Amira L'nachri Archives

Snowplow on Shabbos

Question: I hired a snowplowing company to plow my driveway throughout the winter for a flat rate. (That is the local custom here, it is unheard-of to pay per…

ראיתי מובא שמותר לבקש מגוי להדליק את המזגן ע”י שינוי – בכך שידליק ע”י כפית. האם זה נכון גם לפי דעת רבינו הזקן?

שאלה: כתוב בספר פניני הלכה: "לצורך מצוות עונג שבת וכדי להסיר צער גדול, מותר לבקש מהגוי להדליק את המזגן. אלא שהואיל ויש סוברים שהדלקת מזגן אסורה מהתורה (לעיל יז,…

Can my cleaning lady wash my dishes on Shabbos?

Article: Cleaning Help on Shabbos: On a previous occasion we learned that it is forbidden to have a non-Jew do work for us on Shabbos. However, there are things that…

On Shabbos, I stay in a building that has a front door which is locked…

Question: On Shabbos, I stay in a building that has a front door which is locked. The doorman (who is a goy) is inside and he uses a camera…

If I get pictures or videos (of a Seuda or Shul) that were taken on Shabbos by a non-Shomer Shabbos (or LeHavdil, a Goy), can I print/use/publicize them?

A Jew that is not Shomer Shabbos - If it was a one time event, and this picture would not be able to be taken after Shabbos, it would…

I often have guests on Shabbos who struggle with keeping Shabbos. Sometimes when we wash for Netilas Yadaim, one of them might turn on the hot water to wash their hands. May I turn off the hot water once they already turned it on?

Water faucet may not be turned off. The reason: turning off the faucet causes to stop the flow of additional cold water, resulting in heating up the cold water…

My son has had a fever on and off for a few weeks already. Am I allowed to use an electric thermometer to check his fever on Shabbos?

The rule is that one should not use an electric thermometer unless there is concern of a danger - חשש סכנה. This matter needs to be discussed with your…

Is there a way to have a Goy bid on a house for you, if the auction is taking place on Shabbos? He would have to show up with a check of a significant amount in hand and actually buy it.

Where there is no choice one may do it. Sources: אף שהקנין חל בשבת - ולדעת רעק״א קנט ג״ז אסור - הרי במחלוקת שנוי. וי״א בדעת אדה״ז להיתר.…

Can one ask the cleaning lady on Shabbos to fill up the hot water samovar? And if it Is not permissible, are there any lenience’s to still use it for baby formula?

One may not ask a non-Jew to heat up water on Shabbos. However, if you have no hot water for the baby bottle or if needed for baby food,…

If the light is on in a child’s room and its a LED light, and it late (so it would be a challenge to find a goy), can a two year old be directed to turn the light off? [The AR says 334 that to extinguish even under Chinuch one should be Moche, but perhaps in a child’s room one can direct a child to the light.]

Where no other choice exists and it’s needed for the welfare of the child, for example, so that he should be able to sleep at night, he may be asked…

If someone told a cleaning lady on Shabbos morning that the Cholent Crock-Pot is too hot, she then went and turned the Crock-Pot off. When he saw what she did, he told her that is not what he meant, so she turned it back on to the lowest setting. Is this okay? Is it okay to eat from the Cholent?

If the cleaning lady made a mistake and you did not tell her anything, for example she mistakenly switched off the light and then she re-lit it, or she…

If I go into labor on Shabbos what are the Halachos I need to know? Can I call my doula, can my husband come with me to the hospital, etc?

IY"H the birth should go very smoothly and we should hear Besuros Tovos. Here is a general outline of Halachos regarding labor on Shabbos. The same principles apply to Yom…

Can I have my non-Jewish cleaning lady come on Yom Tov if it’s her regular day? What other Halochos should I know?

The general principles are the same for Shabbos and YT. It is forbidden to have a non-Jew do work for us on Shabbos. However, there are things that a non-Jewish…

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