9 07, 2024
18 10, 2019
Sukkahs in the Wind
Question:
Given the strong winds that we have been experiencing, is it permissible to take down the sukkah on Hol HaMoed to prevent it from being damaged or from causing injury? If I do take it down, am I exempt from eating in a sukkah, or do I have to find a sukkah that is still up?
Answer:
Thank you for your question. Let’s look at the two issues you raise in order.
Dismantling a Sukkah on Hol HaMoed
When it comes to taking precautions due to strong winds, the first thing to note is that if the wind is so bad that there is
8 03, 2017
Divine Sparks: Shabbat, Electricity
This is a source sheet to accompany the panel that took place in Jerusalem on January 5, 2017 titled, “Divine Sparks: Shabbat, Electricity”
To listen to the audio from the panel, click on the following audio link:
Below is a summary of the main ways in which poskim have tried to put the use of electricity, when it does not involve any other melakha (e.g., the turning on of incandescent lights, which would be considered a fire since it burns a piece of metal generating heat and light). The seventh explanation concedes that it
26 07, 2016
Snow on Shabbat
Question:
לגרסה העברית לחצו כאן /Read this teshuva in Hebrew
I am in Vermont for business. I have rented an apartment and bought myself pots to cook with. There is no convenient mikveh, but there is a lot of snow. May I tovel the pots in the snow? Would I be able to use them without tevilah? Would you also give me some guidelines for snow on Shabbat — is it muktzeh? May I shovel it? Is there anything else I should be aware of?
Answer:
In this teshuva I will present some guidelines for snow on Shabbat. I will address the question about using snow for tvilat kelim in an
26 07, 2016
U’vda D’chol on Shabbat
Question:
לגרסה העברית לחצו כאן /Read this teshuva in Hebrew
I was locked out of my apartment this past Shabbat. My friend, also a frum Jew, is a locksmith. I asked him to use his picks to pick the lock on my door on Shabbat, but now I am wondering if it was permitted. Was he allowed to do this?
Answer:
There certainly is no Biblical or Rabbinic prohibition in the act of picking a lock – it is merely the manipulating of the inner mechanisms with some specialized tools. It could be argued that this is uvda di’chol, weekday
26 07, 2016
Mikveh During Aveilut
Question:
לגרסה העברית לחצו כאן /Read this teshuva in Hebrew
I am currently sitting shiva for my mother a”h. I am also currently in niddah and my mikveh night would be tomorrow night. I know that during shiva I’m not allowed to have sex with my husband but I wanted to know if I could go to the mikveh so that we can hug and touch, at least in a non-sexual way. I could really use a hug from my husband and his reassuring touch during this time. Would we also be allowed to sleep in
26 07, 2016
Harchakot During Aveilut
Question:
לגרסה העברית לחצו כאן /Read this teshuva in Hebrew
I am currently sitting shiva for my mother a”h. I am also currently in niddah and my mikveh night would be tomorrow night. I know that during shiva I’m not allowed to have sex with my husband but I wanted to know if I could go to the mikveh so that we can hug and touch, at least in a non-sexual way. I could really use a hug from my husband and his reassuring touch during this time. Would we also be allowed to sleep in the same bed?
Answer:
26 07, 2016
May One Take Down a Sukkah on Chol HaMoed in Anticipation of Hurricane Joaquin?
Question:
לגרסה העברית לחצו כאן /Read this teshuva in Hebrew
Hurricane Joaquin is expected to hit the East Coast on Monday (Shmini Atzeret), and I am concerned that the sukkah will be destroyed and ruined. I am also worried that the schach will fly off and hit someone or become debris on the road or sidewalk. I have a couple of questions: (a) Can I take it down on Hoshana Rabbah? (b) Can I take it down already on Friday if I am invited out for our Shabbat meals and will be able to eat those meals in a sukkah? (c) I also normally eat in
18 11, 2010
Hilkhot Kashrut: Forbidden Today, Permitted Tomorrow
The Gemara rules that a davar she’yesh lo matirin, something that is forbidden now but will be permissible later – like an egg that was born on Yom Tov, and is nolad (a type of muktzah) and cannot be eaten on Yom Tov, but can be eaten the following day, is not batel. The most common case of davar she’yesh lo matirin is chametz, which is forbidden on Pesach, but permissible afterwards, and the ruling that such items are not batel is consistent with the ruling that even tiny amounts of chametz in mixtures are not batel. Nevertheless,
