Question: There is a large family in our neighbourhood who we are friendly with. About 4 months ago, our daughter was leading a day camp with one of their daughters… Read more »
Category: Ask
Picking Fruits in Israel
Question: Hello, I’m considering going to a pick-your-own berry farm in Israel, but I am concerned that I will be violating several mitzvot and halachot while picking. Do I need… Read more »
Sharing Login Data for bought Seminar with person living in the same household.
Question: I bought an online class that helps people grow emotionally. I would like to give my sister access to this class because she really needs to hear this as… Read more »
Asking parents to buy something for you.
Question: I remember that due to Kibud Av ve Am, we are not allowed to ask parents to buy something for us. However, if I know for sure, that the… Read more »
Hatov Umaeitiv on a car
Question: I recently bought a car and as I understand it since my wife also benefits from it I should be saying a Hatov Umeitiv on it, however originally I… Read more »
Minhagim
Question: I am a baal teshuva through Chabad and began wearing tefillin with the Chabad kasher and davening Nusach Ari. A few years ago, I left the chabad movement and… Read more »
Modesty
Question: Is one permitted to swim together with his wife when she is tahor? Until what age can parents swim with their children of the opposite gender (in a private… Read more »
Tevilat keilim for somone elses things
Question: May I tovel somonene elses keilim if they allowed me to use them but do not know about tevillah? Is there a diffefrence with a keli that may break… Read more »
Is Perek Shira a form of Tefilla?
Question: I find it very hard to daven the standard tefillos bec of their time constraints with raising little kids and working full time. I find I feel close to… Read more »
Massar sefer torah
Question: Although one properly can not use masar money to write a Sefer Torah ( as you cant be mekkaim the mitzvah asha with massar ). Question if one can… Read more »
A child mourning the death of a parent
Question: Is it permitted to purchase a new car for oneself or to request it as a gift during the year after the loss of a parent, purely for pleasure… Read more »
credit cards
Question: I applied for a credit card under my name and I get bonus miles for spending at least $4,000 in the first 3 months. is there an issue with… Read more »
Looking at one’s wife when she is a niddah
Question: If a women normally sleeps at night in shorts and a tshirt when she is tahor, may she do so when she is a niddah, since her husband is… Read more »
Famous saying
Question: Is there a source to the saying that if you have 10 straight boys you will go to Olam Haba Answer: Unfourtunately I don’t have a specific source for… Read more »
Shomer negia while swimming
Question: If there are boys and girls swimming in the same public pool, is it considered a problem of Shomer negia? To clarify, they are not touching each other. The… Read more »
Buying clothing Chol Hamoed
Question: Is one allowed to purchase clothing that he/ she will wear in Chol hamoed/yom tov during Chol hamoed? (Assuming they have other clothing available but they want to purchase… Read more »
Paying the mikah
Question: Erev Yom tov I mentioned to go to a a cheaper mikvah but it was already closed. So I was forced to go to the other mikvah,the satmar mikvah… Read more »
Embarassing Sinners in Sefer Ezra
Question: Please see Ezra 10:2. Many jews had not intermarried, but Shechaniah had not. However, he said “we have sinned” in order to avoid embarrassing the sinners? Shechaniah learnt this… Read more »
Can I use maaser for school classroom supplies
Question: I am teaching in a kiruv school that also has modern orthodox students in it. Can I use my maaser money to buy supplies and activities for my classroom…. Read more »
Haflaga of Orh Zarua
Question: Can you have relations the night before haflaga? Answer: There is an opinion of one of the Rishonim, called the Ohr Zarua, that says that a couple should abstain… Read more »
sefer Torah
Question: I hired a sofer to write a sefer Torah for my client. I had worked with him for a number of years without any particular issues. Shortly after starting… Read more »
If I lent someone earplugs and returned more than he took
Question: If I lent someone 2 earplugs and he buys me a box of earplugs as a present is that ribis? Answer: Earplugs are often lent to use and replace… Read more »
Issur Hana’ah of Basar V’Chalav
Question: Crazy question. My young son was at a BBQ and got his shirt all full of “stuff” while eating. He then came home and someone accidentally spilled milchig coffee… Read more »
Sushi Seaweed
Question: Does seaweed (for making sushi) need a Hechsher? If yes, can one rely on a weaker Hechsher in which one normally doesn’t rely on for meat/chicken or Ma’aser/Orlah, or… Read more »
Can you stop wearing Tallit Gadol
Question: If a Baal T’shuva was raised in Conservative Judaism where you are given and wear a tallit gadol on your bar mitzvah to daven with and has davened with… Read more »
bentching hagomel
Question: Our 1 year old son was missing for 15 minutes and B”H we found him safe. He was found down the block in the middle of a busy street…. Read more »
MIlky spatula used to cook with meaty frying pan while cooking pareve
Question: Hello, Can you please advise, A milk silicon spatula was used to cook fish in a fleishige frying pan together with other pareve items. There was a substantial amount… Read more »
aveilut
Question: שלום אני מגיע לקראת סוף הי”ב חדש של אבילות לאבי ז”ל שנפטר בצום גדלי’ שעבר. רציתי לדעת אם יש מה שהוא מיוחד ליום שנגמר אבילות בשנה מעוברת שאניו יום… Read more »
Ezra and Malachi.
Question: On Megillah 15a, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korchah says that Malachi was Ezra. The sages disagree saying Malachi was a different person. Rav Nachman says Malachi was probably Ezra as… Read more »
Teshuvah
Question: What is the proper path to teshuvah for one who has Gd forbid committed the sin of mishkav zachar? Does this person have any hope? What is he to… Read more »
Tallis and gartel by davening
Question: Dear Rabbi, I am quite to make a change in my attire in davening. I am unmarried and with an unfortunate limited sexual history from wrong mention by reform…. Read more »
Not Jewish Songs
Question: Is listening to not Jewish song? What if they are completely clean and appropriate? Answer: In general it is frowned apon unless there is a specific need. Please see… Read more »
Baby nurse using an electric bottle warmer on Shabbos?
Question: Hi, We have a baby nurse on shabbos and I was wondering if she is allowed to use the electric bottle warmer. My question is in terms of hilchos… Read more »
Hatarat nedarim and tehillim at bedtime
Question: I have a bit of a complex question and I’m wondering how best to proceed. I am a mother to a 7mo little boy. A few months ago I… Read more »
Why do some learn during shalosh seudas instead of eating?
Question: Is there any halachic basis for this? I’ve seen this done in Chabad houses where people specifically make it a point to learn Torah instead of eating at the… Read more »
The return from Bavel and Temurah 15b
Question: There were 42360 returnees (Ezra 2:64). Yirmiyahu 52:30 says 4600 people were exiled with Tzidkiyahu. Melachim 2 24:14 says 10000 were exiled with Yehoyachin. How can Temurah 15b say… Read more »
Can one change his Minhagim/whose halachic opinions to follow?
Question: Hi, Is there a halachic discussion as to under what circumstances a person may change minhagim/Halacha he follows? The only one I know of is marriage where a wife… Read more »
Can I sell/distribute newspapers if they may have Lashon Hara in them?
Question: Can I sell/distribute newspapers or jewish magazines if they may have articles with Lashon Hara in them? Answer: We can assume that kosher newspapers are careful about these halachos,… Read more »
Short on time on shabbat
Question: If a woman is short on time for Shacharit on Shabbat, is there a difference in the order it importance for which tfillot should be said? I know the… Read more »
Leonardo hotel in Tiveriah, a problem for kohanim?
Question: We plan on going to Leonardo hotel in Tiveriah is it an issue cuz we are kohanim Answer: The hotel itself is alright, however some of the roads in… Read more »
Davening in a room where someone is sleeping
Question: Is it permissible to daven in a room where someone is sleeping? For example, can I say shma Al hamita, personal tfillot and/or tehillim and prayers for sick in… Read more »
Can one buy shoes if necessary during the year of mourning?
Question: Can one buy shoes if necessary during the year of mourning? Answer: According to many poskim, it is permitted to buy shoes during the year of mourning and it… Read more »
Raw fish on electric blech just before Shabbos
Question: Can one put raw fish in a tinpan with some water snd spices on a electric platter a few minutes before Shabbos to eat at the Friday night seudah???… Read more »
How long is a parent an avel for a son?
Question: How long is a parent an avel for a son? Answer: A parent never forgets thier child, nevertheless regarding the halachos of aveilus all aveilim finish thier aveilus at… Read more »
Olam Haba and gehinnom
Question: Greetings. How is it possible that the gemara in Rosh Hashana 17b discusses the existence of gehenom when we know from Pirke Avos that Kol Yisroel Yesh Lo Chelek… Read more »
Chofetz Chaim Tefillin Minhag
Question: Is it known how the Chofetz Chaim wrapped Tefillin? I.e., the type of knot used, how many times on bicep, and how he wrapped on the fingers/hand? Answer: In… Read more »
When eating wet fruit
Question: Do you need to wash your hands before eating wet fruit? Answer: This idea is brought in Shulchan Aruch, however many (or most) people are not makpid on this… Read more »
Telling a son/daughter about Gehinnom
Question: Is there an appropriate age to tell your son/daughter about Gehinnom? Is it ever appropriate to tell your child that if they don’t eat Kosher or do something else… Read more »
Cell phone for havdala
Question: I think rav moshe feinstein allowed answering amen or havdala over a phone. Would this apply to cell phones which dont create sound thru vibration? Answer: I would assume… Read more »
Inheritance vis-a-vis non-observant siblings
Question: BS”D L’Kavod HaRav, I am a chozer b’teshuva for many years, and am the only orthodox member of my four siblings. The rest of the family is not observant…. Read more »