Question: Regarding Hilchos Chanukah, you are probably familiar with the Biur HaGra in OC 671 who rules like the Rambam vs. Tosfos regarding lighting candles for every member of the family, since the gemara seems to go with the reason of "ma'alin b'kodesh" rather than "k'neged yamim" in bringing the opinions of the 2 zekainim. …
Question: האם סעודת ברית מילה חייבת להיות ממאכלי בשר א"ד אפשר להכין סעודה ממאכלי חלב, והאם הדבר תלוי במנהג המקום, שכמדומה לי שבחו"ל עושים סעודות חלביות לברית מילה ובא"י עושים דוקא סעודות בשריות? Answer: בדבר שאלתך בענין סעודת ברית מילה אם צריך לעשות דוקא מבשר או דאפשר לעשותו ממאכלי חלב וסבור אתה שד"ז תלוי במנהג,…
Question: An uncooked Milchig pastry with cheese inside was put into a Parve oven. It cooked for several minutes and the oven was hot. There were also several empty non-stick teflon baking trays in the oven at the time. How can the oven and baking trays be made Parve again – neither have been used…
Question: While we were learning hilchos Shabbos last week, my wife had the following question (regarding the point that someone else cannot make one's possessions into a bosis since the other person has no right to effect a change). Can a husband cause something that his wife had been planning to use that Shabbos to…
Question: בדבר שאלתך האם יכול לשלם דמי חברות לביהכ''נ (שנקבע ע''י הועד בסך 80 ש''ח לחודש) ולשלם לבנין ביהכ''נ שלכם (שהוטלה על כל הציבור שלך בסך $1000), ממעות מעשר כספים, ובקהילתך ע''י תשלום דמים אלו זוכה המתפלל בכמה הטבות, כגון מקום קבוע לתפלה, דיני קדימה להיות ש''ץ לשמחות ויארצייט, הנחות כספיות בתשמיש אולם השמחות וזכות…
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: My parents are both very elderly, bli ayin hora. They live in England and I have not seen them for 2.5 years. My father is in a wheelchair and lives in the special medical wing of an old people's home and my mother lives on her own. Neither of them is physically able to…
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: The issue with the crockpot has me concerned, not from a halachic perspective (I had the pleasure of learning hotmanah) but from a social one. Thousands upon thousands of upright, frum and yirei shomayim Jews have been using crockpots since they were invented. Year after year the family waited as the cholent was served…
Question: May one ascend Har Habayis provided he immerses in a mikve, removes his shoes, and only walks in those areas that are accepted as non-azoroh? Answer: It is forbidden to ascend Har Habayis as a tourist even if you immerse in a mikve, remove your shoes, and walk only in those areas that are accepted…