven makeup Shmona Esrei
Question: If I had in mind to daven 2 shmoine esras by shachris and I forgot and remembered before mincha. Can I still daven it. Answer: From your question I… Read more »
Are you allowed to thank for shla’ach manot?
Question: I thought that you were not allowed to say thank you for meshlo’ach manot. Is that true? Answer: I don’t think this is true. The reason we give shalach… Read more »
Confusion about the status of Tupperware’s
Question: My mother found milchig Tupperware covers and containers in the fleishig cabinet and she doesn’t know if the cleaning lady washed them in the milchig sink or just by… Read more »