“Of course I’m Jewish—my grandmother spoke Yiddish!” Before pursuing a shidduch we should ascertain that the candidate is actually Jewish, is halachically considered single, and is not one of…
“Of course I’m Jewish—my grandmother spoke Yiddish!” Before pursuing a shidduch we should ascertain that the candidate is actually Jewish, is halachically considered single, and is not one of…
A Sefer Torah must be treated with utmost respect, to the extent that, absent certain conditions, it may not be moved from one location to another. The Zohar is…
Scenario #1: A baby boy’s bris milah (circumcision ceremony) must be postponed and is rescheduled for Shabbos. According to halachah, only a bris that is on time—on the eighth…
A married woman must always know where her kesubah is. The kesubah is the property of the wife, and its purpose is to protect her rights. She does not…
The pasuk (verse), “Kol kevudah bas melech p’nimah” (the honor of the King’s daughter is within) speaks of the importance of tznius (modesty) of Jewish women. Based on this…
Some people are lenient and use the same stovetop grate to cook milchig and fleishig one after the other. Although it's possible for some of the contents of a…
Question: Are there any restrictions on making a will? Any guidance of what to put or what not to put according to Halacha? Answer: There are many distinctions…
Although it’s not against halachah to gaze at non-kosher animals or at pictures of them, the Kav Hayashar and other mussar works speak of the importance of guarding one’s…
I Said the Wrong Brachah Acharonah (After Blessing); Should I Bench Again? The brachah acharonah of borei nefashos does not exempt one from the obligation of saying the brachah…
Book reviews. Restaurant reviews. Hotel reviews. Product reviews. Even “Rabbonim” reviews. At what point do any of these one-or two-star ratings veer into the territory of lashon hara (slanderous…
My son was fined by his yeshivah for misbehaving. May he pay with ma’aser money? If a talmid (student) incurs a knas (monetary fine), he might reason that since…
Ineffectual Contracts with Employees When hiring, an employer often requires that the new hire sign a contract to the effect that if there comes a time when they part…
The halacha in Shulchan Aruch is that one may not dance or clap hands to a tune on Shabbos or Yom Tov. However, the common custom, particularly among Chasidim,…
A bechor (a firstborn son) receives pi shnayim (a double portion) of his father’s inheritance. However, he is entitled to a double portion only of assets that were b’muchzak…
What the Gemara says about yerushah (inheritance): Do not withhold it from rightful heirs by distributing assets to others, even if the inheritors are not worthy–dilma nafik mineh zar’ah…
According to most Poskim, with regard to coffee in general there is no Issur of Bishul Akum, of having a goy prepare and brew the coffee, because coffee is primarily water, and one is allowed…
Dealing with Diabetes on Shabbos Those who suffer from diabetes and need to draw blood periodically in order to check their insulin levels, should do everything possible to minimize…
“Lo sakifu pe’as roshchem” (do not round off the corners on your head [hair]), is an issur min HaTorah (a Biblical prohibition) enjoining a male not to shave off…
Shinui hashem (changing a person's [Jewish] name) is not done lightly. A person’s name is a tzinor hachayim (channel of life) for the individual. The pasuk (verse) in Bereishis states, “nefesh chaya hu shemo” (a…
Once upon a time, people would ask sha’alos (halachic queries) to a rav in person. In this age of technology, phoning, text messaging and email are becoming quite prevalent…
A guest who leads Birchas Hamazon (Grace after Meals, colloquially: bentching) bestows a brachah on his ba’al habayis (host) as part of the liturgy. In turn he is granted…
If a person is leaving on Erev Pesach to be somewhere else for Pesach and is selling their entire house to a goy for the duration of Pesach, they should make sure to exclude one room,…
Many poskim maintain that inedibles do not have to be kosher. What is considered inedible halachically, though, is not completely clear. It can range from something not usually served…
Although there is a well-known principle of bittul b’shishim (that a lesser substance is considered halachically nullified when mixed into another substance that is sixty times greater in volume),…
Can I use Ma’aser Money for Other Tzedakah Commitments? There are times when a person may wish to give tzedakah in addition to ma’aser (one tenth of one’s earnings…
