Looking in the Mirror

Question: Can I donate money set aside for ma'aser kesafim to Kehillas Shivtei Yeshurun? Answer: Anyone (whether a member or not) can donate money towards the building of the KSY library and deduct it – like any other donation for a devar mitzvoh – from his or her ma'aser kesofim. The restriction on a devar…

Question: Answer: Most parents realize that educating their children is not as simple as finding out where the neighborhood kids go to school, packing lunches, arranging for transportation and meeting the teacher twice a year. Nevertheless, there is a tendency to leave education to the "experts," i.e., the school. Often parents act as if they…

Question: The Kehilla had considered the idea of a tiyul to catch the Chilazon, used to make techeles. Rav Rubanowitz had the following email discussion with the tour guide and the tour guide's Rav regarding whether this was permitted or not. Answer: בס"ד ה' תשרי תשס"ה כבוד הרב פטרובר, בעקבות שיחתנו אני שולח מכתב זה…

Question: About a year ago, someone who works at city hall said he could help us get a permit to do some work in our new house. Shortly thereafter, our contractor's assistant called us and said that he could get us the permit, and that if we went through the other guy rather than through…

Question: We decided to make aliya primarily because we believe that Eretz Yisrael is a better place to raise our children than our country of birth. Whenever we can, we travel with our children around the country, hoping they will learn to appreciate and love Eretz Yisrael as much as we do. I know that…

Question: איך דיין יכול לדון יחיד בזה''ז והרי בקצוה''ח ס''ג סק''ד פסק שלא להקל בזה כלל? ונראה דהוא משנה מפורשת באבות פרק ד' מ''ח שאסור ששנינו אל תהי דן יחידי שאין דן יחידי אלא אחד? Answer: עש''ך סימן ג' סק''י בסו''ד כתב דהאידנא לאו שפיר עבדי אותן שנהגו לדון לכתחילה אם לא שמפרש להדיא איני…