Is A Ribbis-Loan Document Valid – At All?
"Yes," Mr. Pincus said. "But since the loan document is invalid, I shouldn't have to pay the loan."
Spirits And Demons – How Worried Should You Be?
It is mentioned in the Talmud... that someone who eats peeled garlic, onions, and eggs kept overnight "forfeits his life, and his blood is upon his own head."
Is It Proper…? – Is The Music at Frum Weddings Too Loud?
Is The Music at Frum Weddings Too Loud?
Can You Give A Bar Mitzvah Boy A Gift On Shabbos?
The following morning, after leining, the shul rabbi delivered an enthusiastic sermon, in which he praised the bar mitzvah boy based on insights from the parsha.
Daf Yomi
Caring For The Sick On Yom Kippur
‘His Gullet Has Derived Enjoyment…’
(Chullin 103b)
You Didn’t Need To Dress That Fancy
The default assumption is that the other children allow this expense. However, they can protest, and are entitled to prohibit him from dressing henceforth at their expense.
Daf Yomi
Stricter Than A Prohibition
‘We Rely on a Gentile…’
(Chullin 97a)
Is It Proper…? – Is There Anything Wrong With a Frum Jewish Man Looking...
Is It Proper…? – Is There Anything Wrong With a Frum Jewish Man Looking Super Stylish?
Should You Light Shabbat Candles When Invited Out?
There is another course of action to consider: not lighting Shabbat candles at all! Before you are scandalized by my suggestion, allow me to explain.
Daf Yomi
Feather-Plucking 101
'The Blood Will Easily Flow Out'
(Chullin 93b)
Who Asked You?
We're partners in the business, and we owed $1,000 to your uncle. If I paid your part, I'm entitled to reimbursement from you also!
Daf Yomi
Bullish Or Not?
'Where One A Cow And [The Other] Its Calf…'
(Chullin 82)
Muktzah Mitzvah
"A saw belongs to a category of muktzah called kli shem'lachto l'issur, a utensil whose primary purpose is prohibited," replied Rabbi Dayan.
What if My Child Falls Asleep Before Bentching?
What, then, happens when the rabbinic chinuch obligation contradicts the biblical obligation as described in the verses cited by the Ramban?
Is It Proper…? – Is it appropriate for a Jew in America to have...
Is it appropriate for a Jew in America to have an English first name? If yes, is it appropriate for him or her to use this English name in daily life?
When Someone Rents You A House That Isn’t His
A person cannot rent out a property that is not his!
Daf Yomi
Kosher 'Oxymoron'
'The Divine Law Permits It'
(Chullin 75)
‘Go Ahead, Chop It Up’
Later that evening, Mr. Klein thought he might want to give his old dining room set to someone and quickly called Mr. Gross. "Please don't ruin the set," he said. "I might give it to someone."
Is Snow Muktza? Can You Tovel Keilim In It?
Most poskim disagree with Rav Moshe, including R. Shlomo Zalman Auerbach. He argues that one may touch, move, and even play with snow on Shabbos.
Is It Proper…? – Is it appropriate for a Jew to own a (non-violent)...
Is it appropriate for a Jew to own a (non-violent) pet dog?
Daf Yomi
Genetically-Engineered Simanim
‘A Bird With One Siman’
(Chullin 62a)
Can You Return A Stolen Object Anonymously?
I'm ashamed to admit," Dov said when he finally found himself before the rabbi, "but I stole money from someone and would now like to return the amount without having to face him. Is that possible?"
Daf Yomi
Eternal And Immutable
‘Only Those Enumerated By The Sages’
(Chullin 54a)
‘But It’s My Shovel!’
"But I need it now," Mr. Schwartz replied. "It's my shovel. I'm happy to lend it, but not when I need it!"
Is It Proper…? – How Does One Define These Terms “not Shabbosdig” or “not...
Many people say that a particular behavior is “not Shabbosdig” or “not ehrlich” or “pas nisht.” How does one define these
(and similar) terms? Are they purely subjective in nature? Or is there some sort of objective definition?
Daf Yomi
A Halachic Referral
‘It [the Lung] Erupted in Blisters’
(Chullin 48a)
Is A Son Bound By His Father’s Agreement?
"That's all?" asked Chaim. "A car service to the airport costs about $60. The cheapest a person can get is $40."
Sheitels: Forbidden, Allowed, Or Preferred?
There is no denying that preferring sheitels is incongruous with the fact that frum Jews nowadays are much more likely to avoid leniencies and workarounds than they once were.
A Revolution For Jewish Women: Technology Meets Halacha
Rabbi Fishel Jacobs of Kfar Chabad in Israel believes the Jewish world is experiencing a “family purity revolution.” He should know. Since 1998, Rabbi...
Are Shabbat Elevators Really Kosher?
How can a Jew in a hotel, or someone visiting a patient in a hospital, know if the Shabbat elevator is kosher?