How Thoroughly Should Bedikat Chametz Be Done?
In terms of the classical sources, your observation is correct. The gemara does not discuss the serious cleaning...
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Bedikat Chametz in Shul
The Yerushalmi states that shuls and batei midrash require bedikat chametz because various meals are held in them....
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How Much Charoset Goes on the Maror?
The mishna states: “They brought before him matza, chazeret, charoset, and two cooked foods, even though charoset is...
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Eating Shmura Matza{&&} All of Pesach
There are certainly halachic elements to the question, but family and local minhagim should play a major factor...
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Making Egg Matzot Available to Guests at a Hotel
Although you are apparently aware of the basic bottom line on egg matzot, it is worthwhile to review...
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Forgotten Chametz Found After Pesach
We accept Rabbi Shimon’s opinion that chametz she’avar alav haPesach is a rabbinic injunction that prohibits eating or...
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Does Tasting a Fleishig Crumb Make One Fleishig?
We will first analyze the explanations offered by the Rishonim for the practice of waiting six hours (or...
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Using a Knife Sharpener for Milchig and Fleishig Knives
In order to answer your question, we must address two different scenarios. If you are the first to...
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Kashering a Water Kettle that Came in Contact with Cheese
Had the kettle simply touched a perfectly clean, reasonably dry milchig sink, no kashering would have been necessary....
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Rinsing After Eating Pareve Food Cooked in Fleishig Pot
The matter of milk and meat is one in which halacha employs more stringency than one might expect....
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What May a Slaughterhouse Do With Non-Kosher Byproducts?
You are apparently early in the planning process. In order to run a kosher meat operation, you will...
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Tovelling Commercial Food-Producing Equipment
There are several elements in which leniency can be considered. The gemara says that only klei seuda (literally,...
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Tevillat Keilim{&&} When There Is an Air Pocket
The mishna says that if one puts a kli (utensil) into a mikveh upside down, it is an...
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Hafrashat Challa{&&} When Part Was Baked and Part is Dough
One who did not do hafrashat challa on dough may do so even on the resulting bread. ...
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The Propriety of a Traveling Sefer Torah
The Shulchan Aruch rules that one should not take a sefer Torah to a prison in order to...
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Placing Books on a Bima
In general, the question that you raise is cogent. A sefer Torah has a higher level of kedusha...
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Does an Elevator Require a Mezuza?
This is a fascinating question from the perspective of applying classical halachot to new situations, which leads to...
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A Mezuza at a Jewish-Owned Commercial Establishment
At first glance, it seems that he should affix mezuzot, as ownership is a major component of the...
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Trying on a Tallit Katan Without Tzitzit
There is an interesting chakira regarding the timing of the mitzva of tzitzit. Is the mitzva to attach...
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Checking the Tzitzit of a Shul Tallit
We will answer this question on several levels, starting with the most basic. The Shulchan Aruch rules that...
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Should a Single Man Wear a Tallit?
While your surprise about the practice is understandable, you seem to have overstated the issue. We will explore...
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Is Long Hair a Problem for Tefillin?
Some poskim say that long hair is a chatzitza for tefillin. However, regarding most cases of long hair,...
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One Who Makes the Wrong Beracha on Tefillin Shel Yad
The gemara cites R. Yochanan who says that when fastening the shel yad, one makes the beracha of...
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Does Hosting Count as Giving Tzedaka?
Let us first distinguish between different cases of hachnasat orchim. If one’s guest is poor enough to deserve...
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Dealing With the Tensions of a Complex Upbringing
There are, of course, many factors (including subjective ones) that help determine what the best educational and societal...
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Full Body Scans for Security
We will base our answer regarding the situation as it appears to exist at this time (subject to...
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Refraining from Sitting in a Parent’s Seat
The Torah commands us to show respect (kavod) to our parents and to treat them with awe (mora)....
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Origin of the Practice of Men Covering Their Heads
The practice of men covering their heads has evolved toward increased stringency after the times of the Talmud,...
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The Origins and Nuances of Our Nation’s Names
The names Hebrews (Ivrim , in Hebrew) and Israelites are now used almost interchangeably, along with the...
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Netilat Yadayim and Hygienic Concerns
The Shulchan Aruch deals with the issue of one who leaves the bathroom and is ready to eat....
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