Question: I have been told that certain things are not exactly assur, but are not in the “spirit of the halacha.” What are the sources to support this idea that… Read more »
Category: Uncategorized
Tzniyus with eidim
Question: Gemara in baba basra 56 says “achas bgaba viachas bkraisa” and the rashbam and tosfos learn that aidim check to see if the girl is a Gedola. Isn’t this… Read more »
The Solar Eclipse
Question: Dear Rabbi, What halacha is known for viewing or discussing an eclipse? Meaningful event to many but chaos and terror for the natural world. Manners of animals and insects… Read more »
Naming a baby after someone of the opposite gender
Question: Are there problems with naming a baby after someone of the opposite gender (already done, curious if it’s a problem and how to address it). The name is not… Read more »
Are you permitted to invent your own tefillin minhag?
Question: The method in which a man wraps the strap of the tefillin shel yad around his arm and hand is generally passed on from father to son. So in… Read more »
Learning a proper dress code
Question: Dear Rabbi, I am a ba’al teshuvah. I have grown up and continue to exist in the communities that are not yeshiva trained or with much if any jewish… Read more »
Rashba’s Cherem
Question: Does the Rashba’s cherem still aplly to learning the sciences? Can I read my anatomy or other science books on the side (assuming no objectionable material) even for interest?… Read more »
The beginning of Shulchan Aruch vs. the beginning of Mishnayos.
Question: The Torah says: ‘Vayehi erev vayehi boker” (mentioning night before day). The Talmud also starts out by discussing the dinim of krias Shema at night. Why, then, does the… Read more »
Learning Torah and do Mitzvos to help others
Question: Are there any classical sources saying that one can learn Torah and do Mitzvos to help others eg the sick? Answer: There are numerous sources for learning torah and… Read more »
Burial traditions in judaism
Question: Was it tradition between jews in 1 century AD to bury a person with doned tefillin? Is it possible that Jesus Christ had put a tefillin when he was… Read more »
Maternal DNA
Question: I took a DNA test that came with a result of being 7% European Jewish. I do not believe it is accurate to state that I am Jewish because… Read more »
Is a reform male rabbi a valid rav?
Question: Is a reform male ‘rabbi’ who is halachically Jewish a ‘rav’ from our (Torah-observant) perspective or is his semicha invalid? Answer: Unfortunately the Reform movement does not recognize and… Read more »
Birth control
Question: Hi my name is Alaijha. In health class we are working on projects due March 3rd and the topic I chose is the beliefs about birth control between Catholics… Read more »
Depression
Question: Hi, I’ve asked many Halacha shallow to you before. I’m sorry to involve you in this, but my cousin, a 21 yr old girl suffering from depression, and stays… Read more »
Do the dead see?
Question: Hi, What do we Jews believe as far as whether or not people who have died can see the past, present and future happenings in this world? Thank you…. Read more »
raise your hand
Question: I heard that based on kabbalah, one is never to raise his hands above his head except in prayer, such as when blessing al netilas yadyaim. May one be… Read more »
College professor who says things that are forbidden to hear
Question: When attending a college class with a professor who says things that are forbidden to hear [e.g., he says that the Exodus never happened], what is the appropriate response… Read more »
Can an adopted child inherit, and can he be called to the torah with the adopted parents name.
Question: About 40 years ago as a childless Mekubal and a fatherless young man grew ever so close, as a father to a son and vice versa, they mutually decided,… Read more »
Don’t know mother’s Hebrew name.
Question: Dear rabbi, I do not know either of their mother’s Hebrew names and am unable to know what to ask for if I need a tehillim for their health…. Read more »
Knocking Before Entering
Question: Although the gemorah in Pesachim (112a) strongly suggests knocking before entering a room is a good custom to have, is there an obligation to do so? If there is,… Read more »
Chillul Hashem
Question: I was a student in law school. There are a few Orthodox students in the school, and I was the most visibly Orthodox among them. Unfortunately, due to my… Read more »
Forgotten Psak(s)
Question: Years ago I asked on AskMoses chat some questions about certain issues. Today I cannot remember what exact questions I asked and what answers I got. The site looks… Read more »
Asking a previous rabbi a question who seemed to give a very unclear and seemingly unrelated response
Question: I asked you this question which you responded in a way that actually makes sense to the question: When does a thoughts to do something become binding. However I… Read more »
Population Control for non Jews.
Question: I was recently asked by a Righteous Non Jew (Ben Noach) about birth control. In countries like Niger or South Sudan, the birth rate is around 7 children per… Read more »
Cutting through Photos
Question: My wife has got a hakpodoh not to cut through photos of people. I would like to know if this is a genuine minhag or a minhag beta`us. I… Read more »
Is it ok to have a Bar Mitzvah party before the boy puts on tefillin
Question: Is it ok to have a Bar Mitzvah party before the boy puts on tefillin. Answer: Mazal Tov! May you have much nachas from your son. Regarding your question,… Read more »
Blowing out a candle
Question: Can you please tell me if putting out the havdalah flame by covering it with tin foil or a glass plate would avoid the issue of blowing out candles?… Read more »
Hebrew names
Question: Dear Rabbi I have been named Debra after Devorah and also my middle name is Suzanne, which I looked up on the computer and found that in Hebrew it… Read more »
Unsure if I stepped on a tiny nail piece while pregnant.
Question: I am 19 weeks pregnant. I had tiny pieces of toenail poking into my skin so I trimmed them out. I could not find one of the trimmings on… Read more »
What do I do if I am bothered by a bad dream
Question: What should one do if they had a bad dream a couple of weeks ago and still can’t forget about it? Answer: Most dreams come from things that we… Read more »
Can a father give smicha to his son?
Question: Can a dad give smicha to his son? Are there sources for this? I’ve heard it is not ideal. Answer: I don’t know of any problem with this. Sources:
Surnames related to King David?
Question: My Great Grand Mother’s surname is Halfin. I know that surnames such as Halpern, Heilprin and Halperin are believed to be of Davidic Decent. I also believe that Halfin… Read more »
Ask meaning
Question: there is some meaning to this word : HAFTIJ ? Answer: See the following link: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/haftij%C4%85 Sources:
Permission required to take video?
Question: Does one require another person’s permission to get that person on video and show that video to a third person, with the caveat that there is no malicious or… Read more »
Writing an Oath
hi i was wandering if i make i shvua , but didnt say it out loud, only wrote it and then signed it. is it binding, or do i need… Read more »
Name of Hashem on Whiteboard
BS”D I wrote one of the 72 names of Hashem on an erasable whiteboard. Am I allowed to erase the name or do I throw out the board in Genizah?… Read more »
Talking to Hashem and Other Questions
Kavod Harav, We are Sephardic and act according to psika of Maran Ovadia Yosef ztz”l 1. Is it permissible to talk to Hashem while doing tasks such as washing dishes… Read more »
Mayim Achronim
Should one say Al Naharot Bavel/Shir Hamaalot before Mayim Achronim or afterward? Answer: Before Mayim Achronim. Ideally there should be no interruption at all between the washing and the beggining… Read more »
Missed Krias Shma al Hamitah
I was trying to put my child to sleep and fell asleep with him before saying krias Shema al hamita, only waking up after alos hashachar, is there a tikkun?… Read more »
Milchig Noodle on Fleishig Stove
Hi I’m not sure my question went through but I asked a question about how I cooked noodles in an aluminum foil tray and then added cheese on a fleish… Read more »
Classical Music
Is there any halachic issue with listening to, playing, and or enjoying classical music. Many classical works have goyishe roots, clearly anti-semetic composers (for ex. Wagner), or where derived from… Read more »
Assorted Questions
kavod harav, 1. If one eats chicken or meat, is he allowed to eat a pareve food cut with a dairy knife afterwards? The pareve food is not a dvar… Read more »
Matching Gowns at Wedding
can a bride demand her female relatives to wear color themed dresses to her wedding, or is it a problem of chukas hagoyim? Answer: While her right to demand may… Read more »
Buying Plants After Shmitta
I rented an apartment and was negligent in taking care of a mint plant. Wanted to know if there are any Halachik problems in replacing this plant, which is potted… Read more »
Lashon Hara in Diary
Is it considered lashon hara if you write negative things about a person in a personal diary that no one will read, but is written as a way of catharsis… Read more »
Checking for Shaatnez
When buying a suit, what needs to be checked for shatnez if at all? Does the pants and jacket need checking? Answer: In modern tailoring, finding shatnez in suits is… Read more »
Business in 9 Days
How is teh din or minhag respect of trading shares and other financial instruments, when this is not my job( my main income source)and there is a good price to… Read more »
Siyum in 9 Days
It’s brought down in Halacha that if one makes a siyum during the 9 days they may eat meat. A person happens to have a siyum coming out now in… Read more »
Basketball Shorts in 9 Days
Can I wear freshly laundered basketball shorts during the 9 days? Do they qualifies “big’day zay’ah”? Answer: No, bigday zeah refer to clothing worn against a person’s skin specifically to… Read more »
Hebrew in Bathroom
I recently bought a washing cup for nagel vassar or washing, the cup has some Hebrew words like YERUSHALAYIM, EREZT YISRAEL, JUDAICA in Hebrew, Rimon, ect . ALL written in… Read more »