Rosh Yeshiva Responds
Rabbi Linzer answers halakhic questions from rabbis and community members

27 02, 2025

Afternoon Purim Se’udah Going into Shabbat Dinner (Poreis Mapah Umekadeish)

February 27th, 2025|Berakhot, Kiddush, Seudah, Havdalah, Orach Chayim, Purim|

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QUESTION

New York, NY

Can one have a Purim Seudah late in the day, and have it enter into the Shabbat meal? What special considerations are there if we want to do this in the shul as a community Purim/Shabbat dinner?

ANSWER

This definitely may be done. It is based on the principle poreis mapah umekadeish

25 02, 2021

Megillah Reading between Shekiah and Tzeit HaKokhavim

February 25th, 2021|Marriage and Family, Orach Chayim, Purim|

QUESTION

New York, NY

If we take our baby to an early reading that’s between Shekiah and Tzeit, do my husband and I have to also take turns going to readings that are actually at night while the baby sleeps?

ANSWER

The first question is whether someone is yotzei during Bein HaShemashot. See Shulchan Arukh OC 692:4 where for a case of serious ones or illness, we allow one to read even from Plag! But see Mishnah Berurah and Biur Halakha, where the Achronim are pretty machmir in a normal case, even regarding Bein HaShemashot. That being said, I think that if it started 14 minutes after Shekiah,

1 10, 2020

Simchat Torah Hakafot Before Tzeit HaKokhavim

October 1st, 2020|Orach Chayim, Simchat Torah, Yom Tov|

QUESTION

Baltimore, MD

We have been davening Shabbat afternoon with the Plag HaMinchah split (Mincha before Plag and Ma’ariv after Plag), as we are davening outside in an unlit backyard. Scheduling hakafot for that early feels wrong — when davening Ma’ariv for the next day (whether it’s Yom Tov or chol), everyone then walks home and continues to act like Shabbat until Tzeit HaKokhavim. But to dance hakafot and publicly celebrate the next day of Yom Tov while it is still Shabbat feels different. Am I right in thinking that there might be halakhic issues