יום שני, ט״ו חשוון תשפ״זMonday, October 26, 2026
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Rabbi Yaakov Klass, rav of Congregation K’hal Bnei Matisyahu in Flatbush, Brooklyn, is chairman of the presidium of the Rabbinical Alliance of America and Torah Editor of The Jewish Press. He can be contacted at yklass@jewishpress.com or Rabbi@igud.us.
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Beware The Fruit! ‘A Misasek Is Excluded’ (Kereisos 19a)
Question: I’ve always been intrigued by the large assemblage that gathers at the gravesite of R. Meir Ba’al HaNes in Tiberias on his yahrzeit, the 14th of Iyar. Why is such attention directed to his gravesite, in particular? F. Hager
Seizing An Opportunity? ‘More Than 100 Witnesses’ (Kerisos 11b-12a)
Question: I’ve always been intrigued by the large assemblage that gathers at the gravesite of R. Meir Ba’al HaNes in Tiberias on his yahrzeit, the 14th of Iyar. Why is such attention directed to his gravesite, in particular? F. Hager
Temple Management 101 'The Rest Were Given To The Craftsmen' (Kerisos 6a)
Question: Why do some people have the custom to study Mishnayot for the departed? Also, does Pirkei Avot have five chapters or six? In my Mishnayot, it has five, but in my siddur it has six. Harold Klein
The Sons Stirred Within Her ‘The Fetus Is a Limb of Its Mother’ (Temurah 30b)
Question: If the fast of Tisha B’Av concludes the mourning period for the destruction of the Temple, why wait until the 15th of Av to rejoice? Sara Gutman
The Contradiction That Yielded 50 Explanations 'He Says to His Maidservant: You Are Free' (Temura 25b)
Question: Since learning Torah on Tisha B’Av is forbidden, why are we allowed to read from the Torah at Shacharit and Mincha of Tisha B’Av? (And is an aveil also forbidden to learn Torah?) Menachem
Was Shmuel Not The Greatest? ‘3,000 Halachos Were Forgotten’ (Temurah 16a)
Question: Why is saying Shehecheyanu prohibited during the Three Weeks? How is it different than other blessings? M. Jakobowitz Philadelphia, PA
Permission Granted? ‘Lo Yachlifenu B’Shel Acheirim…’ (Temurah 9a)
Question: May a person eat leftover Shabbos meat in the Nine Days so as not to violate the prohibition of bal tashchit (wastefulness)? Rabbi Yaakov Spivak Rosh Kollel, Kollel Ayshel Avraham Monsey, NY
Question: May a person eat leftover Shabbos meat in the Nine Days so as not to violate the prohibition of bal tashchit (wastefulness)? Rabbi Yaakov Spivak Rosh Kollel, Kollel Ayshel Avraham Monsey, NY
Unsaying Words 'He Uttered Hashem’s Name In Vain' (Temurah 3b)
Too Little, Too Late? 'And Break Down the Door and Enter…' (Arachin 31b)
Question: In the haftara for Parashat Naso, we read about Manoach’s wife (mother of Shimshon), seeing things that her husband did not. We are never told, however, what her name is. Why? Yossy Guttman
Question: In the haftara for Parashat Naso, we read about Manoach’s wife (mother of Shimshon), seeing things that her husband did not. We are never told, however, what her name was. Why? Yossy Guttman
Pleading The Fifth ‘Minors Are Not Obligated To Fulfill Mitzvos’ (Arachin 22a)
Question: How does a person thank Hashem for giving him a child? Yossy Guttman
When A Dead Ewe Gave Birth To A Live Lamb 'We Do Not Wait for Her to Give Birth' (Arachin 7a)
A Burning Question? 'It’s Not Evil Speech…' (Arachin 15b)
Question: How does a person thank Hashem for giving him a child? Yossy Guttman
Lulav Or Shofar On Shabbos 'It Refers To Tithing In Our Days' (Bechoros 61a)
Question: Can I take pills on Shabbos that my doctor prescribed for me? I am diabetic, so skipping a day’s dosage might prove harmful. No Name Please
Lingua Franca ‘Only From Jericho And Below’ (Bechoros 55a)
Question: If a person passes away on Yom Tov, do we bury him on Yom Tov or wait until after Yom Tov? No Name, Please
Question: If a person passes away on Yom Tov, do we bury him on Yom Tov or wait until after Yom Tov? No Name Please
An Eventual Resolution 'May The Likes Of You Increase Manifold In Israel' (Bechoros 45b)
What Is A Sheep? ‘If It…Does Not Possess Three Vertebrae’ (Bechoros 40b)
Question: If a person passes away on Yom Tov, do we bury him on Yom Tov or wait until after Yom Tov? No Name Please
Beware, Big Brother! 'He Isn't Suspected…' (Bechoros 35)
Question: Why do we celebrate two days of Yom Tov if we have a fixed calendar today and know when Yom Tov truly is? Aryeh Roth
I’ve been invited to numerous simchas during Sefirah in the past few years that did not seem to conform to the halachic restrictions of this period. I’ve been told that you addressed this topic in the past. Can you address it again as I don’t want to offend anyone by staying at home? Name Withheld By Request
Not Necessarily Good For The Goose – Or The Gander ‘Plucking the Wool Is Permitted’ (Bechoros 25a)
Precisely Timed ‘It Is Impossible To Ascertain Exactly’ (Bechoros 17b-18a)
Question: I’ve been invited to numerous simchas during Sefirah in the past few years that did not seem to conform to the halachic restrictions of this period. I’ve been told that you addressed this topic in the past. Can you address it again as I don’t want to offend anyone by staying at home? Name Withheld By Request
Rare And Difficult 'If He Has No Lamb…' (Bechoros 11a)
Question: I’ve been invited to numerous simchas during Sefirah in the past few years that did not seem to conform to the halachic restrictions of this period. I’ve been told that you addressed this topic in the past. Can you address it again as I don't want to offend anyone? Name Withheld By Request
Sextuplets: No Other Solution 'A Levite Exempted An Israelite…' (Bechoros 4a)
Question: I have two questions: 1) Why does each person recite Kiddush at the Seder when only the head of the household does so the rest of the year? 2) Why do we eat an egg at the Seder? S. Schwartz
Remember The Sabbath Day 'Both in the Times of the Temple and After' (Chullin 138)
Question: How can one make one's home kosher for Passover with minimal expense and effort. Name withheld
A Dutch Treat 'Money That Has No Claimants’ (Chullin 131b-132a)
Question: We often pray to Hashem for yiras shamayim (e.g., in Birkas Rosh Chodesh). But how can we ask Hashem to give us fear of Him? Martin Freundlich
A Dilemma In Frankfurt 'All That Are Metam’ei B'ohel…' (Chullin 124b)
Question: I’ve noticed that some people fill their kiddush and havdallah cups to the point that they overflow. Is there a halachic source for this practice? Doesn’t it amount to bal tashchit? Bernard Gold
The Meat Is Kosher, Treif, Kosher, Treif… ‘If One Clotted Blood’ (Chullin 120a)
Question: I’ve noticed that some people fill their Kiddush and Havdallah cups to the point that they overflow. Is there a halachic source for this pratice? Doesn’t it amount to bal tashchit? Bernard Gold
Question: Can a person eat the Purim se’udah at night if he will be traveling on Purim day? Anonymous
What About The Pot? ‘Fish That Was Served On A [Meat] Plate…’ (Chullin 111b)
Question: Is mishlo’ach manot a form of tzedakah like matanot la’evyonim? Moshe Jakobowitz Brooklyn, NY
Caring For The Sick On Yom Kippur ‘His Gullet Has Derived Enjoyment…’ (Chullin 103b)
Question: When a son recites Kaddish for his parents, can they hear it? Also are their souls elevated to a higher place thereby? Ben Glassman
Stricter Than A Prohibition ‘We Rely on a Gentile…’ (Chullin 97a)
Question: When a son says Kaddish for his parents, can they hear it? Also, are their souls elevated to a higher place as a result? Ben Glassman
Feather-Plucking 101 'The Blood Will Easily Flow Out' (Chullin 93b)
Question: When a son says Kaddish for his parents, can they hear it? Also, are their souls elevated to a higher place as a result? Ben Glassman
Bullish Or Not? 'Where One A Cow And [The Other] Its Calf…' (Chullin 82)
Question: When a son says Kaddish for his parents, can they hear it? Also when he says it, are their souls elevated to a higher place? Ben Glassman
Kosher 'Oxymoron' 'The Divine Law Permits It' (Chullin 75)
An Argument With Karaites ‘A Fetus That Partially Left The Womb’ (Chullin 69a)
Question: When a son recites Kaddish for his parents, can they hear it? Also, are their souls elevated to a higher place as a result? Ben Glassman
Genetically-Engineered Simanim ‘A Bird With One Siman’ (Chullin 62a)
Question: When a son recites Kaddish for his parents, can they hear it? Also when he recites Kaddish, are the souls elevated to a higher place? Ben Glassman
Question: When a son recites Kaddish for his parents, can they hear it? Also when he recites the Kaddish, are the souls elevated to a higher place? Ben Glassman
Eternal And Immutable ‘Only Those Enumerated By The Sages’ (Chullin 54a)
October 23, 2026 
