Clearing a table that will not be used again on Shabbat
The idea of hachana is simple, but its practical parameters are difficult to define. One must not do...
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Doing work on Motzaei Shabbat before Havdala
Our small survey of knowledgeable people had the following results. Most (including talmidei chachamim) have never heard of...
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Eating on Shabbat by midday
Your impression has a basis but is not precise. Let us explain. We fulfill the main mitzva of...
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Making tea on Shabbat
There are many opinions, including widely varied ones, on this matter. We will have to be satisfied with...
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Taking lactase pills on Shabbat
Before we try to solve your specific problem, let us “digest” the topic a little more broadly. There...
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Benefiting on Shabbat from work done by a child
Your question raises standard Shabbat questions, which we will address briefly, along with the question about melacha (forbidden...
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Is a rock collection muktzeh on Shabbat?
Often, regarding issues of muktzeh, only the person who asks the question can answer it, as we will...
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Guest who does not find pre-cut toilet paper for Shabbat
To properly address this question one must deal with two distinct issues. The first is simply what to...
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Removing excess milk from cereal on Shabbat
There are three major requirements to avoid borer. The three are (1) taking the desired element (ochel) from...
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Encouraging a non-Jew to buy tickets on Shabbat
The general rule about arranging before Shabbat for a non-Jew to do work for you on Shabbat is...
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Sorting silverware on Shabbat
The basic rule of borer requires that three conditions be fulfilled in order to permissibly separate an object...
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Insulating hot food taken from an oven on Shabbat
This response does not relate to use of an oven on Shabbat, which has potential pitfalls and solutions...
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Insulating a warm challa before Shabbat
The problem of wrapping, to which you refer, is the rabbinic prohibition of hatmana (insulation). We cannot get...
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Tashlich on Shabbat
First a little background on the origin of Tashlich, which will also have pertinence to the answer to...
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Blowing shofar on behalf of women
Women are exempt from hearing shofar blowing. Although it is forbidden to blow a shofar on Yom Tov...
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Outlook of one who must eat on Yom Kippur
Someone who, by fasting, would be putting his life in danger is permitted and commanded to eat and/or...
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Children fasting on Yom Kippur
Children below age nine: There are no limitations on these children’s eating on Yom Kippur. There is discussion...
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Why is Simchat Torah celebrated Sukkot time?
Simchat Torah, celebrating the completion of the public reading of the Torah, occurs at the end of Sukkot,...
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Taking a lulav and etrog to the Kotel
It is true that the Torah-level mitzva of netilat lulav applies only on the first day of Sukkot;...
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Buying a separate lulav for boys under bar mitzva
The gemara says that one should not transfer ownership of his lulav to a minor on the first...
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Categories of forbidden work on Chol HaMo’ed
There isn’t a blanket distinction, in regards to Chol HaMo’ed, between Torah and rabbinic prohibitions. In general, there...
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Going to work on Chol HaMo’ed
Two halachot, one permissive and one restrictive, are at the heart of this question, and we must see...
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The validity of artistic chanukiyot
Many people subscribe to an “absolute fact” that the lights of a chanukiya (Chanuka menora) must be in...
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Lighting Chanuka candles away from home
The gemara says that a guest is obligated to light Chanuka candles at his host’s home, but it...
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Does one need a minyan for Megillat Esther?
Both men and women should make all reasonable efforts to fulfill the mitzva of hearing the reading of...
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Giving matanot la’evyonim before Purim
Firstly, it is good to give matanot la’evyonim both locally and from chutz la’aretz to Israel. Besides avoiding...
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Rushing to eat afikoman
It is generally difficult for one to decide whether someone else should be stringent. In this case, the...
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An Ashkenazi eating from pots used for kitniyot
The various questions regarding kitniyot on Pesach seem to have become so divisive recently that one can barely...
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Chametz found on or after Pesach
Although there is a prohibition of possessing chametz on Pesach, you probably have no need to feel guilty...
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Time of selling chametz for a traveler
All things being equal, it is better to sell chametz in the place where the chametz is found...
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