Question: I have a few parenting questions for Rav Baruch. In our class last week one women claimed that it is forbidden to leave a baby or child sleeping in a locked room. (The issue came up because one woman said she leaves her baby sleeping in the crib while she goes downstairs to meet…

Question: My neighbor is selling wine at a great price. The catch is that it was produced as shevi’is wine and had kedushas shevi’is. Then, at the zeman biur, he was mafkir it properly. He subsequently repossessed it and is now selling it at a profit. My question is this: Now that he has repossessed…

Question: Our eldest son would be much happier if we didn't sell chometz or buy chometz that another Jew sold for Pesach. If doing this is not overly burdensome and oppressive, I would consider it. Can you give me the ground rules for both? Answer: Theoretically, selling chometz is fine. It just has to be…

Question: Last time I was at Newark Airport between flights in the morning, I davened shacharis in the non-denominational room (actually, they call it a meditation room). The room has mats in the back for Muslim prayers and an opaque curtain in the front blocking some Christian emblem with a cross on it. You can't…

Question: Can the money I contribute to the building fund by standing order be considered part of my ma'aser? Answer: Technically, the money designated for the building fund cannot be subtracted from maos ma'aser. Ma'aser kesafim is a halachic concept with its own set of rules. The mitzvoh of tzedokoh does not require giving a…

Question: I have a question regarding laundry on chol hamo'ed. I know that we can wash children's clothing that is needed for the chag if there's no replacement. We're in that position – the kids are growing so quickly that we don't buy replacements. We wash what they have and their clothes get dirty all…

Question:  ילדה שנפלה בשבת על פינת אבן וקבלה חתך במצחה, איך צריך הוריה והרופא להתנהג? Answer: חשש זיהום הוי ספק פיקו''נ חתך בגוף האדם ע''י כל דבר מזוהם[1] עלול לגרום לדלקת ולהיות סכנה אם לא יטפלו בו כראוי, והוא בכלל ספק פיקו''נ דאמרינן כל הזריז לחלל שבת הר''ז משובח.[2] השואל הר''ז שופך דמים במקרה של…

Question:  אשה הנוסעת מרמת בית שמש דרך שער הגיא לירושלים, האם היא חייבת להתפלל תפלת הדרך, וא''כ, איפה מומלץ לברכו, ומה הדין מירושלים לרמת בית שמש? Answer: מרחק המחייב תפלת הדרך חז''ל תקנו לנוסע מחוץ לעירו לומר תפלת הדרך מפני הסכנה שיש בדרך. וברא''ש פ''ד מברכות סי''ח כתב דעד פרסה[1] מבית האחרון בעיר אין בו…

Question: Answer: One of the more important contributions the Jewish people gave the world is basic morals. John Adams wrote to Francis Adrian van der Kemp in 1808: “I will insist that the Hebrews have done more to civilize men than any other nation.” Three thousand years ago the Jews taught: Do not murder, steal,…