Eating In The Sukkah On Shemini Atzeret
Should we sit in the sukkah on a day that may be the eighth day when we are not commanded to sit in the sukkah at all?
Is Using A CPAP Machine On Shabbos Permissible?
R. Asher Weiss permits prisoners to wear ankle bracelets, which record their movements on Shabbos.
Washing Before Kiddush: Just For Yekkes?
The rise of the chassidic movement, which exchanged many ancient Ashkenazic customs for those of the Arizal, also contributed to the increase in popularity of washing after Kiddush.
Coronavirus Q&A with Rav Hershel Schachter
Questions and answers with Rav Hershel Schachter shlit”a, regarding situations arising from the coronavirus crisis. Transcribed by Rabbi Pini Dunner (assisted by Michael Bernstein). This transcript has been approved by Rav Hershel...
The Meanings Of Shema
It would be reasonable to assume that a language that contains the verb “to command” must also contain the verb “to obey.” The one implies the other, just as the concept of a question implies the possibility of an answer. We would, however, be wrong. There are 613 commandments in the Torah, but there is no word in biblical Hebrew that means “to obey.” When Hebrew was revived as a language of everyday speech in the nineteenth century, a word, letsayet, had to be borrowed from Aramaic. Until then there was no Hebrew word for “to obey.”
Is It Proper…? Should a frum Jew believe the sun goes around Earth if...
Should a frum Jew believe the sun goes around Earth if the Rambam says it does?
Eating Matzah Before Pesach
Question: What is the basis of the custom to refrain from eating matzah for a period of time before Pesach?
Yes, One Is Halachically Obligated To Get The Covid Vaccine
If one perceives that, rather than seeing his own decisions as determinative of his fate, Divine providence is guiding the result, then considering that there’s a halachic mandate to follow professional medical advice (see Taz, YD 336), the conclusion is most clearly in line with the dominant medical consensus.
Can One Take In Shavuot Early?
The practice to wait until tzeit ha'kochavim has no basis in Chazal or Rishonim.
When Yom Kippur Is On Shabbat
As if to emphasize the point, the Torah uses the phrase “be’etzem hayom hazeh” – “on this very day” – both in connection with fasting on Yom Kippur and with brit milah.
Is Listening To Music Permitted During Sefirat Ha’Omer?
Although there is no mention of any restrictions on listening to music during sefira in any of the early halachic codes, it has become a widespread custom8 to refrain from doing so.
Is A Ketubah An Enforceable Contract In American Courts?
Indeed, there are several reasons that a ketubah should not be enforced in New York – or anywhere in America – beyond those which the court mentioned.
Kiddush And Havdalah: Should One Sit Or Stand?
Customs regarding sitting or standing for Kiddush and Havdalah have clearly been very much in flux for the last several centuries.
Is It Proper…? In an ideal Torah society, should a yeshiva dinner have separate...
In an ideal Torah society, should a yeshiva dinner have separate or mixed seating?
My Father, Dayan Grunfeld
One cold December evening, I walked into my father’s book-lined study to light the Chanukah candles, which were placed beside the window that overlooked a high street in North London.
Why Two Days For Shavuot?
Question: Why is Shavuot celebrated as a two-day Yom Tov?
May One Shower During the Nine Days?
Before bathing, one must honestly assess whether or not it is needed for hygienic purposes. Failure to do so displays insensitivity to mourning the Beit HaMikdash and our nation's exile.
Can Pregnant And Nursing Women Eat On Yom Kippur?
In recent years, there has been a flurry of halachic discussion on whether pregnant and nursing women should be permitted – or even encouraged...
The Halachic Obligation To Report Abuse
Some Rishonim write that one may speak lashon hara to prevent potential damage or injury.
The Halachic History of the Expanding Kezayis
He points out that medieval Ashkenazic authorities never saw an olive. Olives do not grow that far north; they only grow in the Mediterranean region.
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.
Chasidic Women And Shaved Heads
Another explanation for the custom is based on a concern that a woman's hair might become unintentionally exposed from under her wig or other hair covering.
Is It Proper To Own A Gun?
Obviously, the question is not only in regard to owning a gun, but having it in one’s possession and if necessary, using it.
Honoring Abusive Parents (Kiddushin 31a)
The parents, by straining the tolerance of their children to the breaking point, pushed them to the brink of disrespect.
Is It Proper…? Is it necessary to say “Baruch Hashem” or “Thank G-d” every...
Is it necessary to say “Baruch Hashem” or “Thank G-d” every time someone asks you how you are?
Crocs Or Socks? A Halachic Analysis Of Yom Kippur Footwear
When all is said and done, refraining from wearing any kind of shoe on Yom Kippur is, strictly speaking, a stringency.
Is It Proper…? Is it proper for a Jew to propose on one knee?
Is it proper for a Jew to propose on one knee?
Do You Eat In The Sukkah On Shemini Atzeret ?
The Torah commands us to sit in the sukkah for seven days. Should we sit in the sukkah on a day that may be the eighth day when we are not commanded to sit in the sukkah at all?
May Non-Jews Be Buried In Jewish Cemeteries?
The Talmud (Gittin 61a) states: “We bury dead gentiles along with dead Jews because of the ways of peace (darchei shalom)."
Vows, Oaths And Their Annulment (Ketubot 70)
In order to be free of the negative consequences of violating a shvu’ah or a neder, the shvu’ah or neder themselves must be annulled.