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…
Question: I bought a chicken that has an area of blood coloring with small pieces of congealed blood. Is it Kosher? Answer: The bloody areas should be cut…
Brachos: The brachos recited before and after eating doughnuts fried in oil are mezonos and al hamichyah, respectively. This is because the brachos for any of the five types of grain (wheat, barley, oats, rye and…
Who can perform the mitzvah of tevilas keilim (immersing vessels in a mikvah)? Any male or female over the age of bar or bas mitzvah may perform the immersion,…
I’m in shul and I’m about to begin davening when I realize I’m holding someone else’s tallis! May I make a brachah on a “stolen” tallis? From a strictly…
We may use another’s tefilin if we do not have our own pair, since the halachah is, “Nicha lay l’inish layavid mitzvah bemamonay,” a person is glad when a…
One may not draw lots on Shabbos or Yom Tov since it can lead to weighing or writing, and because it is similar to mikach u’mimkar, buying and selling. The following forms of drawing…
Rabbi Yehuda HaChossid writes in his tzavaah (will) that one should not completely close up doors or windows in one’s home. If one wishes to close up a door or a…
Article: A Brachah on Rivers The brachah of Oseh ma’aseh bereishis (thanking Hashem for the wonders of creation) should be recited when we see a large river that has been around…
Article #500: Staring at a Wicked Person According to halachah, there are a number of things that one is assur l’histakel (forbidden to gaze at): Assur l’histakel bifnei rasha (it’s forbidden to…
