Panorama of Halacha

1) After leaving Shul on Shabbos, I found myself on the street with my glasses perched atop of my head. (The glasses are bifocals but I read better without them, hence their being on top of my head). What was I supposed to do?[1] 2) May a woman in state of pregnancy visit her father’s grave on his Yohrzeit?[2] 3) Before the entrance to our Shul there are three stairs from the street. Our rubbish c...

1) A lady accepted Shabbos early and then realized that one burner under her blech had turned off. Her husband was in Shul and had already davened Maariv early. Is she allowed to ask a Jew - who hasn’t accepted Shabbos - to light her burner for her?[1] 2) May Mikva towels be washed during Chol HaMoed?[2] 3) The Alter Rebbe rules against reheating on Shabbos foods that will ooze fat that will becom...

1) On Erev Pesach we will need to make an Eruv Tavshilin. I also need to make an Eruv Chatzeiros. Should I make both Eruvin together, to include them in one brocho?[1] 2) Many people move out of their house for Pesach, to spend Pesach overseas with relatives. Do they have to do Bedikas Chomeitz at home the night before departure?[2] 3) The Poskim argue whether a Kazayis is half the volume of an eg...

1) A lady accepted Shabbos early and then realized that one burner under her blech had turned off. Her husband was in Shul and had already davened Maariv early. Is she allowed to ask a Jew - who hasn’t accepted Shabbos - to light her burner for her?[1] 2) May Mikva towels be washed during Chol HaMoed?[2] 3) The Alter Rebbe rules against reheating on Shabbos foods that will ooze fat that will becom...

1) On Erev Pesach we will need to make an Eruv Tavshilin. I also need to make an Eruv Chatzeiros. Should I make both Eruvin together, to include them in one brocho?[1] 2) Many people move out of their house for Pesach, to spend Pesach overseas with relatives. Do they have to do Bedikas Chomeitz at home the night before departure?[2] 3) The Poskim argue whether a Kazayis is half the volume of an eg...

1) If during Pesach I move into AirBNB premises, must I do bedikas chomeitz with a brocho? What do I do with Chomeitz that was available for my use?[1] 2) May one use mushrooms on Pesach?[2] 3) Although generally we may not kasher earthenware, I am aware of some allowance to kasher heirloom porcelain, after being left for twelve months and koshered in three bodies of boiling water. How about doing...

1) An inspirational message from a Halocho re. אבר מן החי:[1] 2) As a Hidur for Pesach, I wish to roast and grind my own coffee beans. To buy the equipment and to then return it to the store after Pesach - may I do so?[2] 3) My toddler’s Yarmulke was left in Shul. To bring it home on Friday night, may I wear under my yarmulke (and hat)?[3] 4) A woman finds that grape-juice doesn’t agree with her,...

 1)     After Homon was duly suspended [on the 2nd day of Pesach], Queen Esther pleads for Homon’s decree to be rescinded. Achashverosh offers instead, that a 2nd letter be dispatched to authorize the Jews to protect themselves and to neutralize their enemies. Why did this second letter get dispatched only on the 23rd of Sivan?[1] 2)       &nb...

1)     On a Shabbos Rosh Chodesh that coincides with Parshas Shekolim, three Sifrei Torah are used. In error, ST #2 was the one for Shekolim. During the reading, someone realises that the reading for Rosh Chodesh should have come first. What do we do now: a) for the Torah readings; b) for the Haftorah?[1] 2)         There is a widespread...

1)      In the Alter Rebbe’s Sidur, in the brochos after the Haftorah, it seems that the word ורחמן should be omitted. Yet it is said according to Minhag Chabad. Some clarification.[1] 2)         Is one allowed to wear a coat on Shabbos that has a sewn-in tracker?[2] 3)     In error, a Levi was called up for the 4...

1) Do אומות העולם have the power of Tefiloh ? [1] 2) In some communities, the posuk Hashiveinu is said during Hagboho . But even in the Ashkenaz Sidur, it is said when replacing the Sefer Torah in the Oron Kodesh . 3) I lifted the lid off the Cholent on Shabbos and then put it back on - while it was on the blech. May we eat it on Shabbos? If not, must we wait בכדי שיעשו after Shabbos? [2] 4) Does...

​1) Why is the verse והוא יפדה appended to Tehillim ch.25 said in Tachanun? [1] 2) Bone for grafting teeth, sourced from humans or animals? [2] 3) We have a balcony that is 70 cm by 150 cm. Does the doorway require a Mezuza? [3] 4) Bottles used for mother’s milk, may they be washed together with other dishes, fleishig or milchig? [4] 5) May one wash for bread with warm water? [5] 6) I began snacki...

1)     In a Shul that doesn’t face Yerusholayim: should I conform to their practice, or should I face Yerusholayim?[1] 2)     Why do we place two men at the sides of the Bima, one on each side?[2] 3)     I’m behind the Minyan and was called up to the Torah whilst reciting פסוקי דזמרה. Do I read my Aliya portion quietly, along with the Baa...

1) I realise that my Tallis-Koton is inside out. I take it off and put it on immediately the right way up. Do I need to say a brocho?[1] 2) We have a pre-BarMitzva group. I teach the boys how to bind Tzitzis. Will these Tzitzis be kosher for them once they turn thirteen years old?[2] 3) A novel idea to teach children about the waxing and waning of the moon – to open Sandwich Cookies, and the child...

1)    The Rebbe’s guidance re. careers for a married Jewish woman: [1] 2)    Giving a diamond ring for the engagement is: a) not our custom; b) not recommended; c) forbidden, or somewhere in between? [2] 3)    Is separating two attached teabags on Shabbos allowed? [3] 4)    The hem of a garment of mine unravelled, so I joined it back with...

1) I’m davening Shacharis and the Chazan is repeating Musaf – may I join in with him to say Kedusha ? [1] 2) I interrupted between תש''י and תש''ר to answer יהא שמה רבא etc., so now I need to anyhow make another Brocho on the של ראש. May I now answer other Omeins ? [2] 3) Walking 4 amos between donning the Shel-Yad and the Shel-Rosh : [3] 4) At a funeral, may I put on Tefilin with men at some dist...

1) Before Shabbos I put some unripe avocados in a brown paper bag, to ripen over Shabbos. May I eat them on Shabbos once they have ripened? [1] 2) The Chevra Kadisha customarily designate an annual fast-day. When that date falls on a Friday, is the fast held then or is it brought forward to Thursday? [2] 3) We have six men who davened Shmoine Esrei, but one of them is slower than the rest. We actu...

1) We realise that everyone at our Minyan for Shacharis has already heard Krias haTorah earlier this morning. Do we lein nevertheless, or skip Krias haTorah? [1] 2) Shimon has a number of boxes in Reuven’s premises. Despite Reuven’s repeated requests to remove them, Shimon has failed to do. Reuven has told Shimon that he will put the boxes out in the street, or he will deliver them to Shimon’s hou...

1) If I didn’t say שהחיינו on the 1st night of Chanukah, do I say it another evening? [1] 2) I’m taking my family to visit my parents in another town. May we light Menorah there and then join them for supper? [2] 3) During Chanukah , Hallel is followed by Half- Kaddish ; on other occasions Hallel is followed by the Full- Kaddish . Why the difference? [3] 4) May women do work when the Menorah is al...

1) I am travelling long-haul during Chanukah . May I light Menorah with a brocho in an airport en route ? [1] 2) May I light at home before going to the airport – even I won’t be home that night? [2] 3) A teacher accidentally knocked over a ‘ shtender’ of one of his pupils and damaged it. Is he obliged to pay for the damage? [3] 4) In a doorway to a corridor, on the inside - the ceiling is flush w...

1) When writing a Kesubah , should names ending with א-ל or י-ה be written normally, or with a hyphen or apostrophe? [1] 2) A Mezuza was affixed diagonally, but tilted backwards rather than forward. Is it OK? [2] 3) Is bowing at Modim done differently to the other bows in Shmoine Esrei ? [3] 4) A group of non-Jewish school-children are visiting a synagogue. May I open the Oron Kodesh and open a Se...

1)     A man who has no sense of smell (Covid?) is reciting Havdolo; may he say the brocho over spices and his wife will enjoy the fragrance? [1]   2)     In a moment of duress, someone committed to keep Shabbos until Rabbenu Tam’s time. He now wishes to absolve that vow. Is that allowable? [2] 3)     Someone asked a non-Jew to take a photo on Shab...

1) When reciting the brocho of HaGomeil , those present say Amein and bless the person - that Hashem should continue to bestow His kindness upon him. Should the first person acknowledge the community’s blessing with saying Amein ? [1] 2) Why is it the custom in many Shuls, that a rug is placed for the Kohanim to stand upon whilst bestowing their blessing? [2] 3) One sitting and learning in a side...

1) Having poured hot water from a parev kettle into a steaming pot of chicken soup – does the kettle become meaty?[1] 2) I have plastic containers that were used to store non-kosher foods - including liquid. May I now use them to store kosher foods that include liquid?[2] 3) At a Chupah, it is customary for the Unterfirers to carry candles. Is this appropriate for when leading the Chosson to the B...

1) In Eretz Yisroel it is prevalent that at [the daily] Birchas Kohanim , the Chazan , when prompting the Kohanim word for word, does so in an undertone. Whereas elsewhere, the Chazan says his part in a regular tone. What’s the Chabad take on this?[1] 2) A question from Ukraine:  We are suffering frequent power cuts. Our communal kitchen is manned by non-Jewish staff. In order to address the...