Yoreh De'ah Archives | Rosh Yeshiva Responds

11 07, 2026

Can a Barber Give a Fade Haircut Near the Peyot HaRosh?

July 11th, 2026|Clothing and Appearance, Shaving, Shulchan Arukh, Yoreh De'ah|

Question

A young man runs a haircutting business using electric clippers. Many of his Jewish customers request a “fade” haircut, which involves trimming the hair at the sides of the head very close to the skin.

Can he rely on the Rambam’s position, against the Rosh, that misparayim ke’ein ta’ar is permitted for peyot harosh? This seems especially relevant since many people in our community shave their heads with electric shavers, which might suggest that the community has accepted the Rambam’s position, despite the Shulchan Arukh being stringent.

Answer

I really do not feel comfortable with

7 07, 2026

Keriah at the Moment of Death for a Not Immediate Relative

July 7th, 2026|Aveilut, Death and Dying, Lifecycles, Yoreh De'ah|

QUESTION

A quick question regarding keri’ah (tearing clothing in mourning) at the moment of death, specifically for a person who is not one’s immediate relative. I should mention that this may be a practical question for me in the near term.

Min ha-din (according to the strict law), one is obligated in keri’ah in this situation (Moed Katan 25a; Yoreh De’ah 340). However, the custom developed not to tear, out of concern that people would be unwilling to remain with a dying person at the moment of death if doing so would obligate them to tear their clothing. As the Zechor LeAvraham

31 05, 2026

Stopping Vegetarianism and a Beit Din of Women for Hatarat Nedarim

May 31st, 2026|Hatarat Nedarim, Minhag, Women, Yoreh De'ah|

QUESTION

A woman would like to stop being a vegetarian after many years.

A. Does she need to do hatarat nedarim (annulment of vows), since being vegetarian may be considered a ma’alah (spiritual or religiously positive practice)?

B. If so, can she do the hatarat nedarim before three women?

ANSWER

Yes, I think she should do hatarat nedarim.

Being vegetarian is certainly a hanhagah tovah (positive religious practice). The Shulchan Arukh rules that when a person accepts a permitted practice as prohibited, or adopts a positive practice and repeats it three times, it can take on the status of a neder and require hatarah before being

3 05, 2026

Does Poletet Shichvat Zera Apply to Artificial Insemination?

May 3rd, 2026|Niddah, Sex, Yoreh De'ah|

QUESTION

What would you say about a couple who have to do artificial insemination (such as IUI) while the woman is in niddah? Would poletet shivchat zera apply such that they would have to delay mikvah by four days?

ANSWER

Thank you for your question; it’s a really good one. My immediate intuition was that poletet should not apply here, for a few reasons.

By way of introduction, the concept of poletet shichvat zera is the basis for the common practice of waiting a minimum of four or five days before beginning the shivah

5 04, 2026

Kashering and Using Sous Vide for Milk and Meat

April 5th, 2026|Bishul, Kashrut, Technology, Yoreh De'ah|

Question

Can a sous vide be used for both meat and dairy cooking?

What about kashering it, if necessary?

ANSWER

What Is Sous Vide?

Let’s begin by understanding the metziut. According to Wikipedia, sous vide is a method of cooking in which food is placed in a plastic pouch and cooked in a water bath at a precisely regulated temperature. During the cooking process, the food does not come into direct contact with the

15 03, 2026

Induction Stove Tops for Milk and Meat, and Pesach

March 15th, 2026|Kashrut, Pesach, Yoreh De'ah|

QUESTION

Can the Rosh Yeshivah’s clarify his position regarding induction stovetops? Having read/watched his views on cooking with it on Yom tov and regarding its status vis a vis bishul akum, would it be correct that the same burner could be used for both meat and dairy?

If so:

A. Would this be permitted even on the same day?
B. If there are spills, would one be required to wipe the surface between uses, or would that simply be recommended as a best practice?

As well, regarding Pesach, would the induction surface not require kashering, but

27 02, 2026

Must One Stand for a Sefer Torah Used as a Prop in a Play?

February 27th, 2026|Sefer Torah, Sefer Torah, Tefillin, Mezuzah, Shulchan Arukh, Yoreh De'ah|

QUESTION

Washington, DC

A local production of Fiddler on the Roof features what appears to be a real Torah scroll, which, at one point in the show, is lifted and carried. I am trying to ascertain if this was a real Torah or a “prop Torah.” But, if it is real, would there be an obligation to rise upon seeing it lifted and carried by

1 02, 2026

Can two year old used China be Kashered?

February 1st, 2026|Bishul, Kashrut, Yoreh De'ah|

QUESTION

Chicago, Illinois

I received a question regarding a set of used china that has not been used for approximately two years. I am aware that this issue has been addressed previously in the context of a ba’al teshuva (one who has returned to religious observance) (Igrot Moshe, Yoreh De’ah II:46). My question is whether there is room to be lenient here, particularly since this does not appear to be a classic ba’al teshuva scenario. The china does not seem to be inherited from family,

25 01, 2026

Kashering Factory-Seasoned Cast Iron Cookware

January 25th, 2026|Bishul, Hechsher Keilim, Kashrut, Orach Chayim, Shulchan Arukh, Yoreh De'ah|

QUESTION

Boston, Massachusetts

Could you please share your approach to kashering a new stovetop griddle? There appear to be three defensible positions about cast iron cookware:

(a) Treating the factory seasoning as b’eyn, requiring libun gamur. This is the position of Rabbi Belsky z”l at the OU. It seems that this is based on the Shakh (YD 121:8) and Pri Megadim about solids absorbed directly (though this does seem to be a minority, machmir view in the books).

(b) Treating it as baluah, so either hagalah or libbun kal suffices. This is the position of Rav Gedaliah Dov Schwartz z”l, seemingly following

22 03, 2025

Kashering a Griddle for Pesach

March 22nd, 2025|Kashrut, Orach Chayim, Pesach, Yoreh De'ah|

QUESTION

Chicago, IL

Can this be kashered for Pesach? Griddle for making pancakes used with batter.

ANSWER

In general, we rule that chameitz, even during the rest of the year, is considered to be איסורא בלע, and when absorbed directly via the fire requires libun chamor (Shulchan Arukh OC 451:4). That is normally defined at about 700 degrees. I imagine that that is not possible here and that a blow torch or the like would destroy it.

There are, however, poskim who rule that libun chamor is the same as the hottest temperature the object got to. According to this you

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