Q & A: A Mother’s Mitzvah (Part III)
Isn’t the father in serious violation of the Torah by neglecting his children and not making any effort to provide them an education?
Name Withheld
Via E-mail
Q & A: A Mother’s Mitzvah (Part II)
Question: Isn’t the father in serious violation of the Torah by neglecting his children and not making any effort to provide them an education?
Name Withheld Via E-mail
Q & A: A Mother’s Mitzvah (Part I)
Question: Isn’t the father in serious violation of the Torah by neglecting his children and not making any effort to provide them an education?
Name Withheld
Via E-mail
Q & A: Yiftach B’Doro – A Leader In Our Generation
Question: My problem is that some question certain character traits of President Trump and his fitness for office. I really don’t think sitting out this election is a proper option. I read your columns and as such is it possible to present a Torah view in this matter.
No Name Please
Via email
Ushpizin
Question: What are the ushpizin and why are there two different versions of their order on Sukkot?
Avrohom Zins
(Via E-mail)
Q & A: Sitting In The Sukkah
Question: I hope you will not mind answering several questions regarding the mitzvah of sitting in the sukkah. What is the reason for sitting in the sukkah? Are we required to sit in it whenever we eat? Is one allowed to travel during the week of the holiday to a place where no sukkah is available?
Moshe Jakobowitz
Brooklyn, NY
Q & A: The Five Inuyim (Afflictions) Of Yom Kippur
Question: I am aware that there are five pleasurable activities from which we have to abstain on Yom Kippur. Can you explain them? Are they of equal importance?
Martin Wainman
Via Email
Q & A: The Prayer Shema Koleinu (Part II)
Question: When Shema Koleinu is recited during the High Holidays season, the cantor skips several lines during the responsive repetition. What is the reason?
A Reader
Wilkes Barre, PA
Q & A: The Prayer Shema Koleinu (Part I)
Question: When Shema Koleinu is recited during the High Holiday season, the cantor skips several lines during the interactive repetition. What is the reason?
A Reader
Wilkes Barre, PA
Q & A: Where To Light The Sabbath Candles? (Part II)
Question: My husband and I are frequent Shabbos guests at our children’s homes nearby (we eat the meal with them and return to our home after the meal). Where should I light Shabbos candles – in my home or in theirs?
Name Withheld
Q & A: Where To Light The Sabbath Candles? (Part I)
Question: My husband and I are frequent Shabbos guests at our children’s homes nearby (we eat the meal with them and return to our home after the meal). Where should I light Shabbos candles – in my home or in theirs?
Q & A: A Downed Eruv (Part II)
Question: What if an eruv was breached on a Shabbat – is it permitted to be repaired and if it is how is this to be done?
Zvi Kirschner
Via E-mail
Q & A: A Downed Eruv (Part I)
Question: The eruv at a facility was discovered to be breached on Shabbat and was repaired without everyone residing there being told anything at the time. Some people learned about it only after the repair. What is the halachically proper manner of dealing with such a situation? If an eruv is breached on a Shabbat, is its repair permitted? If permitted, how is this to be done ideally? Is there a need to announce the breach?
Zvi K.
Via E-mail
Q & A: The 15th Of Av – A Day Of Rejoicing
Question: Our family enjoys reading and studying your weekly column as it gives us invaluable insight into our Torah practice. Our question is as follows: If the fast of Tisha B’Av (the 9th of Av) concludes the mourning period for the destruction of the Temple, why wait until the 15th of Av to rejoice? Is there a distinct significance to this date?
Sara Gutman
Via E-Mail
Q & A: Bal Tash’chit During The Nine Days (Part II)
Question: May leftover meat from the Sabbath during the Nine Days be used during the week so as not to violate “bal tash’chit” – the prohibition against wastefulness?
Rabbi Yaakov Spivak, zt”l
Rosh Kollel, Kollel Ayshel Avraham
Monsey, NY
Q & A: Bal Tash’chit During The Nine Days (Part I)
Question: May leftover meat from the Sabbath during the Nine Days be used during the week so as not to violate “bal tash’chit” – the prohibition against wastefulness?
Rabbi Yaakov Spivak [zt”l]
Rosh Kollel, Kollel Ayshel Avraham
Monsey, NY
Q & A: K’vod HaTzibbur
Question: Whenever an activity is prohibited because of kavod hatzibbur [namely, the dignity of the congregation], may a kehilla decide that such activity, in their view, does not infringe upon the stature or dignity of the congregation? In my synagogue there are many people who do not wear jackets during services. What of a jacketless ba’al tefillah at Mincha or Ma’ariv, in a synagogue where the custom is such that the shaliach tzibbur does not wear a tallit for these services?
Menachem
Via Email
Q & A: Tying Knots On The Sabbath (Part III)
My son recently stopped wearing a necktie and lace-up shoes on the Sabbath. He explained that otherwise he fears transgressing the prohibition against tying knots on the Sabbath. Is he correct in this matter?
A Mother in Israel
Via E-mail
Q & A: Tying Knots On The Sabbath (Part II)
My son recently stopped wearing a necktie and lace-up shoes on the Sabbath. He explained that otherwise he fears transgressing the prohibition against tying knots on the Sabbath. I am concerned, as I do not wish that he appear slovenly especially on the Sabbath, which might not reflect well on him regarding possible shidduchim. Is he correct in this matter?
A Concerned Mother
Via E-mail
Q & A: Tying Knots On The Sabbath (Part I)
My son recently stopped wearing a necktie and lace-up shoes on the Sabbath. He explained that otherwise he fears transgressing the prohibition against tying knots on the Sabbath. I am concerned, as I do not wish that he appear slovenly, especially on the Sabbath, which might not reflect well on him regarding possible shidduchim. Is he correct in this matter?
A Concerned Mother
Via E-mail
Q & A: Mano’ach’s Wife (Part II)
Question: Recently we read the haftara of Parashat Naso. I am puzzled by the fact that the wife of Mano’ach was given to see things her husband did not see, yet only his name is mentioned. What was the name of Mano’ach’s wife?
Yossy Guttman
Via email
Q & A: Manoach’s Wife (Part I)
Question: Recently we read the haftara of Parashat Naso. I am puzzled by the fact that the wife of Manoach was given to see things her husband did not see, yet only his name is mentioned. What was the name of Manoach’s wife?
Yossy Guttman
Via Email
Q & A: We Don’t Proselytize
Question: Lately, various missionary groups have been very active in my neighborhood and other Jewish areas, anxious to convert our brethren to their way. Why don’t we, in turn, seek to convert them? This should be correct especially in light of the Yom Tov of Shavuot that we are celebrating when we read of the conversion of Ruth the Moabite, a woman of such exceeding piety that she proved to be the ancestress of King David and his dynasty, from which will sprout the ultimate king and redeemer, Melech HaMashiach.
Moshe Jakobovitz
Via email
Q & A: Attending Weddings During Sefira (Part II)
Question: My friends are getting married on Rosh Chodesh Sivan. I tried to convince them to do otherwise, as many people have a minhag (custom) not to attend weddings until three days before Shavuot. They told me they spoke to rabbis who allowed it. Is this right? May I attend?
Name withheld by request
Q & A: Attending Weddings During Sefira (Part I)
Question: My friends are getting married on Rosh Chodesh Sivan. I tried to convince them to do otherwise, as many people have a minhag (custom) not to attend weddings until three days before Shavuot. They told me they spoke to rabbis who allowed it. Is this right? May I attend?
Name withheld by request
Q & A: Why We Count (Only) 49 Days – And Why We Celebrate...
Question: Why do we only count the Omer after the first day of Passover, and why for 49 days only, when the Torah commands “Fifty days shall you count?” Additionally, what is the reason for the special celebrations of Lag Ba’Omer?
Harvey Abramson
Via Email
Q & A: Sefirat HaOmer In The Synagogue (Part II)
Question: In my synagogue, and I assume in most others, we all stand at attention as the rabbi or chazzan recites the blessing of Sefirat HaOmer and then proceeds to count the Omer. How can we recite the blessing afterwards when we already clearly heard it before (and thus, presumably, were yotzei with it)?
M. Goldblum
Miami Beach, FL
Q & A: Sefirat HaOmer In The Synagogue (Part I)
Question: In my synagogue, and I assume in most others, we all stand at attention as the rabbi or chazzan recites the blessing of Sefirat HaOmer and then proceeds to count the Omer. How can we recite the blessing afterwards when we already clearly heard it before (and thus, presumably, were yotzei with it)?
M. Goldblum
Miami Beach, FL
Q & A: Sefirah Catch-Up On Shabbat Eve
Question: What if one forgot not only to recite the bracha on a Friday, but the actual counting for that day as well, and then after having gone to the synagogue to accept an early Shabbat, suddenly reminded himself? May he then count the missing sefirah before it turns dark so that he would be able to continue counting with a blessing?
Pesach Bernstein
Via Email
Q & A: Shir HaShirim on Pesach
Question: Why do we read Shir HaShirim on Passover and more specifically the Sabbath of Passover? Also, being that it is one of the five Megillot, why don’t we recite a blessing over the reading of Shir HaShirim as we do for Megillat Esther?
Menachem
Via Email
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