Shu"T First, Ask Questions Later

In this episode we explore whether there is a case to be made for coeducation in our Yeshivos and Jewish Day Schools. We open up with two (of several) responsa from Igros Moshe (Y.D. 2:104 and 4:28) and contrast it with a lesser known letter from Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik. This is a special episode in which we are joined by two guests, Messrs. Michael Feldstein and Joseph Kaplan - both longtime...

Should a Jew care so much about material possessions? Ethical discourses generally emphasize the significance of money, but many halachic sources point to the importance of respecting one's property. R. Yitzchok Oratz focuses on a remarkable responsum of the Binyan Tzion (1:167) to infer how a Jew should think about protests that turn violent. See also, his article in the Journal of Halacha an...

What should family life look like post-conversion? R. Zvi Romm shares a bittersweet responsum from Igros Moshe (Y.D. 2:130) in which R. Moshe Feinstein argues that it may not only be permissible for a convert to maintain a relationship with their biological parents, but a mitzvah.

At the time of this recording the State of Israel faces a hostage crisis on an unprecedented scale. R. Johnny Solomon shares a responsum from Aseh Lecha Rav (7:53) who argues that state-based-needs require state-based-solutions - and what that means for the broader genre of responsa literature. Our prayer is that this discussion be rendered l'drosh u'likabeil sechar - purely theoretical -...

In many Ashkenazi communities, a tallis gadol has become a symbol of adulthood, putting many single, male adults in a jarring position when they see men far younger than themselves donning a tallis purely by dint of marriage. The challenge becomes compounded for a single Rabbi who finds himself leading a congregation and - as the most religious figure in the room - appears to be missing an essenti...

Is davening too long or do we not appreciate it enough? In this episode R. Pesach Sommer distills a responsum of R. Dovid Tzvi Hoffman (Melamed L'Hoil, no. 12) regarding a request to revoke the prayer leader's repetition of the Amida, and its implications for how we relate to prayer writ large.

What happens when a revered Torah figure writes something that goes against the basic tenets of our faith? In this episode, R. Dr. Shlomo Zuckier unpacks how recent Torah giants such as R. Moshe Feinstein's (Igros Moshe Y.D. 3:114-115) and R. Menashe Klein (Mishneh Halachos 12:214) reckoned with an alarming commentary of R. Yehuda HaChassid and whether his work would be better off never seeing...

In recent years, Rav Asher Weiss published a landmark responsum (Minchas Asher 2:134) in which he issued signifcant halachic dispensations for one undergoing therapy for O.C.D. In this epsiode, we bring on Rabbi Dr. Saul Haimoff, a rabbi and clinical psychologist, to assess the metzius, the facts on the ground. To purchase his book, the Handbook of Torah and Mental Health, click here:https://www.a...

Rabbi Elie Weissman presents a responsum of the Noda B'Yehudah (E.H. 75) in which a shliach (agent) is appointed to force a woman to accept a divorce document. R. Weissman delves into the halachic considerations and also reveals a not-so-obvious historical context to this responsum...that it was very personal for both the Noda B'Yehudah - and his interlocutor Rav Itzele Halevi (who is also...

In this episode we explore a landmark responsum of R. Ben-Zion Meir Chai Uziel (Mishpatei Uziel, C.M. no. 1) whether Jewish courts should offer an option to appeal and its implications for the judiciary in modern day Eretz Yisrael.

Pikuach Nefesh, the imperative to preserve life, is one of the most supreme Torah commandments, as it has the power supersede almost any other mitzvah. But are there limits? Our guest Rabbi Aryeh Klapper provides a close reading of a responsum of the Noda B'Yehudah (Y.D. 210) to shed light on this critical issue. Want to learn more from Rabbi Klapper? Check out his podcast, “Taking Responsibil...

A woman is keeping a significant medical secret from her husband that has profound implications for their entire marriage. May (must) a doctor inform the husband? In this episode, Rabbi Gidon Rothstein shares a landmark responsum of the Tzitz Eliezer (16:4) who addresses both the halachic and psychological elements of how to approach this high stakes scenario.

When does employment become servitude? Rabbi Tzvi Goldstein presents us with a responsum of the Chavos Yair (no. 106) which addresses a contentious dispute between a woman and the girl she hired to work for her. When the latter claims she is being mistreated it raises the question whether she has the right to unilaterally pull out of her employment without financial repercussions. This question ge...

What are the implications of artificial intelligence for halachic decision making? In this episode, Rabbi Shimshon Nadel utilizes a responsum of the Chasam Sofer (Y.D. 2:94), Igros Moshe (Y.D. 3:91) and teachings from Rabbi Dr. Moshe D. Tendler zt"l to shed light on this cutting edge issue.

Rabbi Yona Reiss presents a fundamental responsum of the Rashba (6:254) to clarify when one may adapt halachic practices for new situations and how to ensure that such innovations remain faithful to both the law and spirit of the Torah. A special thanks to Henry Goldberg for helping organize this episode.

In this episode we explore Rav Moshe Feinstein's opposition to Bas (and Bar) Mitzvah ceremonies - found in Igros Moshe (O.C. 1:104, cf. 2:97 and 4:36) - as well as a brief nod to his relatively permissive stance on using a single dishwasher for meat and dairy (separately). At the end. Rav Elchanan Poupko articulates what made Rav Moshe Feinstein uniquely deserving of the status as a posek hador, a...

In this episode, Yisroel Ben-Porat takes us on a tour of Rav Moshe Feinstein's various responsa (Igros Moshe E.H. 2:13, O.C. 5:20, YD 4:11-12) about Thanksgiving and uses his historical expertise to evaluate whether poskim and the general public understand the holiday's true origins. Subsequent to this episode, the guest wrote up his ideas in a more expansive, essay format that can be foun...

In this episode, R. Oran Zweiter presents a debate between R. Zvi Hirsch Kalischer and R. Azriel Hildesheimer (Shu"T RA'aZ, no. 229-230) about circumcising a boy from a Jewish father and non-Jewish mother that took place in 19th century America.

In this episode, R. Yehoshua Grunstein presents an exchange between R. Moshe Feinstein (Igros Moshe O.C. 1:109) and R. Menashe Klein (Mishneh Halachos 8:92, 136) about the nature of rabbinic disagreement and what it means for pulpit rabbis and congregants alike.