Question: B”H Kavod haRav, Would something with the word Israel (in Hebrew or English) require geniza? Thank you Answer: It does not need to go into gnieza, as it is… Read more »
Category: Various matters
Jewish rap
Question: Can I listen to rap if it has Jewish words, but it’s based on a real goyish tune? Answer: You are asking an important question. Music has a profound… Read more »
Free will in Tenach
Question: The Torah tells us to choose life and the prophets often tell us to do Teshuvah. This seems to be implicitly saying we have free will. Is there anywhere… Read more »
A Jewish quote
Question: Hello rabbi, where does this quote come from? Is it from the Passover Haggadah or Purim? “In each and every generation they rise up against us to destroy us…. Read more »
Discarding MEZUZAH case
Question: If a mezuzah case is used for a mezuzah which is wrapped in wax paper, and one wants to discard the mezuzah case. How should the mezuzah case be… Read more »
Divorce and goyim
Question: Considering that non-jews must abide by the 7 laws of Noach, including sexual immorality, at what point is a goy considered married ? At what point is he considered… Read more »
Holes in socks
Question: Someone told me to throw out any socks with holes in them. Is this a superstition or halacha? Answer: This is something that I have never heard of. Additionally,… Read more »
bread
Question: Is it acceptable to microwave bread? Answer: Yes there is no issue with microwaeing bread, it is not disrespectful to it. Best wishes
Length of a person’s life
Question: Can the Rav please clarify whether people have a set amount of years they are decreed to live, decreed when they are born, or does a persons amount of… Read more »
asking forgiveness
Question: B”H Thank you for your help! If due to my unintentional ignorance, I mistakenly addressed a Rabbi in an email as Mr, does this require asking his forgiveness? (The… Read more »
Follow up about Hashem emotionally supporting Dor HaMidbar
Question: Wow how beautiful!!! I didn’t know that about the Ananei HaKavod and it warms my heart to think of it as a constant ongoing hug from Hashem. And also,… Read more »
Blubeberries from Chile – Orlah
Question: Hi, Is there any issue with buying fresh blueberries from a country outside Eretz Yisrael? How can you know whether they are orlah? Questions also applies to any fruits… Read more »
nazir medication
Question: grüezi, is it true that a nazir should take medication-pills only in life-threatening situations because they contain alcohol – how is it when he is from a physician’s mispoche?… Read more »
Renting space from conservative synagogue
Question: I am wondering what the halacha would be to rent space for a preschool from a conservative synagogue. They have classroom where they originally had for a Hebrew school… Read more »
Gezeira
Question: I’ve heard that there is a gezeira not to spend the night in York. Is this true? What’s the reason? Answer: This is the accepted tradition and practice handed down for… Read more »
Teshiva for Chilul HaShem
Question: I made terrible chilul HaShem (happened 3 times!), that I would get angry in a basketball game (or a different game) and would scream out the “N word”, and… Read more »
Signing a paper with rules that may not be completely kept
Question: What is the proper response when a school requires its students to sign a paper attesting to the student keeping to certain behaviors, when the student and the parent… Read more »
Yeharog V’al Ya’avor
Question: Dear Rabbi, I was learning pesachim 25a-25b in the סוגיא of מאי חזית and my ראש חבורה said that it’s משמע from רש״י that יהרג ואל יעבור doesn’t apply… Read more »
Using protektzia
Question: Is there anything wrong with using protektzia or connections to get something otherwise difficult or impossible to get? Would it make a difference if it would help you “cut… Read more »
Changing the name of someone who is ill
Question: In Shul the rabbi changed the name of someone who was ill to somehow avert an evil decree. This seems to be a Kabbalistic custom. On a simple level,… Read more »
Why is a potential convert asked to join a community or else he can’t undergo conversion?
Question: It is written in the Rambam (Laws of Forbidden Relations chap. 14, 2) that when the potential convert comes to convert “we notify him regarding a small number of… Read more »
Keeping records of births
Question: This is probably more of a Minhag question, than Halacha, Where / How have Yidden kept records of their children births dates. For instance for boys its crucial to… Read more »
Potential danger vs. embarassing another
Question: My (5 year old )daughter she’t’chiyeh has a good friend, and I am friends with her mother. She frequently invites us over. She is very kind and I really… Read more »
Timeline (maybe ever as a poster)
Question: Dear rav, Do you have a way to locate a Jewish timeline, which might help me? Best regards, Answer: Thank you for your question. There are such cards available…. Read more »
Understanding mistakes
Question: B”H Regarding someone who became observant later in life, and they truly regret their mistakes, how are they to view the mistakes they made before becoming observant (and did… Read more »
Kashrus vs. Not Embarrassing Another Yid and Accepting Converts
Question: Many Yidden keep very strict kashrus. Many of these Yidden embarrass baalei teshuva and converts by not accepting food gifts from them, rejecting offers for Shabbos and Yomim Tovim,… Read more »
Sheimos from Secular Books
Question: In many sifrei chol (ex. Novels, textbooks, newspapers, magazines, in the later 2 often from quotes) G – d, Lord, etc. are often written. When discarding these papers, should… Read more »
Is it appropriate to spank a child for chutzpa or defiance?
Question: Is it appropriate to spank a child for chutzpa or defiance? Answer: Thank you for your question. In the topic of chinuch, the cardinal rule is as the posuk… Read more »
Can a gentile keep mitzvot
Question: If a gentile wishes to sincerely serve God can they keep mitzvot like wearing Tallit or taffilin Answer: A gentile may put on tefillin or tzitzit however he may… Read more »
genizah menorah box
Question: Does my outdoor menorah box require geniza? is it considered tashmishie kedusha? Answer: An outdoor menorah box does not require geniza, as it only services the menora which services… Read more »
Kappara for humiliating someone
Question: I was sitting at the table with my family and my wife said something. I disagreed with her and was careful not say something sharp or embarrassing to her… Read more »
Waking friend for vasikin and gezel shayna
Question: A bachur asked me to come to his room to wake him for vasikin. I knew what room he was in, but due to the early hour and darkness… Read more »
Menorahs after Chanuka
Question: Could we throw out the cheap menorahs after Chanukah is over? Thank you Answer: Thank you for your question. My assumption is that you are not asking regarding baal… Read more »
Teruma and maaser from one’s own lemon tree.
Question: B”H we just purchased a home in Efrat which has a lemon tree. How would I separate teruma and maaser from the produce if I only pick and use… Read more »
Exemptions from Mitzvahs
Question: Hello, I was wondering if there are any examples of a case where one’s circumstances make it exceedingly difficult to perform a mitzvah and therefore the torah exempts them… Read more »
Where does the Gemara discuss the sin offering of Rosh Chodesh and the chagim?
Question: What was the purpose of the sin offering brought on Rosh Chodesh and the chagim and where in the Gemara is this issue addressed? Answer: This issue is discussed… Read more »
Damage to a game
Question: My daughter recently purchased a card game. Her brother was jealous one day and ripped two cards. The game is still useable because not every card is needed to… Read more »
Teshuva for mistakenly eating dairy within a few hours of eating meat
Question: What teshuva can you do for making the mistake of eating something dairy (a pastry I did not realize was dairy,) a few hours after I ate chulent? Thanks! Answer: First… Read more »
blessing for our new trucking company
Question: Who can I call to have blessings done over the phone for our new trucking business? Answer: If you would like I can give you a blessing over the internet…. Read more »
Photos of Rabbis at home
Question: Shalom, can a jew we have pictures on the wall of the home, on one Rabbi of the city he lives in, or of a gadol rabbi of our… Read more »
What needs to go in a geniza
Question: What needs to go in a geniza? Only complete psukkim? Even partial psukkim? Any divrei torah? Anything with shem H (i.e. even if it’s not a passuk). Thank you… Read more »
May a person do teshuva at night or does it need to be in the daylight?
Question: B”H May a person do teshuva at night or does it need to be in the daylight? Thank you Answer: There is no difference between doing teshuva at night… Read more »
olam haba
Question: Why did Hashem have to create the feeling of embarrassment when we receive a gift without having done anything? If he hadn’t create it then we could have gone… Read more »
Hiring non Jewish/non frum school teachers
Question: ואין מוסרים להם תינוק ללמדו ספר או ללמדו אומנות דמשכי ליה למינות Based on this rama (Y”D kuf nun gimmul- aluf) what is the heter to hire non Jewish/non… Read more »
Rabbi decrees
Question: How and/or why did it happen that there is so much unclarity both in the Gemara and in the Poskim about the details of Rabbinic decrees? Why wasn’t the… Read more »
Separating Maasros Batman hazeh
Question: One bought fruits from a store and is mafrish the one percent plus a little more (for Terumah and Trumas maaser). If there is a possibility that SOME of… Read more »
Sefer to look up vort for bar mitzva
Question: Shalom Harav I’m looking for some divrai torah for my son bar mitzvah that he can say it over on Shabbat & his bar mitzvah party would you know… Read more »
Chilul Maaser Sheni
Question: Could you please explain the phrase in hafrashas trumah and maaser where we say hu vechumsho mechulal al haprutah. Where is there a chomash ? Chomesh is when you… Read more »
Intrusive Thoughts
Question: Hi Cvod Harav, I struggle a lot with intrusive thoughts, especially about regretting mitzvot. It makes me very worried I can lose them. What does the Rav suggest that… Read more »
Hybrid fruit
Question: Are all hybrid fruits acceptable? (grapefruit? orange?) How, given the prohibition of crossing seeds? Answer: Yes it is permitted to eat he grapefruit etc. even though they do originally… Read more »
