When Chazal institute a lenient rule, one may not be more stringent than Chazal, as that borders on heresy. The question is raised by poskim: When there is a disagreement among authorities, may…
When Chazal institute a lenient rule, one may not be more stringent than Chazal, as that borders on heresy. The question is raised by poskim: When there is a disagreement among authorities, may…
I woke up pretty excited. I’m traveling to Yerushalayim for a summer learning program! I’m happy to be able to spend some time in the holy atmosphere of Eretz…
Orthodontic care to straighten teeth (i.e. braces), maxillofacial surgery to improve the look of the jaw, plastic surgery for cosmetic purposes—as well as other elective treatments may constitute the issur (restriction)…
The laws regulating tevilas keilim (immersion of vessels and utensils in a mikvah) are based on the parameters of a vessel or utensil’s use—food preparation—and on its materials and construction. An exception…
There are several conditions that have to be met to allow replacing a pot of soup, cholent, or other cooked food on the blech (an aluminum sheet used on…
May a child be asked to turn a light on or off on Shabbos? When a need arises to have a light turned on or off on Shabbos (whether…
Some people say that whistling is not proper conduct for a Jew, that it is associated with demons or angels, and has all sorts of negative effects. However, there…
Can I Give a gift to a Bar Mitzvah boy on Shabbos? It is forbidden on Shabbos to give a Matono, a gift. This is a form of a…
Question: Can one make kiddush and wash for bread then continue to eat a meal Shabbos day after shkiah? Answer: See the article below the sources. The same…
A basic concept in kibbud av v’em (honoring a father and mother) is to refrain from addressing parents by their given names—or even alluding to them by their given names. What…
During certain parts of davening, and between making a brachah on a mitzvah and performing it, we may not divert our attention from the task at hand by making a hefsek b’dibbur (a…
By Horav Y. Braun Prayer Gear Dressing up. Casual wear. Evening wear. Formal or informal. These are the big issues facing many of us daily as we consult…
The halachic requirement to check eggs for bloodspots due to the concern of dam rikum (that the blood is the beginnings of a new embryo), applies only if it’s feasible to…
A Hatzalah member is responding to a Shabbos call in a heat wave (or alternatively, in extreme cold). He is permitted to start the motor and drive his van…
Some people prefer to daven minchah at the earliest possible time. There is a discussion in poskim whether it is preferable to daven minchah gedolah (early minchah) or minchah ketanah (late minchah— after 9.5 halachic “hours” of the day have passed). Either…
Question: I have a friend who is, in his words, “a convinced vegetarian”. My question is if this belief is compatible with normative Judaism? Answer: Although Adam Harishon was commanded…
The purpose of lighting Shabbos candles is to bring light into our home, shelo yikashel b’etz ub’even (to prevent tripping on a log or a stone [because of the dark], causing…
Poskim of previous generations gave a number of reasons why one should avoid riding a bicycle on Shabbos, even where there is an eiruv, and the same principles apply to a…
The prohibition of ribis (interest) applies to anything a borrower grants to the lender beyond the repayment of the loan, even if only verbal, like granting a blessing or expressing…
Kiddush Levanah, the brachah we make as the moon waxes in the sky, may only be said if we can actually see the moonlight and take pleasure in it. If the…
There are three halachic issues when using a crock-pot on Shabbos: shehiyah, chazarah and hatmanah—and each one has a halachic solution. Shehiyah Problem: Shehiyah is the prohibition of leaving food on an open fire…
Article #1: Can a Non-Jew do it on Shabbos? It is absolutely forbidden to ask a goy to turn on the lights in one’s home on Shabbos. The Shulchon…
Amirah l’nachri (telling a non-Jew [to perform prohibited work on Shabbos]) is an issur d’Rabbanan (restricted by Rabbinic decree) and is forbidden, unless there are specific extenuating circumstances. Being kovea melachto (contracting his…
If a woman or girl forgets to light Shabbos candles, there is a Knas, a penalty, that she must light an additional candle from the following week onwards. There…
Ezra HaSofer instituted Takanas or Tevilas Ezra. According to this takanah (institution), men who are in a state of impurity may not engage in learning Torah until they have purified themselves by toveling in the mikvah. Later…
