Talmud Archives | Rosh Yeshiva Responds

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

26 04, 2026

Counting the Omer Early

April 26th, 2026|Moadim, Orach Chayim, Sefirah, Tefillah|

QUESTION

Do you have any guidance on counting sefirat ha’omer at shul on erev Shabbat or erev yom tov when we daven early?

ANSWER

It depends on how early you are planning to count.

If you will be counting after shekiyah, then I think that, given how easy and common it is for people to forget and miss counting, one should definitely count with a berakhah, and say: “If you remember, please count again after X:XX.” This is not to suggest that there is any problem if they do not count again.

This is

19 04, 2026

When the Rabbi Forgets to Count the Omer

April 19th, 2026|Orach Chayim, Pesach, Sefirah, Tefillah|

QUESTION

If a rabbi forgets to count Sefirat HaOmer for an entire day, may he continue counting with a berakhah?

ANSWER

This question arises more often than one might expect. At times, even rabbis forget and miss a day. The standard halakhah is that one who misses a full day of counting the Omer continues counting without a berakhah (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 489:8;

6 04, 2026

Donating Chametz to a Food Pantry Before Pesach With Pickup on Chol HaMoed

April 6th, 2026|Moadim, Orach Chayim, Pesach|

QUESTION

A member of my shul wants to donate food to a food pantry that will be picking up during Chol HaMoed. Can they be mafkir (declare ownerless) the food and leave it on their porch for pick up before Pesach? My concern is that no one will know about the hefker (ownerless) status of the food—so does that really count as hefker?

ANSWER

I think that’s fine.

It is true that hefker cannot be done ba’lev (without any outward expression) (see Ran, Pesachim 1a, ד״ה ומהו), since devarim she’ba’lev einam devarim (unexpressed intentions are not legally significant). Nevertheless, taking

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

1 03, 2026

Contacting non Shabbat-observant people in a different time zone when it’s Shabbat for them, but not for you

March 1st, 2026|Family, Kibbud Av Ve'Eim, Orach Chayim, Prohibitions, Shabbat, Technology|

QUESTION

Is it permissible to have a phone call with someone non-observant in a time zone where it is currently Shabbat for them? I am assuming there is no particular need beyond the relationship. Does it make a difference if it is
a) a close relative/parent
b) if they call you rather than you calling them
c) if there is a need, but not a life-threatening need?

ANSWER

No, one may not have such a phone call.

There is a concept in the Gemara of מסייע בידי עוברי עבירה (mesaye’a bidei ovrei aveirah – assisting transgressors) which is distinct from the issur of לפני עוור (lifnei iver

27 02, 2026

Navigating Traditional Egalitarian Prayer Spaces

February 27th, 2026|Bar/Bat Mitzvah, Berakhot, Kaddish, Keriat HaTorah, Mechitza, Minyan, Orach Chayim, Shema and Shemoneh Esrei, Tefillah|

Question

NY, NY

I have recently been spending time in “traditional egalitarian” tefillah spaces, largely connected to my work teaching in a pluralistic school setting. I am seeking general halakhic framing and practical guidance.

Specifically:

May I daven b’yechidut (individually) in such a space while the communal tefillah is taking place? Or should I refrain from davening there entirely?
May I accept a kibbud (honor)?
Should I respond to Kaddish,

27 02, 2026

Hashavat Aveidah for Lost AirPods at Packed Theater

February 27th, 2026|Choshen Mishpat, Hashavat Aveidah, Non-Jews and Other Religions|

Question

A congregant went to see a show a few weeks ago, and her husband lost his AirPods there. He called the venue and left a voicemail describing the lost AirPods, and they said they had them. His brother went and picked them up. The husband got them, and they were the same make and model; however, when he opened them, he saw they were registered to someone else.

It’s not possible to figure out to whom the AirPods are registered, so they went to the

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