Question: Is regular millet the same Bracha for grounded millet? Answer: The bracha on ground foods (unless it is the norm for it to be eaten ground up) is shehakol,… Read more »
Category: Ask
Knas in yeshiva
Question: Is a Yeshiva allowed to ask bucherim for knas for coming late in the morning? If yes, what’s the limit? Is the Yeshiva supposed to give back the money… Read more »
Kaddish with 6 after amidah
Question: On Mariv on motzi Shabbos we had 6 who needed to daven and 4 who had already davened but they helped us to make a minyan so we could… Read more »
Navi on Klaf
Question: We are almost finished writing Sefer Yeshayah on klaf for Shabbos Haftorah use . Is there any concept of making a Seduah once its completed. If not , would… Read more »
Shemirat Enayim and movies
Question: Hi Rabbi, in some movies we can see some short scenes where people from opposite gender hug each other or have physical contact in Derech ’Hiba. These kind of… Read more »
Does Beer/Liquor need a hechsher
Question: Does Beer from Germany need a hechsher? In general does liquor or beer need a hechsher? Answer: In general if the beer is unflavored and is produced in a… Read more »
Dressing properly when entering a shul
Question: Dear Rabbi, Yireh is determined by our attire. I visit shuls with incompetant dress. One man arrives in shorts. Others maybe untidy attire. Few ever even a tie. What… Read more »
Kel maleh rachamim for parent’s yahrtziet in Nissan
Question: Dea Rabbi, I have yahrtzeit for a parent on the 5th of Nissan. I am aware during Nissan we do not say the kel maleh rachamim prayer for the… Read more »
co-signing on a loan
Question: If someone cosigned on my mortgage from an Israeli bank (that has a heter iska) do I also need a heter iska with the cosigner? If needed can this… Read more »
Easter Egg as decoration
Question: Can Jews or Noahides have Easter eggs but not for religious purposes? Just to decorate. Answer: If it is just for decorating purposes, although it may be distasteful to… Read more »
Purim costume with celestial images
Question: My daughter purchased a costume for Purim. When she showed it to me I saw that it had images of the sun, moon and stars. The images do not… Read more »
Can I use a gift card from a non-Jew that has holiday theme printed on it?
Question: I received some gift cards from some non-Jews near the non-Jewish holiday season, and I asked everyone to give me birthday presents instead. some of the gift cards i… Read more »
Is a Goy living in Israel required to take Chalah?
Question: A non-Jew living in Israel and selling bread, is he supposed to take chalah? And if not, is a Jew allowed to buy this bread that was baked in… Read more »
Appropriate way to approach mechila?
Question: I have a teshuva question. When I was in yeshiva, shortly after becoming more religious, Rav Eliyashiv z’l passed away. The yeshiva went to be melaveh Rav Elyashiv, along… Read more »
Concerts and amusement parks
Question: The MB (307,16) laments how people waste their time by going to circuses and the theater, and are moshav leitzim. What would be the approach to today’s concerts –… Read more »
Oops I used a meat utensil with my cheese
Question: I used a meat spatula (silicone) to flip my cheesy egg in my cheese pan. I threw away the spatula. Do I also throw away my cheese pan? Answer:… Read more »
What does the shlach monos have to contain?
Question: What is the halacha what does the shlach monos have to contain? Answer: It should contain two types of foods (not clothing or utensils), even if the foods are… Read more »
Doubling my maaser with “matching”
Question: If i donate money to a campaign that has someone else match my donation, can i take the doubled amount off my Chiyuv Maaser? Answer: No you can’t. You… Read more »
Loshen Hora
Question: When asking mechila for speaking loshen hora, must I tell the person what was said about him if he demands to know? Or is he mechiyev to be mochel… Read more »
Inherited IRA and giving maaser
Question: My situation and then the question: I am 69 years old and retired. I was recently diagnosed with cancer. My only family (3 siblings) live out of state. My… Read more »
Paying debts from maaser
Question: Kavod Harav. If I owe other Jews money from 10 years ago when I was in trouble financially and they helped me. And now I pay my maaser money… Read more »
Kaddish or Mishnayos?
Question: I live in Israel and my uncle who was in USA was niftar a few days ago at age 96. He was not frum. His only son is not… Read more »
kashrut
Question: I have some fleishig china dishes that I would like to give away. Is it a problem if the person who I give it to may use it for… Read more »
instant coffee on shabbos
Question: Hi Some brands make an instant coffee containing mostly regular instant coffee but with a small percentage of roasted ground beans added . would you allow one to place… Read more »
Donate maaser locally?
Question: Should all maaser be donated locally? What about the needs of the poor in Israel? Thank you. Answer: You don’t have to give all of your maaser locally, and… Read more »
Cutting a three old’s hair
Question: Hi, My son is turning three on the 11th of nissan and we can’t give him a haircut before Pesach. Can I cut his hair on Chol Hamoed or… Read more »
ז״ל for a woman
Question: At the end of his comment on https://blog.nli.org.il/en/danny-kaye/ Barry Steinhart writes “one doesn’t write ז״ל on a woman and especially a secular one”. Is either statement correct? Answer: I… Read more »
Be mechalel shabbos or I’m committing suicide
Question: A not religious mother tells her baal teshuva son – “I will commit suicide unless you are mechallel Shabbos.” Is he allowed to be mechallel Shabbos? Answer: R’ Y…. Read more »
Schar shabbos when I was not frum
Question: Reuven and Shimon are not frum Jews. Reuven hired Shimon to do work on Shabbos. Next week, Reuven became frum. Shimon demands to be paid for the work he… Read more »
Alcoholics Anonymous meetings in Church
Question: Hi, my question revolves around attending AA meetings in the basement of a church. I am a modern orthodox man father of 2 who has been attending meetings when… Read more »
Copyright
Question: Am I allowed to copy music from a friends CD’s/mp3 if these songs are already available on YouTube or Spotify ? Answer: It is controversial if it is permitted… Read more »
Is this doll ok in Judiasm?
Question: It is shaped like a bowling pin and opens to make smaller dolls. =^..^= Cute Attached: Attached file 1 Answer: It looks alright to me. It is not being… Read more »
Ribbis on late rent
Question: A new commercial tenancy Jew to Jew . I want to agree a higher payment on late rent- How? Answer: You should make a heter iska when signing the… Read more »
friday night candle lighting
Question: if someone lights with paraffin is it still required to light the candles first and then blow it out before the women lights them again for shabbos Answer: I… Read more »
Can we speak to a person that flew on Shabbos?
Question: A relative flew from USA to London on shabbos. Can we speak to them after shabbos in London from the same tome zone. Answer: It is permitted. The reason… Read more »
Is there a source in halacha of mitzvah of kibud av by foster parents?
Question: Is there a source in halacha of mitzvah of kibud av by foster parents? Answer: Essentially a foster child is not obligated in the mitzva of kibud av v’em,… Read more »
Makeup and wigs for men on purim
Question: Is a man permitted to wear makeup or a woman’s wig on Purim? He will dressed in a man’s costume and not using these items in the way that… Read more »
Chomesh
Question: As a bocbur I gave chomesh. Married with kids, can not really afford nasser but give since we have family help, so tithe mine and wife’s earnings. The q… Read more »
Paying back time from hourly work
Question: 10-15 years ago, I engaged in hourly work for non-Jews in the Chicagoland area. While I cannot remember specifically not working honestly, I suspect that at some points in… Read more »
Kashrus of donkey born to a kosher animal
Question: Hi. Ive heard of some Gemara maybe Chullin or a chazal somewhere else that a camel or donkey born from a kosher animal may be permitted to eat. Where… Read more »
Eating before kiddush or fasting on Shabbos
Question: I am eating by someone on Shabbos and I know I won’t get there till after chatzos. I forgot to drink before davening. Should I drink water after davening… Read more »
Professional singer during avelut
Question: To a professional singer is died a father. He have a job, but without the money that he will gain with the singer job, (wedding and bar mitsvà) he… Read more »
About kissing vs touching
Question: In halacha is in the same badness to kiss a girl as it is to touch her? Due to the fact that they both lead to the ultimate badness… Read more »
Garlic cut with meaty knife and fried in milky pan
Question: I used a clean fleishig knife to cut off the top of my of garlic cloves, then put them in my garlic press. Then emptied the garlic into a… Read more »
giving maaser or 20%
Question: 1)Currently I don’t have any source of income, besides my Kollel check, and I am living off my savings (which I was planning on using to help buy an… Read more »
Statues in the workplace
Question: Is there any problem in having my employees have small statues of the virgin marry and the like on their desk? Answer: Although it isn’t very tasteful to have… Read more »
Maaser
Question: Who can I give maaser to. Can I give to my sister and she give me Answer: Maaser money can be given to a poor person, to support torah,… Read more »
Pidyon Haben
Question: When our son was a month old we did a Pidyon HaBen. Many years later we discovered that my wife is a bas levy and therefore we didn’t need… Read more »
Clothing that falls off in reshus harabim
Question: What should one do if their Tallis or another article of clothing falls on in reshus harabim on Shabbos? Answer: If something falls off while someone is in reshus… Read more »
Purifying hands
Question: When is it permissible to rub hands on something instead of washing them? Answer: When there isn’t any water available after using the bathroom, or touching a covered part… Read more »