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Food

  • Food, Shmitah
  • shmitta

Disposing of Shmitah Wine

  Question: Someone gifted me wine from heter mechira, which I'm not planning on drinking. It’s now several years after Shmitah. The question is, what can I do with it?…

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  • Bentching (Birchas Hamazon), Brochos (Birchas HaNehenin), Food
  • pizza, סדר ברכת הנהנין פרק א, סדר ברכת הנהנין פרק ב

If I have no way to find out if the pizza is hamotzi or mezonos and as a result I make a shehakol (based on the beginning of Seder Birchos Hanehenin) do I make an Al Hamichyah after?

  Regardless of the brocha, once you eat the amount of קביעות סעודה one says Hamotzi and Birchas Hamazon. As a rule, one should always wash for pizza as,‏ generally…

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  • Food, Meal
  • animals, pets, דינים שבגמרא שלא העתיקום הפוסקים להלכה

Can’t one feed animals food fit for humans?

  Question: It says in hilchos seudah that one shouldn't give food that is befitting for a person to an animal as its an embarrassment to the food. Does that…

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  • Food, Meal
  • standing while snacking

Is it OK to grab a drink when standing?

  Question: It is written that one should sit when eating and drinking. Does that also apply to snacks and drinks that aren't part of a meal. Is it OK…

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  • Food
  • cemetery, Food in bathroom, ohel, יו"ד שסח

Eating Food That Entered The Cemetery

  Question: If someone had apples in a Ziploc bag and went into the Ohel with them, may the apples be eaten?   Answer: There is no restriction against bringing…

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  • Food, Netilas Yodayim (Seudah)
  • washing hands for wet foods, דבר שטיבולו במשקין, סדר נטילת ידים

Washing Hands Before Eating Wet Fruits

  Questions: Do I need to wash Netilas Yadayim in the following cases: A) Washed any fruit and dried it. B) Didn't dry it but using a fork to eat…

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  • Food, Netilas Yodayim (Seudah)
  • washing hands for wet foods, או"ח קנח, דבר שטיבולו במשקין, סדר נטילת ידים

If I rinse off a fruit (like blueberries) and then mix it with yogurt, do I need to do netilas yadayim?

  No need (assuming you are using a spoon), because any food (fruit in yogurt) that is usually eaten with a spoon (or a fork or other implement) does not…

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  • Brochos (Birchas HaNehenin), Food

I ate less than a kezayis from the seven special fruits but a kezayis from other fruits. What after blessing do I recite? What do I do if I have a doubt whether there was a kezayis from the seven kinds?

    In this case, you only recite Borei Nefashos on the ordinary fruit, as the seven kinds of fruit had less than the requisite amount. In fact, even if…

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  • Food
  • Food in bathroom, Ruach

May I eat food that was brought in the bathroom? My young child brought a closed can of tuna in the bathroom.

  It may be used. See here and here. וכש״כ בנדו״ד שצרורים וחתומים. ואף גם במכוסים ועטופים.     #2709

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  • Food, Hechsher
  • food, Hashgacha, Kosher

Do sliced mushrooms need a hechsher? They are fresh mushrooms sliced and packaged.

  As long as they were packaged by a store or company that has separate section just for produce, it's fine, as you can rely that the knife is used…

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  • Brochos (Birchas HaNehenin), Food, Meal
  • brochos, food, סדר ברכת הנהנין פרק ג, סדר ברכת הנהנין: עיקר וטפל

How many Brochos do I make when eating crackers with tuna?

  When eating crackers with tuna you should only make the Bracha on the cracker, and that Bracha covers the tuna eaten with it.   Sources: והנה, מדת חסידות לברך…

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  • Food, Meat and Milk, Time Between Milk/Meat

Can I eat both dairy and meat with the same dentures? 

  Question: I have a (removable) polymer resin and acrylic false-tooth. May I eat milchig and fleishig with it in my mouth?   Answer: In general, before eating milk products,…

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  • Food, Kashering, Kashrus, Meat and Milk
  • יו"ד צה, יו"ד קה

Dairy spoon in a Meat mug—does it need Kashering?

  Question: I used a (clean) milchig spoon to stir hot tea in a fleishig mug. The tea, however, was pareve. Is the spoon now okay to use?   Answer:…

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  • Food
  • bread, או"ח קעא, ביזוי אוכלין

Do we wrap all bread before putting in the garbage? Why do we do this? Are there other foods we should also wrap?

  Bread is given special status, and therefore may not be thrown around, even if it will not become repugnant when one throws it. Once it’s spoiled or inedible, it…

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  • Birthday, Food, Shmiras Guf V'Nefesh
  • bal tashchis, camp, ביזוי אוכלין

Is one allowed to “cake” the birthday boy (smash the birthday cake in his face)?

  One is not allowed to waste any type of food intentionally. In this case it also involves disgracing food. Therefore, this practice is not allowed according to Halacha.  …

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  • Food, Hechsher, Kashrus
  • coca cola, coke

Is Coca-Cola without a Hechsher acceptable? What about with a Hechsher? I’ve noticed that in 770 they don’t serve Coca-Cola, and only sell the one from Israel, is that for a specific reason?

  Coca cola is certified by the OU, and a OU symbol is required. Rav Landau from Bnei Brak has a separate line of production with his Hechsher. As far…

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  • Food, Netilas Yodayim (Seudah)
  • potluck, או"ח קסג, או"ח קסט, לפני עור לא תתן מכשול

We are having an office potluck and I signed up for bread. Then I realized that most of the people attending are Jewish but not religious. Most likely they will not wash before, or Bentch after eating. Do I need to bring something different?

  You should change that and offer something else. If you cannot change the menu, then offer Mezonos bread. If this is impossible too, then there’s room to be lenient…

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