Panorama of Halacha

1)     Our Chabad House is launching a Charidy campaign in two weeks time. My father-in-law loaned a substantial amount of money to a colleague and he said: “Don’t forget the upcoming Charidy”. Was that a charge of Ribbis?  [1] 2)     In a non-Chabad Shul, when the Chazan says Birkas Kohanim, should I [quietly] say Omein - as per our minhag, or should I say כן יהי רצון – as per the Shul’s minhag?...

1)    At Hodu we were nine men. We started Davening and shortly thereafter the tenth man arrived. Can Kaddish deRabonon be said right away or does someone need to finish off the braysa of Reb Yishmoel aloud? [1] 2)    When the name of Hashem name comes up in the Zohar etc. in Tikun Leil Shovuos , should it be uttered in the normal manner? [2] 3)    Where I keep my car I need to pay for parking on...

1)    Just before Kiddush on Sunday evening I remembered that I had forgotten to make Havdolo on Motzei Shabbos . How do I now go about doing Kiddush and Havdolo ? [1] 2)    I have a metal baking-tin for making cupcakes. I only use it with paper liners. Does the tin need to be immersed in a Mikveh ? [2] 3)    May I use a sieve or a colander for immersing numerous small utensils in a Mikveh ? [3] 4...

1)    Is the heter to daven Maariv from Plag limited to a Minyan? [1] 2)    In the 1st parsha of Pinchos I see two versions of the tune for the word המוכה: [2] 3)    In the the מי שבירך said at a Bris, the Tzedaka is dedicated specifically to Bikur Cholim. Is that universal? [3] 4)    For Havdolo, is there a preference to use cloves? [4]   5)    We don’t daven Maariv nor make Kiddush early on the...

1)      With regard to the custom to leave a bit of the end of the  Challah , does it apply only to the  Lechem Mishneh , or to other bread too? [1] 2)      We use plastic tablecloths from a roll. If we didn’t manage to prepare before Shabbos, may we tear off the roll on Shabbos? [2] 3)      I wish to begin  Shmoine Esrei  and there’s someonebehind me who’s already begun. May I take the three step...

1)     We recently discussed responding Omein to someone else’s brocho whilst in the process of donning one’s own Tefilin . Reb Akiva Eiger has an interesting proof: [1] 2)    I’m affixing a Mezuza in the home of one who’s wheelchair-bound ר"ל. May the homeowner recite the brocho as I’m about to affix his Mezuza ? [2] 3)    When the father isn’t present at a boy’s bris, who says the brocho לה...

1)     Siyum on Rambam , Sefer Zmanim ; start Sefer Noshim . [1] 2)    Feedback on comments on the Laws of Shema [2] , aired seven weeks ago at Siyum Sefer haMada ( Shiur #23). 3)    I was contacted by a Jewish couple, touring on a nearby island. I know them as traditional, but not Shomer Shabbos . They were seeking kosher wine for Kiddush on Shabbos. I know of a possibility of kosher wine being a...

The first 10 minutes of this shiur were accidentally not recorded. Below is a link to the beginning of the shiur in Hebrew: https://youtu.be/sa1O4hmnRf0 1)     In Modim we say הטוב כי לא כלו רחמיך, המרחם כי לא תמו חסדיך. Wouldn’t it have been more logical to link Toiv with Chessed and Rachamim with Rachamim ? [1] 2)    At our public Seder I struggled to be heard throughout the room. Would I be abl...

1)     I’ve said HaMapil and then realise that I haven’t counted Sefirah . What should I do? [1] 2)    A non- Shomer Shabbos picked up an open bottle of wine (not mevushal) to check the label. Is the wine Nesech ? [2] 3)    At Kiddush on one of the last nights of Pesach I said שהחיינו. Having realized my error, may I now drink the Kiddush wine? [3] 4)    At Kiddush on the past Motzei Shabbos I rea...

1)     One of the participants at the Rebbe’sSeder in the year 5719 (’59) said the Al Netilas Yodayim at Urchatz. The Rebbe told to eat his Matzo right then. At the farbrengen of Acharon shel Pesach the Rebbe discussed this further. In a newly published letter the Rebbe explains why he didn’t tell the man to wear gloves until time for Matzo: [1] 2)    May one trim nails of children during Chol haM...

1)      We didn’t see the Rebbe making an event of Birkas haIlanos . Any insights?[1] 2)      Our Shul is within an Eruv. Is there room to permit me to distribute Shmura Matzo on Shabbos to people who won’t come to Shul in the evening, for use at their Seder? [2] 3)      May I mash cooked potatoes on Yomtov with a designated mashing tool? [3] 4)      A Jewish lad works as a waiter in a non-Kosher...

1)     Feedback on definition of Mitzva min haTorah הוכח תוכיח: [1] 2)    Does an egg-steamer need to be toivelled ? [2] 3)    A young Baalas-Tshuva , lives with Grandma – who isn’t religious at all. The young lady is away over Pesach whilst Grandma is staying home and has no plans to desist from Chomeitz . Does the young lady need to kasher her kitchen upon her return? [3] 4)    Further re. Hamoi...

1)     Siyum on Rambam Sefer haMada : 2)    Guidelines to setting up Communal Sedorim for 1st night Seder : [1] 3)    On Shabbos Erev Pesach , if I eat chometz in one location and continue eating in a second location, where should I bentch ? [2] 4)    May one eat Kitniyos on Erev Pesach ? [3] 5)     Poreis Mapoh and making Kiddush during the 7th hour: [4] 6)    On Shabbos, may one dress a toddler...

1)     What is the meaning of מעין הברכות, said on Shabbos eve? [1] 2)    My mechutan and I share the same first name. Is that an issue? [2] 3)    Four seminary girls agreed to go jeeping together on a day off and to share the cost. One girl fell ill and pulled out. Does she still have to pay her share? [3] 4)    A boy was born on the 30th of Adar 1. His Barmitzvah isin a regular year, but which d...

1)     Can one fulfil the Mitzva of Megila when hearing the reading via a hearing-aid? [1] 2)    May we purchase a lease of the grounds of a church to use for our teen-camp? [2] 3)    At Maariv , the 10th man left during the Amida . Doesthe Chazan say Kaddish Tiskabel ? [3] 4)    Due to my chronic thirst, I often wake up in middle of my sleep to sip some water. Do I have to wash Negel Vasser befor...

1)     Need we have meat for our Purim meal? [1] 2)    Does a Kohen under BarMitzva join the adults for BirchasKohanim ? [2] 3)    Is there Torah guidance re. putting a pet to sleep due to its frail condition? [3] 4)    May I put cold water in an electric urn just before Shabbos? [4] 5)    A Kohen shouldn’t marry a woman whose mother is Jewish but her fatherisn’t. If they did get married they don’...

1)     There’s a new Tefilin -protector on themarket. Is it appropriate for Minhag Chabad ?[1] 2)    May cold food be placed in a warming-cupboard on Shabbos? [2] 3)    What would be the equivalent of a blech in order to permit returning hot food back into our ovens? [3] 4)    I’m visiting a community on Purim. The local Rabbi has organized Mishloach Monos from family to family. Is there value in...

1)     What is the difference between Yisgadal veYiskadash and Yigadeil veYiskadeish ? [1] 2)    What may I do to dispose of bread that won’t be eaten? [2] 3)    I have a choice between davening Maariv with a minyan before nightfall, or to daven after nightfall alone. Which is advisable? [3] 4)    I have a hotplate upon which I sometimes place food direct. Does it require Tevila ? [4] 5)    My cha...

1)     Many Sidurim have a list of verses corresponding to people’s names, to be recited before stepping back at the end of the Shmone Esrei . I found some of those verses to be difficult for my younger pupils. Can I recommend a simpler verse instead? [1] 2)    Is playing football on Shabbos permitted? [2] 3)    A non-frum Jew kindly lent money to my Beis Chabad, but he wrote the cheque on Shabbos...

1)     I struggle with completing the whole Tehilim on the morning of Shabbos Mevorchim. Should I make a head-start Friday night, or make it up the following Shabbos? [1] 2)    Is it Chabad custom to place ash on the head of a Chosson prior to his Chupah? [2] 3)    I woke up before dawn and said the brocho הנותן לשכוי בינה. I also said the brocho שעשה לי כל צרכי, although I wasn’t wearing leather...

1)     After completing their blessings, the Kohanim say a prayer. They are advised to synchronize the end of this prayer with the Chazan’s ending of the brocho שים שלום, so that the Omein said by the congregation will apply for both. When the Chazan’s brocho is protracted, should the Kohanim’s start early or late? [1] 2)    Are we allowed to ask a Goy to procure refreshments for our Shabbos event...

1)     In Tehilim #37 there are verses beginning with each of the א-ב in sequence, with the exception of the letter ע. Why was that letter omitted? [1] 2)    Our Beis Chabad has a set time for Friday-night Maariv. Due to the fast this Friday, may I make Kiddush and break my fast before Maariv? [2] 3)    Purim this year is on a Friday. Would we be allowed to start our communal Purim meal close befo...

1)    Please address the opening of the Oron Kodesh to Jewish or non-Jewish visitors: [1] 2)    Does a blind person have the mitzvah of lighting the Menorah? [2] 3)    I like to make a fruit-drink with berries. I have a jug that will pour the drink whilst retaining the berries. May this jug be used on Shabbos? [3] 4)    A woman repaired the shirt she tore kriah with when her mother died. Is she al...

1) We’re having a staff Chanukah party. May we give each participant 5 Euro to play with and the winner takes the lot? [1] 2) May a Kohen marry the daughter born to a couple who are both Geirim? [2] 3) Meaty sausages were warmed up in a meaty oven, in a milky tray that was lined with greaseproof paper. Does the paper prevent transmission of taste from food to tin? [3] 4)  Does lighting Menorah in...

A weekly shiur by Dayan Levi Yitzchok Raskin, Rov of Anash in London, explores interesting Torah questions and halachic dilemmas. The following issues are discussed by Dayan Raskin in this week’s episode: 1)      The Tzitzis on one corner of my Tallis-Koton are literally hanging on a thread. Are they still kosher? If yes: how can I reinforce the ‘bridge’ that holds the Tzitzis in place? [1] 2)    ...