Panorama of Halacha

​ 1)       Siyum on Rambam Hilchos Beis haBechiro : [1] 2)      Between the removal of my Rashi Tefilin and the donning of Rabenu Tam’s, my Tallis felI off. Should I put on the Tallis again; with or without a brocho ? [2] 3)      The Head-Tefilin are supposed to be placed above the hairline. My hairline is lower in the middle but then becomes narrow [AKA Widow’s peak]. Does the entire base (Titura...

​1)      The brocho HaGomel is said upon recovering from illness totally. Following a journey it is to be said within three days of arrival. But elsewhere we learn that it takes three days to recover from a journey? [1] 2)      I design websites. A church wishes to employ my services. May I do this? [2] 3)      Are there guidelines for women and girls drinking wine or spirits? [3] 4)      Our Chab...

​1)      Unusual Mesorah about the words כל עצמותי תאמרנה: [1] 2)      In our community we have mostly Israeli students, and they are doing Krias haTorah according to the schedule of Eretz Yisroel . Could I have an Aliya in their Kriah ? [2] 3)      I need to refill our Mikva for use after Shabbos. If I set theheat to remain less than Yad Soledes Bo , may I run water on Shabbos? [3] 4)      May my...

​1)      As a newcomer to keeping mitzvos, I am trying to learn the brochos by heart. May I say Hashem’s name properly whilst memorising the brochos? [1] 2)      May one marinade fish on Shabbos? [2] 3)      I made a batch of dough and separated Challoh. I then made another batch of dough and then combined the two doughs together. How do I separate Challoh from the second dough? [3] 4)      When s...

​ 1)      As a sideline I research topics and write up my conclusions, for which I am paid per hour. Is it okay for me to invoice for hours of research done on Shabbos? [1] 2)      Does a disused doorway, blocked by furniture, still need to have a Mezuzah? [2] 3)      In the verse "לא יכבה בלילה נרה", some Sidurim have BaLayloh , others have VaLayloh : [3] 4)      How do I calculate Maas...

​1)      I would like to host some non-Jews on Shabbos, 2nd day of Shovuos. May our non-Jewish chef cook for them on Friday, 1st day of Shovuos? [1] 2)      My tenant left some children home unattended. The 10-year-old decided to cook something, then forgot to turn off the heat. Due to smoke coming out of the windows the fire brigade was alerted, and they broke down the front door of the home. Tha...

​1)       Can we have a joint Sheva Brochos – for two newly-married young couples? [1] 2)       Is the 2nd letter Beis in the word לבבכם a  ShevaNa  or  Nach ? [2] 3)       The Rebbe objected to the provision - for challenged youth! - to play Ping-Pong on Shabbos. Is Ping-Pong different to other games? [3] 4)       For health reasons I have to exercise regularly, but – due to my schedule – it will...

​1)      For dietary reasons I remove the cream from the cake. Does that constitute Borer ? [1] 2)      As part of the security at the hospital, every visitor has to wear an ID wristband. May that be worn in the street on Shabbos? [2] 3)      On Yomtov a guest brought us a box of fancy (Kosher) chocolates. I’m guessing that she bought them on Yomtov . May we share them at the table on the day? [3]...

​1)       At the onset of Shabbos my table is adorned with two silver candlesticks and two covered Challos. If I need the space on Shabbos morning, may I move my table? [1] 2)       A Jew owns a house and lives downstairs. He rents out the upstairs to a non-Jew. The tenants use the same front door. Does the upstairs apartment need  mezuzos ? [2] 3)       In my kitchen I have weights that are sligh...

1)       At the beginning of the Farbrengen , the Rebbe זי"ע would wipe the silver cup with a paper-napkin inside and out. Is there a known reason for this? [1] 2)      When measuring the permitted distance of 2,000 amah , what if I run out of tether within a Reshus haYochid , may I freely walk in the entire enclosure? [2] 3)      It’s Friday night and we have many guests. The electric lights...

​ 1)   In Tehillim 135 we have the phrase: נחלה לישראל עמו, whereas in #136 it saysנחלה לישראל עבדו. Why the difference? 2)      A Kohen was married to a NJ woman. She died recently. Is he now eligible for Birkas Kohanim ? [1] 3)      On Sunday of Chol HaMoed we leined אם כסף תלוה את עמי instead of קדש לי כל בכור. What should we lein on Monday: the correct reading for the day (אם כסף תלוה את עמי)...

​1)       Vort from the Rebbe on the Hagodo : [1] 2)     When the Gabbai gives an Aliya to the Baal Korei , is Yaamod appropriate? [2] 3)      May I keep sold Chometz wrapped in a sealed bag in a corner of the fridge or freezer? [3] 4)      May a Kohen be Chazan for Musaf on Yomtov – requiring him to move from his place during the Amida - even when there are ample others to do so? [4] 5)      Is i...

​1)      In the paragraph beginning הא לחמא עניא, the words לשנה הבאה appear twice. The Rebbe Rashab נ"ע would pronounce the first in the present tense and the second in the future tense. Why the difference? 2)      What is the reason for the Tzitzis -threads being made of eight strands? [1] 3)      On Fridays I put on Tefilin with an elderly man in the Jewish Old Age Home. This week I was la...

1)       Feedback re. not having to separate Challoh from pastries that are in separate plastic bags, despite their being placed all together in one large basket: The Rebbe זי"ע separated Challah from Shmura Matzo that was in severalboxes: [1] 2)      I made cookies with nine cups of flour mixed with oil and egg. Need I separate Challoh, with a brocho ? [2] 3)       Someone gave me a necklace...

​1)      When receiving numerous pastries in Mishloach Monos , is there a concern that I will now have to separate Challoh , due to some of the pastries being made in small batches? [1] 2)      Should a brocho be recited by an adult who’s reading Megila for boys who are under Bar-Mitzva ? [2] 3)      Purim evening I fell asleep without having davened Maariv , waking up minutes before the official...

1)      The Rebbe encouraged parents to give the child money so that the child to be able to give Machatzis haShekel from their own money. [1] 2)      Is there a preference for a Sefardi to hear Parshas Zochor in Sefardi pronunciation? [2]   3)      I have a Mezuza -holder that is a glass tube, held in place from top and bottom, but there is a gap between the doorframe and the glass tube. Is that...

​1)       Shouldthe congregation be reading the  Haftoroh  along with the Reader?  [1] 2)       Unfortunately, this past Shabbos we didn’t have a  minyan . If we have a  minyan  this coming Shabbos, could we read  Parshas Shkolim  for  Maftir ?  [2] 3)       A child isn’t obliged to give  Machatzis haShekel  before  Purim . But if the father gave on his behalf, he must continue doing so “forever”....

​1)      Further on reviewing multiple Haftoros in Shnayim Mikro : [1] 2)      In Tehillim 124, is it pronounced Nishbar or Nishbor ? [2] 3)      (In relation to Matonos loEvyonim ): What is the value of a Prutah in our currency? [3] 4)      May I - before Shabbos - place raw chicken in a covered dish, into an oven that has a Shabbos mode setting, to serve for Shabbos day? [4] 5)      Until how ma...

1)      Our minhag is that on Friday night the two Challos are held together, parallel, back to back. But for the day meal, the right Challoh is lifted slightly above the left Challoh. Why the difference? [1] 2)      Many sports jackets, and sweaters too, have square corners in the front, two above and two below. Do these corners present an issue re. adding Tzitzis? [2] 3)      In his Sidur, the A...

​1)      The Amidah prayer is identified as three parts: 1) praise (1st 3 blessings); 2) requests (middle 12/13 blessings; 3) thanksgiving (last 3 blessings). How does the latter theme apply to the blessing Retzei or to Sim Sholom ? [1]   2)      I used the facilities during my recital of Pesukei deZimra . Ithen began reciting Asher Yotzar and then realised that I should have left it for after Shm...

​1)       May one pour water from a kli shlishi through a coffee-filter on Shabbos? [1] 2)      When checking out of a hotel on Shabbos morning, how do I handle my muktza belongings? [2] 3)      It’s early Shabbos morning and I’m concerned that the cholent in the crock-pot will get burned. One solution is to place spacers under the ceramic insert, to separate it from direct touch with the outer ho...

​1)      Does the worn-out card-cover of the Hand Tefillin need to be placed in Shaimos ? [1] 2)      We did not have a minyan for Shacharis , Musaf or Mincha .The 10th man arrived after Mincha . Were we able to now readthe morning or the afternoon Krias haTorah ? [2] 3)      We have building-plans for our forthcoming Chabad House. May we show them to people on Shabbos? [3]   4)      During bentsc...

​1)      A Chupah was held on a Monday at 2 PM. Is Sheva Brochos held next Sunday eve? [1] 2)      May I have a manicure & pedicure on the same day (with separate therapists)? [2] 3)      At a farbrengen over 19th of Kislev, a bochur was inspired to commit himself memorize a number of chapters of Tanya until Yud Shevat. It now seems an unreachable target. Can he absolve his commitment through...

1)      How did Noach bring his Korbanos from Mount Ararat toYerusholayim? [1] 2)      Before going to sleep I switch my daytime Tallis-Koton for a night-time one. How do I prevent this garment from becoming a night-garment - which is exempt of Tzitzis ? [2] 3)      I’m at a farbrengen on Shabbos afternoon, and my child – who’s already the age of Chinuch – says that he can’t eat because he hasn’t...

​1)      When reciting the entire Tehillim on Shabbos Mevorchim ,does everyone recite the Yehi Rotzon after each Sefer ? [1] 2)      After Succos is over, we are advised to hold on to the Lulav - to use for baking Matzo , and to the Hoshanos – to use for buring Chomeitz . Why not the same for the leftover wicks at the end of Chanukah ? [2] 3)      A Menorah -lightin at a sports arena, where you ha...