Ask the Rabbi

Question: Recently the chazzan in my shul created a stir when he didn’t include the proper mention of rain during chazaras hashatz. Our rabbi didn’t require him to repeat the Amidah, but many congregants felt the rabbi erred and murmured their discontent. Who was right and how can we, in a tactful way, prevent such a lapse from occurring again? A Concerned Congregant

Question: Both Adam and Cain repented, yet our sages extol Reuben, who lived many generations later, as the first man to repent. Why? Moshe Jakobowitz

Question: I’ve been told that I should follow all the directives of the government during the current pandemic even though these directives seem to impinge upon our religious lifestyle. I’ve heard that dina d’malchuta dina is the overriding factor here. Is that so? Zelig Aronson

Question: I see that some people refer to the month of Cheshvan as Marcheshvan. Which is correct? Nachman M.

Question: I see that some people refer to the month of Cheshvan as Marcheshvan. What’s the month’s real name? Nachman M.

Question: This pandemic has created many difficulties for me. One of the most annoying is the mask requirement, especially in shul, where I spend many hours. Aren’t our First Amendment rights being trampled? Shouldn’t this be explained to the authorities in very clear terms? Name Withheld

Question: Since G-d knows the future, isn’t our choice very limited? If so, how can man be faulted for any missteps he makes? Zvi Kirschner

Question: May one eat etrog jelly on Simchat Torah? A Reader Miami, FL

Question: A while back you wrote at length about ibur, the intercalation of the year, and noted that we rely today on a fixed calendar rather than the testimony of witnesses to determine the starting days of various yamim tovim. My question is – and I’m sure I’m not the first to ask this: Why do we continue to celebrate two days of yom tov nowadays when we have a fixed calendar and know exactly when each festival starts? Aryeh Roth

Question: I was recently told by my physician that I shouldn’t fast on Tisha B’Av or Yom Kippur for health reasons. However, I feel very uncomfortable following this directive as I have never eaten on these two fast days in my life. What should I do? No Name Please

Question: How should we regard the current pandemic with Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur upon us? Is there a special prayer or specific role for prayer when the totality of humanity is in danger? M. Sorkin

Question: The Covid-19 pandemic has put an end to almost all public gatherings; hence, much of Jewish congregational ritual has come to a halt. Is there a way to make up for everything we missed? M. Goldman

Question: How should shuls deal with coronavirus space and time constraints this Rosh Hashanah? Should separate women’s minyanim be organized outside shul? A Reader

Question: The Covid-19 pandemic has put an end to almost all public gatherings; hence, much of Jewish congregational ritual has come to a halt. Is there a way to make up for everything we missed? M. Goldman

Question: The Covid-19 pandemic has put an end to almost all public gatherings; hence, much of Jewish congregational ritual has come to a halt. Is there a way to make up for everything we missed? M. Goldman

Question: The Covid-19 pandemic has put an end to almost all public gatherings; hence, much of Jewish congregational ritual has come to a halt. Is there a way to make up for everything we missed? M. Goldman

Question: The Covid-19 pandemic has put an end to almost all public gatherings; hence, much of Jewish congregational ritual has come to a halt. Is there a way to make up for everything we missed? M. Goldman

Question: The Covid-19 pandemic has put an end to almost all public gatherings; hence, much of Jewish congregational ritual has come to a halt. Is there a way to make up for everything we missed? M. Goldman

Question: The Covid-19 pandemic has put an end to almost all public gatherings; hence, much of Jewish congregational ritual has come to a halt. Is there a way to make up for everything we missed? M. Goldman

Question: The Covid-19 pandemic has put an end to almost all public gatherings; hence, much of Jewish congregational ritual has come to a halt. Is there a way to make up for everything we missed? M. Goldman

Question: The Covid-19 pandemic has put an end to almost all public gatherings; hence, much of Jewish congregational ritual has come to a halt. Is there a way to make up for everything we missed? M. Goldman

Question: The Covid-19 pandemic has put an end to almost all public gatherings; hence, much of Jewish congregational ritual has come to a halt. Is there a way to make up for everything we missed? M. Goldman

Question: The Covid-19 pandemic has put an end to almost all public gatherings; hence, much of Jewish congregational ritual has come to a halt. Is there a way to make up for everything we missed? M. Goldman

Question: The Covid-19 pandemic has put an end to almost all public gatherings; hence, much of Jewish congregational ritual has come to a halt. Is there a way to make up for everything we missed? M. Goldman

Question: The Covid-19 pandemic has put an end to almost all public gatherings; hence, much of Jewish congregational ritual has come to a halt. Is there a way to make up for everything we missed? M. Goldman

Question: The Covid-19 pandemic has put an end to almost all public gatherings; hence, much of Jewish congregational ritual has come to a halt. Is there a way to make up for everything we missed? M. Goldman

Question: Was the Torah actually given on Shavuos? From my study of this question, it seems like the answer is not clear. Leah Weigner

Question: The Covid-19 pandemic has put an end to almost all public gatherings; hence, much of Jewish congregational ritual has come to a halt. Is there a way to make up for everything we missed? M. Goldman

Question: The Covid-19 pandemic has put an end to almost all public gatherings; hence, much of Jewish congregational ritual has come to a halt. Is there a way to make up for everything we missed? M. Goldman

Question: The Covid-19 pandemic has put an end to almost all public gatherings; hence, much of Jewish congregational ritual has come to a halt. Is there a way to make up for everything we missed? M. Goldman