Teshuvah Archives | Rosh Yeshiva Responds

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

Sukkahs in the Wind

18 10, 2019

Sukkahs in the Wind

October 18th, 2019|Sukkot|

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

Accepting the Mitzvot as a Convert: Does it Matter What You’re Really Thinking?

5 06, 2019

Accepting the Mitzvot as a Convert: Does it Matter What You’re Really Thinking?

June 5th, 2019|Geirut and Geirim, Marriage and Family, Shavuot|

Rabbi Yitzchak Yehuda Shmelkes (1828-1904) was one of the leading rabbis in the latter part of the 19th century in Eastern Europe. He was the head of the rabbinical court in Lvov (Lemberg) from 1869-1893. His Beit Yiẓḥak (6 vols., 1875–1908), on the four parts of the Shulkḥan Arukh, was widely acclaimed. His opinion on halakhic questions was sought by many prominent contemporary scholars. Rabbi Schmelkes made a number of particularly influential rulings in new areas of Jewish law. Regarding copyrights, he argued that an author’s exclusive right to publish their manuscript derived from the Jewish law of unfair competition and the author’s property right

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

3 05, 2018

Is My Electric Shaver Kosher? (short version)

May 3rd, 2018|Shaving, Yoreh De'ah|

[Note: This is an abreviated version of a longer teshuvah on the same topic]

QUESTION:

Can I shave with an electric shaver and are all models permissible?

ANSWER:

In two separate verses, the Torah prohibits men to shave their beards. In parashat Kedoshim, the Torah states: “You shall not destroy (tashchit) the corners of your beards,” (Vayikra 19:27). Two chapters later, in parashat Emor, addressing the male Kohanim, the Torah states: “The corners of their beards they shall not shave (yigaleichu),” (Vayikra 21:5). The Talmud (Makkot 21a) states that these two verses are not two separate prohibitions, one for Kohanim and one for all male Jews,

Solar Eclipse: To Bless or Not to Bless

18 08, 2017

Solar Eclipse: To Bless or Not to Bless

August 18th, 2017|Berakhot|

This coming Monday, August 21, there will be a full solar eclipse visible to everyone in North America, the first of its kind in the last 26 years. For those of us in the New York area, it will appear as a partial eclipse, covering approximately 70% of the sun, and can be seen at its height between 2:30-3:00 PM. For those directly in its path – a line cutting from Lincoln Beach, OR to Charleston, SC – the eclipse will be total. Regardless of where one is, it is sure to be an exciting and, for many, awe-inspiring experience.

7 04, 2017

Being In A House With Hametz

April 7th, 2017|Pesach|

Question:

QUESTION 1: I currently live with an apartment-mate who is Jewish but not at all observant. We have a good arrangement for the rest of the year but Pesach might present a problem. I’ll obviously get rid of my own hametz, but my apartment-mate doesn’t want to get rid of his cereal and bread for the week. He did offer to store his cereal and other hametz in his room for the week rather than in the kitchen. Is it necessary for him to have his hametz in his room? What do I do if he forgets and sticks something in the fridge or on

May a Woman Recite Birkat Eirusin?

6 03, 2017

May a Woman Recite Birkat Eirusin?

March 6th, 2017|Kiddushin and Ketubah, Lifecycles, Marriage and Family, Women|

Question:

I am a woman serving as a member of the clergy in an Orthodox synagogue. I have been asked to officiate at a wedding. I would like to say Birkat Eirusin, the blessing before the giving of the ring. Although I could be the mesaderet and not say this b’rakhah, neither I nor the couple like the message that would be implied, were I to step aside for someone else to recite the b’rakhah. It signals that I am not truly the one officiating at the wedding. Is it permissible for me as a woman to recite the Birkat Eirusin?

Answer:

Thank

Electric Shavers – Which Ones are Kosher?

8 02, 2017

Electric Shavers – Which Ones are Kosher?

February 8th, 2017|Shaving|

Question:

I noticed a new electric shaver, the Norelco OneBlade, which has the appearance of a safety razor, and can shave a length of the face in one stroke, but actually is electric with a foil screen (see pictures). Any chance you could weigh in as to whether you think it would be acceptable for a man to use on his whole face? Thanks!

Answer:

10 10, 2016

Women Leading Selichot: A Response to Rabbi Ysoscher Katz

October 10th, 2016|Orach Chayim, Tefillah, Women|

This teshuva is part of a series. To read Rabbi Linzer’s original teshuva on this subject, click here. To read Rabbi Katz’s original teshuva in Hebrew, click here. To read Rabbi Katz’s original teshuva in English, click here. To read Rabbi Katz’s response to this response, click here.

I was pleased to read the teshuva by Rabbi Ysoscher Katz, shlita, on the issue of women leading selichot, a topic that I addressed in a teshuva last year. Rabbi Katz’s halakhic argument appears in the third and final section of his teshuva. The first section of his teshuva is devoted to laying out a methodological approach to halakhic rulings on this and similar

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