covid-19 Archives | Rosh Yeshiva Responds

31 01, 2021

Conducting Medical Tests on a Corpse After It Has Expired

January 31st, 2021|Death and Dying, Science and Medical Ethics, Yoreh De'ah|

QUESTION

New York, NY

A not yet למעשה question: New York State requires that when hospital patients die with COVID-19 or influenza as a cause of death, the hospital must provide documentation of a nasopharyngeal swab from within the previous 14 days. If no qualifying test took place and there isn’t a swab collected before the patient died that can have additional testing done, the clinical team is instructed to swab the מת. Am I remembering correctly that this presents a halakhic problem? Should the family prevent this if they are able?

27 09, 2020

Saying Kiddush Outside of a Sukkah

September 27th, 2020|Kiddush, Seudah, Havdalah, Orach Chayim, Sukkot|

QUESTION

New York, NY

Communal sukkot this year are by sign up only, and we’re likely booked for a late lunch. If shul ends around 10:30, and I want to eat something, and can’t do it in a sukkah, what’s the best procedure re: eating and kiddush?

ANSWER

Eat a kezayit of mezonot and no more. Which isn’t חייב בישיבת סוכה.

Alternatively, rely on Rav Moshe (Iggrot Moshe YD 2:163 and OC 4:63) that you don’t need מזונות to eat at kiddush. Just if you

27 09, 2020

A Woman Holding the Sefer Torah During Kol Nidrei

September 27th, 2020|Orach Chayim, Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, Sefer Torah, Tefillah, Women|

QUESTION

Brooklyn, NY

May a women hold one of the two sifrei Torah during Kol Nidrei? Neither person is on the bimah and they will be 8 or so feet away from the bimah, for Covid-19 reasons.

ANSWER

Should be fine, but I would make sure that there is a third man standing in front or whatever, and it’s clear that the three men are the beit din.

27 09, 2020

Splitting into Two Minyanim for Chazarat HaShatz

September 27th, 2020|Orach Chayim, Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, Shema and Shemoneh Esrei|

QUESTION

Maryland, USA

We have two outside minyanim starting at 7:30 Yom Kippur morning. I’m worried about having a minyan at both right away. The two tent areas are only about 50 feet apart. If people stand in the middle, can they count for both minyanim?

ANSWER

What an interesting question. I don’t know if it’s ever been dealt with. Why not just count it as one minyan and have one Shaliach Tzibur until more arrive? (Which is probably why it’s never been dealt with before.)

27 09, 2020

Kol Nidrei on Zoom

September 27th, 2020|Orach Chayim, Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, Tefillah|

QUESTION

Chicago, IL

Can we recite Kol Nidrei on Zoom without a beit din in one place?

ANSWER

Not ideally. But if you need to it really doesn’t do anything halakhic. If you do it, I would say the nusach that is future oriented – עד יום כיפורים הבא. Then it’s clearly not a heter nedarim, just a מסירת מודעה – making an announcement.

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