Yevamot Archives | Rosh Yeshiva Responds

28 01, 2024

Jewish Single Woman Considering Embryo Adoption: Halakhic Clarification on Child’s Jewish Status

January 28th, 2024|Birth, Even HaEzer, Family, Geirut and Geirim, Lifecycles, Non-Jews and Other Religions, Shulchan Arukh, Status, Women|

QUESTION

Washington, DC

A Jewish single woman considering embryo adoption wants to know if she needs to look for Jewish embryos, or if it will be sufficient for her to be the gestational mother to have the child be considered Jewish. My understanding is that there are differing opinions, and because so much is at stake I would like to be crystal clear on the halakha. Thank you so much.

ANSWER

This is such a major debate

21 03, 2023

Pesticides, Health, and Kashrut – May We Eat Foods with Pesticides?

March 21st, 2023|Kashrut, Yoreh De'ah|

QUESTION

Rochester, NY

Are there kashrut implications to pesticides in fruits and vegetables and their impact on human health?

ANSWER

No, not form a kashrut perspective. I do understand that people would like to bring certain Torah-value concerns into the kashrut conversation, such as tzaar baalei chayim (cruelty to animals), treatment of workers, additives and pesticides, etc., but

11 04, 2021

A Playing Field Above a Former Jewish Cemetery

April 11th, 2021|Kohanim, Yoreh De'ah|

QUESTION

South Central, USA

A congregant who is a librarian has discovered that a big open field that is part of the library complex, which is often used for activities, was actually a Jewish cemetery until the mid-19th century, and there is no evidence of the bones there being disinterred or moved. He’s wondering if there are issues for him running activities/programs on that field (he’s not a kohen). Thanks!

ANSWER

This is a very complex question. Here are some of the relevant issues:

1. How does he know it was a Jewish cemetery? The field has a chezkat taharah, and

14 03, 2021

Can a Geir Perform Hatafat Dam Berit On Himself?

March 14th, 2021|Geirut and Geirim, Milah, Yoreh De'ah|

QUESTION

Chicago, IL

Hopefully this is only a theoretical question. Can a geir perform hatafat dam berit on himself?

ANSWER

No. Since he is doing it, he is either definitely not yet a geir or it is a safeik whether he is yet a geir. Therefore, the hatafah does not work.

Regarding milah for a Jewish baby, the Shulchan Arukh (YD 264:1) says that the mohel has to be Jewish, but if he was not-Jewish the baby does not need a second milah. Some commentators understand that to mean that bedieved a non-Jew can be a mohel for a Jewish baby (See Taz there), but many

Sefirat Ha’Omer: Whose Minhag Counts?

7 05, 2020

Sefirat Ha’Omer: Whose Minhag Counts?

May 7th, 2020|Lifecycles, Marriage and Family, Sefirah|

Rabbi Ovadia Yosef (1920-2013), born in Iraq and Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Israel from 1973 to 1983, was the preeminent Sephardi posek of the previous generation. His responsa are collected in two multi-volume works: Yabia Omer (11 volumes), which contain his lengthy responsa, and Yachaveh Da’at (6 volumes), which contain his short-form responsa based on a weekly radio show of his where he answered listeners’ questions. Rav Ovadia Yosef is known for his encyclopedic knowledge of the entirety of Rabbinic literature, from the Talmud through all later-day halakhic authorities. In his responsa, he presents in a highly organized, clear and

Abortion in Halakha: A Study Guide

7 02, 2019

Abortion in Halakha: A Study Guide

February 7th, 2019|Lifecycles, Marriage and Family, Niddah, Non-Jews and Other Religions, Science and Medical Ethics, Sex|

Guided Questions for Chavruta Learning

Sources 1-7 were covered in the previous sheet. Look at sources 8-12. Do they indicate that a fetus has the legal status / protections of a human life or not? Which ones indicate yes, which ones indicate no? If one were to claim that it was a life, how would she reconcile all the sources? How would one do so if she were to claim that it was not a life? Is there a middle position? How would you articulate it: quasi, potential, or something else? What halakhic category would destroying such a

26 04, 2018

May a Husband Give His Wife Supportive Touch During Childbirth? – Part 2

April 26th, 2018|Marriage and Family, Niddah|

May a husband hold his wife’s hand or give her a massage during childbirth, according to halakhah? We began to answer this question last week and came to the following interim conclusions:

A pregnant woman is not considered to be in niddah until either she experiences uterine bleeding (distinct from mere stains), or until a limb of the baby emerges from the womb. Prior to this time, all forms of touch are permitted.
During childbirth, a woman is in the halakhic category of a person whose life is at risk, and Torah prohibitions, including Shabbat violations,

12 04, 2018

May My Toddler Drink Milk When She is Eating Meat or Is Treif Food Bad For Your Soul?

April 12th, 2018|Kashrut|

QUESTION:

My daughter recently turned one year old. For children of her age, it is recommended that they consume 16 ounces of whole milk a day. It is hard to get my daughter to drink milk when she is not eating. May I still give her milk when we are having meat for dinner?

ANSWER:

As a general rule, a parent need not prevent her very young toddler from doing acts that would be halakhically prohibited as an adult. There is an obligation of hinukh, educating and habituating our children to do mitzvot and observe the prohibitions (but see Tosafot Yeshanim, Yoma 82a,

8 03, 2018

May a Kohen Become a Doctor?

March 8th, 2018|Kohanim, Science and Medical Ethics|

This Shabbat we read Parashat Parah to remind us of the preparations that were necessary to undergo in order to be able to bring the korban pesah. While it is hard for us nowadays to relate to the laws of corpse-impurity detailed in the maftir section, there is one case where these details really matter. It is the question of whether a kohen can become a doctor.

To become a doctor in the United States, medical students are required to perform a dissection on a human cadaver. For a kohen who wishes to become a doctor, this can present a serious

Saying Kaddish for a non-Jewish Parent

25 01, 2018

Saying Kaddish for a non-Jewish Parent

January 25th, 2018|Aveilut, Kaddish, Kibbud Av Ve'Eim, Lifecycles, Non-Jews and Other Religions, Tefillah, Yoreh De'ah|

May a Jew by choice sit shivah and say kaddish for their non-Jewish parent?

To answer this question we must address two issues: (1) What is halakhah’s view of the parent-child relationship in these cases? The gemara states, “A person who converts is like a newborn infant,” (Yevamot 22a). In other words, a convert is unrelated halakhically to his biological father and mother. Should we read this statement in absolute terms or is halakhah cognizant of the biological and emotional bonds between parent and child regardless of legal definitions? (2) Do our halakhic and religious obligations direct us to mourn the

12 Next

Join our WhatsApp group

Topics