Question: When buying pure fruit juice do we need to be concerned whether the fruit used to make it is from Israel. Answer: If it is possible to verify where… Read more »
Category: Various matters
The Earth and other planets
Question: Why might the Earth be the only inhabited planet in our galaxy? Out of the planets in our solar system (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Pluto), Earth… Read more »
Reasons for Conversion to Judaism
Question: Is it a valid reason for the mother to convert to Judaism “to see what the Jewish religion is like because the child wants to be Jewish, i.e. for… Read more »
Hashkafah of Rashi
Question: When Rashi says in the beginning of Bereishis that the world was created for Torah and the Jewish People, does that really mean that the rest of the world… Read more »
Does Hashem ever unforgive?
Question: If I sincerely do teshuva and ask for forgiveness and H-shem forgives me, but then I have a change of heart in a bad way and start thinking of… Read more »
What happened to your website?
Question: it was down for like a week! Answer: The Ribono Shel Olam wanted this to happen. I guess it was partially in order for all of us to appreciate… Read more »
Zilzul Beit haknesset?
Question: Shalom Kavod haRav, I recently attended a well established shiur in my home city, outside eretz yisrael, that is given on a week night by a prominent rav and… Read more »
Prayer upon entering & leaving the synagogue
Question: Dear rabbi, Hoping that i don’t send you questions too often (the l.o.r. is away for mishpacha yom tov), i like to ask regarding beis knesset. It seems clear,… Read more »
humour
Question: dear rabbi, regarding the topic of humour, i wonder if it is important. probably it can – as all kind of laughther be good or be bad. do you… Read more »
Terrible migraines
Question: I recently started having terrible migraines. The pain is very intense even with medication. I have one now and the pain is blinding. I can’t focus on anything else…. Read more »
Kedoshim
Question: Those murdered in the Holocaust are known as “kedoshim”. What is the source for this title? Answer: The term kedoshim does not refer only to those killed specifically in… Read more »
Buying a potted plant in Israel
Question: What halachot do I need to be mindful of in purchasing a gift of a plant for a friend in Israel Answer: In a year that isn’t shmitta, there… Read more »
Gay Couple in Shul
Question: I live in Israel and go to a Shul that caters Baalei Teshuva and helps people to come closer. We started having a gay couple in the congregation, one… Read more »
Staring
Question: I’ve notice people spying on me in shul and beis medrash either because of shiduchim or to find out about me since I come from outside the community. People… Read more »
Is this shaimos?
Question: If a posuk or part of davening is written on a paper, but using the letter “hei” instead of spelling out the name of Hashem or writing eloKai instead… Read more »
Listening to Rabbis regarding elections
Question: I live in Bet Shemesh. As you probably know from the last time there was elections (X2) it’s a very touchy subject. Anyways, as an American, i was always… Read more »
Can I throw out a plaque written by a goy with G d spelled with an O part of a Catholic poem ?
Question: Can I throw out a plaque written by a goy with G d spelled with an O part of a Catholic poem ? Answer: It is permitted to throw… Read more »
Jewish parents adopt a non Jewish boy and he converts
Question: If Jewish parents adopt a non Jewish boy and he converts. What is his Jewish name? Example Moshe ben ?. Answer: Essentially his name is ben Avrohom Aveinu. However… Read more »
Receiving rebuke
Question: A rav I’ve confided in for several years gave me harsh rebuke tonight. It still stings. I’m trying not to be defensive. What is the right approach to take… Read more »
cat food
Question: What does it mean that one cannot eat before feeding his cat? In the morning it makes sense because you just woke up and didn’t ear anything yet. But… Read more »
feeding cat
Question: Shalom we feed the cat in the morning before. My question is for lunch and dinner. we don’t have a specific time to feed it. is that okay Answer:… Read more »
Confessing using different words
Question: Is Viduy allowed to be said like this: “Hashem I’m sorry that I did xyz…” instead of “I did xyz… Hashem, I’m sorry!” Stating just the sin first and… Read more »
Kidnapping in modern times
Question: When Beit Din grants full custody of small children to one parent and the other parents steals the children from school and disappears with them, is this biblical kidnap… Read more »
hachnosas
Question: What is the actual meaning of the word “hachnosas” Answer: To help enter, or to help bring in. it is used in the context of helping a bride get… Read more »
Disconnection
Question: I don’t know how to properly connect with other people. I am distant. I am constantly glued to my phone/computer (Internet) 24/7 and if not for Shabbos I would… Read more »
Mad imprints
Question: Dear Rabbi, I was a failure of a student in my eyes today because as a child I loved the video arcade. I find that today in davening I… Read more »
Can a Noahide man marry a non Noahide woman?
Question: Can a Noahide man marry a non Noahide woman? Answer: Yes he may. Being a Noahide is not a different type of religion, because according to Jewish law, and… Read more »
Writing Sefer Torah for a nonpracticing jew
Question: Can you write a Sefer Torah in honor of a deceased nonpracticing Jewish child Answer: It is permitted to write a sefer torah in honor of a deceased non… Read more »
Permissibly of prostate biopsy
Question: Is there any Halacha issues with having a biopsy of the prostate? Answer: There might be a potential issue, of making the man a krus sufcha, which is a… Read more »
Geneivas Daas with a non-Jew
Question: I ordered something expensive from an online store. I found the item hefker in the lobby of the building I reside in. Am I allowed to tell the retailer… Read more »
Toiveling and using items from before becoming a ger.
Question: I wanted to get clarity around toiveling as I’ve been getting mixed answers. Some people are saying that I cannot toivel items that I used prior to my conversion,… Read more »
Hataras Nedarim
Question: 1) if I spaced out for a couple of words by hataras nedarim – but I knew the general inyon of what i was saying is that fine? Or… Read more »
orlah
Question: hello, if one was not careful in laws of orlah may he still eat the fruits of that tree after the fourth year? thank you Answer: The actual fruits… Read more »
Mesiros Modah
Question: If one will not have 3 people with him, can he say the moser modah privately to himself? Answer: Yes he can say it privately, although it is better… Read more »
“Birthday”
Question: Good day, So far the question was not found by me in the archive. Traditionally Birthday wasn’t celebrated. Nowadays… Isn’t partying birthday only hedonistic? sincerely Answer: You are right…. Read more »
Conversion without sincerity
Question: In many traditional but secular Jewish communities, although shabbas and kashrus are not kept, marrying a Jew is of utmost importance. Many Jewish singles I know are dating non… Read more »
Annul Vow Emergency Important
Question: How can a Noahide have a vow annulled? I do not want to sin by breaking them. In a moment if weakness, I vowed or promised I would not… Read more »
How can I annul a vow
Question: I made vows that I feel might have been due to OCD, but I want to keep them so as not to sin. I would like them annulled though…. Read more »
nedarim
Question: Shalom thank you for answering my questions so quickly. Do I need to say bli neder after I say I am going to do something or I will? If… Read more »
Vows/Promises to Hashem
Question: I have OCD/Anxiety Disorder and Hypochondria. A few years back, I got my hair dyed. I had read a story about a woman who suffered a severe allergic reaction… Read more »
The blessing beneath a new house
Question: Good day Rabbi, Does exist the Jewish tradition or requirement to bury a bottled text beneath a new house for good auspice? Does “Heaven Pina or Even Pina” ring… Read more »
Repenting for taking interest on a loan
Question: Dear Rabbi. My husband some years ago (maybe 18 years ago) took ribit on a loan for around 3 years without a heter eska from another Jew. We were… Read more »
Crass algebra
Question: Dear Rabbi, When we study the reform today, we note so many who are off the kilter of even basic jewish tenets. There is nil mikveh use and full… Read more »
Bar Mitzvah for convert
Question: My entire family had a conservative conversion. We attend a modern orthodox shul. We don’t keep kosher and we drive to shul on Shabbat, but our kids attend a… Read more »
Can I mochel somebody if they borrowed money and didnt pay it back
Question: Can I mochel somebody if they borrowed money and didn’t pay it back? Ribit and debts are not good to have but what if you don’t remember if you… Read more »
Severe OCD, disturbing thoughts of vows and oaths, accidentally saying “yeah”
Question: I keep getting disturbing, unwanted thoughts of vows and oaths I for sure never want to keep because they are so horrible. I made sure never to verbalize them…. Read more »
unify the name yud-kei with vav-kei
Question: In counting the omer, unify the name yud-kei with vav-kei in perfect unity what is the meaning “yud-kei”and :vav-kei” Answer: One of the names of H-shem that we may… Read more »
Women’s voting rights and vote
Question: Dear Rabbi, I have some odd thoughts these days that our world in the early 1900s which granted women the right to vote may have been a pure liberal… Read more »
Hug from Professor
Question: Hi, Thank you for helping. I have a professor (non jewish) that I was speaking with on the last day of class. Other students had left the room as… Read more »
Relationship with Hashem after Chilul Hashem
Question: I wrote things about Torah observance that are wrong and misleading and wrote about idolatrous practices as if they are equally valid. My writing went very far and can… Read more »