Looking in the Mirror

Question: I approached the prospective seller of an apartment intending to close a deal to purchase it, only to find him seated with another person interested in the apartment. I am familiar with the principle of עני המהפך בחררה, according to which it is ethically reprehensible to snatch a deal from another Jew when I…

Question: 1. If someone buys a house for $200,000, puts down $50,000 in equity, takes out a mortgage for $150,000, and then receives rent on the house for several years, how should he calculate his maaser? (Note: The mortgage payment includes tax, interest, and some repayment of the principal.) 2. If the person subsequently sells…

Question: Is it an aveiroh to sit on a dining room table? I have heard that a table is likened to a mizbeach and one shouldn't do it, but is it an actual prohibition? Answer: The common saying that one should not sit on a table because a table is like a mizbeach is partially…

Question: Is it advisable to avoid a surgery during the three weeks? Answer: If a person needs an operation or even plans to have elective surgery and can schedule it to avoid the time between Shiv'ah Asar Betammuz and Tisha Be'av, he should do so. The Mechaber rules that one should not hit students during…

Question: A few halachic questions on investments, specifically with regard to maaser: Is the interest on money (post-maaser) invested in the stock market subject to maaser as well? I believe that it is. If so, if I leave the money in the investment fund and reinvest the dividends, can I defer paying maaser on it…

Question: I returned from a vacation to fact that our houseguest cooked two milkich cakes (liquid batter) and then one small pan of milkich muffins (also liquid batter) in our fleishik oven. Some of the stuff in new alum tins and some in pareve muffin tins. The oven is an Aino Ben Yomo fleishik. Normal…