Hebrew | Francais

Search


> Ask The Rabbi

ASK THE RABBI

Send Your Question

Do not hesitate to ask any question about Jewish life, Jewish tradition or Jewish law.

Archive:

New Questions

Switching the Location of a Mezuza

I noticed that a storage room jointly owned by several residents of our apartment building in Jerusalem does not have a mezuza. I bought a mezuza myself, and because it is nicer than some of those in my home, I thought of taking the new one for myself and moving one of my apartment’s mezuzot to the storage room. Is there any problem doing that?

Naming for One, Thinking of Another

Sometimes a man dies and his widow offers family members a monetary gift if they name a baby after him. If someone wants to do so, to be nice and also for the money, but they do not want to connect their son spiritually to the deceased (let’s call him Uncle David), may they tell everyone they are naming for U. David but intend for David Hamelech?

Dissolving Colored Pill in Contact Lens Solution on Shabbat

I have instructions to put my contact lenses between uses in a solution in which one is supposed to put in a tablet, which dissolves and gives the liquid a tinge of yellow (the color has no significance). Is the dissolving or the turning of colors a halachic problem on Shabbat?

Building a Sukka on Public Property

May one build a sukka in front of his house but on public property?

How/When to Start Breaking Yom Kippur Fast

I (a religious doctor) am often consulted about those who cannot fast all of Yom Kippur. Is there a halachic preference for such people to start eating/drinking earlier “with shiurim” (small installments) or to wait longer but then necessarily have the amount of full “violation.”

Shofar Blowing during the Silent Amida

I will be the chazan for Musaf at a small, quite new minyan. The one thing that is “foreign” to me, is that they blow 30 kolot (blasts) during the silent Amida (=Amida). They are willing to not blow shofar for my sake, since the existing group anyway has mixed feelings about the minhag. Should/may I accept their offer? If not, how does it affect my own Amida?

The Chazan’s Pre-Birkat Kohanim Practice

In chutz la’aretz, I was taught that the chazan says the whole Elokeinu Veilokei Avotainu prayer quietly except for calling out the word “kohanim.” In Israel, someone else says “kohanim.” Does the chazan still recite the whole prayer quietly? What is the logic of the two practices?

Shehecheyanu on Winning a Court Case

As a lawyer, it is clear to me that a client who wins a court case should recite Shehecheyanu, and one who loses should recite Dayan Ha’emet. After all, a court victory is truly good news and involves much more money than a suit! Am I correct?

Whose Responsibility Is Raising the Wall?

I built my house years before the next-door property was developed, with an approximately meter-high wall between properties. My property is 2 meters higher than the next one; now they are excavating to build the other house, there will be a 5-meter drop, which I feel makes it dangerous for my children. [He seems to be building according to the permit he received.] My neighbor had agreed to pay for raising the wall, but now is unwilling to pay the significant cost. We cordially disagree whether it is his obligation. Have I misjudged the matter?

An Ashkenazi Joining Sephardi Selichot

My neighborhood’s small Sephardi beit knesset has difficulty maintaining an (early-morning) Elul Selichot minyan. I (an Ashkenazi) have joined them a few times during Elul and found it uplifting, but someone claimed that I cannot count for a minyan because according to my minhag, I am not obligated in Selichot then. Do I count toward the minyan, and is it a good idea to spend time and energy on it? May I continue with them after Ashkenazim start Selichot?
Top of page
Send to friend
site by entry.
Eretz Hemdah - Institute for Advanced Jewish Studies, Jerusalem © All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy. | Terms of Use.