Daf Yomi

Posted on: March 21st, 2013

A Gadol’s View Confirmed ‘Majority Rules’ (Eruvin 16a)

Grape Juice At The Seder

Posted on: March 21st, 2013

Question: May one use grape juice for the arba kosos?

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Reluctant Reference!

Posted on: March 13th, 2013

Mr. Lazer ran a successful restaurant. He employed close to twenty people: a chef, cooks and a baker; waiters and waitresses; supply and maintenance personnel; and two cashiers. At the end-of-year accounting, something seemed amiss. There was a small but noticeable discrepancy in the cash receipts of his enterprise. In the following semi-annual account, a similar discrepancy was noted.

Daf Yomi

Posted on: March 13th, 2013

The Kotel And The Mall ‘Sratya u’Platya’ (Eruvin 7a)

When A Pause Makes All The Difference

Posted on: March 13th, 2013

Question: Does it matter where one pauses when one recites the daily prayers?

Toveling

Posted on: March 13th, 2013

“You must sanctify yourselves and be holy,” the Torah tells us, “for I, the Lord your God, am holy.” The service of God in our lives should simulate the service of God in the Temple. Just as the kohen, the priest, was required to enter God’s Temple in a state of taharah, spiritual cleanliness, we are required to enter God’s world in a state of taharah.

Visiting The Sick On Shabbat

Posted on: March 7th, 2013

Visiting the sick, bikur cholim, is one of the mitzvot listed in the prayer “Eilu devarim she’ein lahem shiur” – “These are the things that have no measure.” According to our sages, the Torah itself stresses the importance of bikur cholim in several places.

Daf Yomi

Posted on: March 7th, 2013

Waiting For Kiddush ‘Mazal Bears No Influence…’ (Shabbos 156a)

Tzitzit – Inside Or Out?

Posted on: March 6th, 2013

Question: Must a Jew’s tzitzit strings hang on the outside of his pants?

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Guardian’s Oath!

Posted on: March 6th, 2013

"Look at this sefer," Yoel said to his friend Menashe. "It's written by Rav Mordechai Eliyahu, zt"l." "I've seen that sefer," replied Menashe. "It's very good. I was thinking of buying it." "That's not all," added Yoel. "Look inside..." Menashe opened the sefer. Inside he saw a signed inscription by Rav Eliyahu. "Wow! How did you get an inscribed copy?" he asked.

Fear Of Flying

Posted on: February 28th, 2013

If you took a bus to synagogue on a rainy Shabbat or Yom Tov day, with umbrella in hand, would that be OK? There is no melachah involved because you are not driving. There is no amira le’nochri (asking a non‑Jew to perform a melachah on your behalf) involved because you are not asking the non‑Jew to drive for you. He is driving of his own accord for other non‑Jews. There is no violation of techum Shabbat (the prohibition not to travel on Shabbat or Yom Tov more than 2,000 amot beyond one's residence), because the bus travels only in the city.

Here, Take it!

Posted on: February 27th, 2013

The Golds were planning a two-week vacation. Mrs. Gold did not want to travel with her jewelry, but was concerned about leaving it in their apartment while they traveled.

Increasing Joy

Posted on: February 27th, 2013

Question: The Talmud (Ta’anit 29a) notes that we should be more joyous starting from the beginning of Adar. Does this period of joy continue after Purim?

Daf Yomi

Posted on: February 27th, 2013

Out On A Limb ‘One May Reset A Fracture’ (Shabbos 148a)

Why Didn’t Mordechai Flee?

Posted on: February 21st, 2013

Question: Why did Mordechai refuse to bow to Haman, thus endangering the entire Jewish people? Couldn’t he have simply fled Shushan?

Daf Yomi

Posted on: February 21st, 2013

Treifa Cow’s Milk? ‘A Toldah Of Dash’ (Shabbos 144a)

Washing One’s Hands Before Or After Kiddush

Posted on: February 21st, 2013

If you eat mayonnaise with everything, or you attended Breuers, or you wash your hands before Kiddush, you are probably of German Jewish descent. The first two inferences are understandable. Where does the third one come from?

Half The Truth!

Posted on: February 21st, 2013

"Today we will continue learning about oaths," Rabbi Dayan began his shiur. "Does anyone remember what we learned last lesson? How many cases are there in which the Torah imposes an oath in beis din?"

Drinks To Make Kiddush Over

Posted on: February 14th, 2013

Just because God has given us a weekly lifetime subscription to paradise, we should not take Shabbat for granted. No gift should go unacknowledged and no giver should go forgotten.

He Told Me!

Posted on: February 14th, 2013

"Today we will learn about oaths," Rabbi Dayan announced to his shiur. "There are many sugyos [passages] in the Gemara that deal with imposing an oath."