Synagogue Archives | Rosh Yeshiva Responds

23 08, 2026

Yom Kippur Selichot and Vidui Without a Minyan

August 23rd, 2026|Minyan, Orach Chayim, Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, Shulchan Arukh, Synagogue|

QUESTION

What should a congregation do if it does not have a minyan for Yom Kippur services, particularly regarding the Selichot and Vidui normally recited during Chazarat HaShatz?

ANSWER

Without a minyan, you cannot do Chazarat HaShatz. However, each person should recite Vidui as part of the silent Amidah. There is also no problem with reciting an additional Vidui together after the Amidah.

The Selichot may also be recited without a minyan, but the Yud-Gimel Middot HaRachamim (Thirteen Attributes of Mercy) cannot be said in their regular way without a minyan. Rather, they should be read with trope (

14 07, 2026

Repurposing Men’s Section as Women’s Section in Shul

July 14th, 2026|Mechitza, Orach Chayim, Synagogue, Tefillah, Women|

QUESTION

Is there any halakhic issue with reconfiguring a synagogue’s davening space so that part of what was previously the men’s section is now designated as the women’s section, while the former women’s section is no longer regularly used for davening? Alternatively, may the men’s and women’s sections be treated as flexible spaces, with their respective sizes adjusted according to immediate need?

For context, the former women’s section was always explicitly designated as a multi-purpose space rather than exclusively as a place for davening.

ANSWER

This is an issue that has come up in

10 05, 2026

Can a Child or Woman Blow the Shofar in Elul

May 10th, 2026|Minhag, Moadim, Orach Chayim, Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, Shacharit, Mincha and Ma'ariv, Synagogue, Tefillah, Women|

QUESTION

Can a woman or child blow the shofar at the end of Shacharit during Elul?

ANSWER

I have not found much discussion of this question in the poskim. For some background, there is a widespread Ashkenazi minhag (custom) to blow the shofar at the end of Shacharit during the month of Elul (Rema, Orach Chayim 581:1). The purpose of this practice is not to fulfill the Torah mitzvah of shofar, which applies on Rosh Hashanah, but rather to awaken us spiritually as we prepare for the Yamim Nora’im (Tur OH 581). The sound of the shofar reminds us that Rosh Hashanah is

2 06, 2024

Megillah Reading By Microphone

June 2nd, 2024|Disabilities, Electricity, Moadim, Orach Chayim, Purim, Shulchan Arukh, Synagogue, Technology|

QUESTION

Canada

At the school where I work, the Megillah reading will be conducted with a microphone, as it always has been. I am unable to change this practice, at least for this year.

What is the Rosh Yeshiva’s position on reading the Megillah with a microphone? Can one rely on the poskim who permit it?

For those attending a Megillah reading with a microphone, should they seek out another reading later not read with a microphone? Alternatively, can those standing close to the reader assume

12 03, 2024

Mechitza Construction with Bima in Between the Men’s and Women’s Sections

March 12th, 2024|Keriat HaTorah, Mechitza, Minyan, Orach Chayim, Synagogue, Tefillah, Women|

QUESTION

Washington, DC

Question regarding the construction of a new mechitza:

We have a chapel that seats 115 people. It opens from the back, straight into the middle aisle. The seats are distributed equally on both sides of the aisle, and the bimah is at the front of the room in the center. Our old mechitza for the space was 3 panels; two down the middle aisle, and a third to angle around the bimah so that there was a physical separation between the shaliach

1 02, 2024

Traveling by Electric Scooter on Shabbat

February 1st, 2024|Choleh, Prohibitions, Shabbat, Synagogue, Technology, Tefillah|

QUESTION

Maryland

I have a congregant who can no longer walk to shul. I have discussed the option of using the Grama scooters approved by Zomet and the Star K, but they cost more than $4000. She is able to purchase a “regular” used scooter for only $400. Would the financial savings justify using a regular scooter on Shabbat (perhaps with using a shinuy)?

Do you have any advice for

28 01, 2024

Conversion Candidate Using Public Transportation to Get to Preferred Shul

January 28th, 2024|Amirah LeGoy, Geirut and Geirim, Orach Chayim, Prohibitions, Shabbat, Shulchan Arukh, Synagogue, Tefillah|

QUESTION

Chicago, IL

A woman who converted to Judaism under Reform auspices and is married to a Jewish husband is interested in relocating to our neighborhood and will eventually undergo another giyur (conversion) under Orthodox auspices. She does not currently live in our neighborhood and knows that she will not be able to complete her conversion until she moves to the neighborhood. For various financial reasons, it could be as long as three years before she is able to relocate.

Until she relocates and converts,

28 01, 2024

Drilling Holes Through Verses Etched on a Mechitza

January 28th, 2024|Mechitza, Synagogue, Yoreh De'ah|

QUESTION

Skokie, IL

We are creating new glass mechitza panels with the text of Kabalat Shabbat etched into them. The engineers want to drill holes in a few panels to install handrails. Some of those proposed holes will be drilled through Shem Hashem (God’s name). Would this be a problem?

ANSWER

Yes, this would be a problem. There is an

23 04, 2023

Counting a Security Person in Another Room as the Tenth for a Minyan

April 23rd, 2023|Minyan, Orach Chayim, Synagogue, Tefillah|

QUESTION

Houston, TX

We pray out of the JCC and are required to have a security person at the door when the building is otherwise closed, which includes Shabbat. For financial reasons, we use rotating volunteers, but sometimes, like for Mincha, we have ten men, and only ten men. Other times, there are ten men, as well as women, but the optics of making it be a woman are rough. The security person can just barely see into the shul room from

2 04, 2023

Bringing Babies to Shul: A Halakhic and Policy Consideration in City with No Eruv

April 2nd, 2023|Amirah LeGoy, Orach Chayim, Shabbat, Synagogue|

QUESTION

Paris, France

Communal policy question: there is no eruv in Paris and in our community there’s tremendous chillul shabbat (desecration of shabbat) going on from several families who otherwise entirely keep Shabbat but bring their babies to shul because not doing so would mean never coming to the community together. We had reached out to you in private about the possibility of having a non-Jewish nanny bring our baby to shul. I must say having had post-partum depression being able to leave my

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