Living the halachic process

Rules of lighting Shabbat candles

There are two elements included in candle lighting. The main element is a general mandate to have enough...

Swimming on Shabbat

The mishna in Beitza says that one is not allowed to swim across a body of water on...

Use of hearing aid on Shabbat

While there are several issues concerning hearing aids on Shabbat from a halachic perspective, all of the major...

Kashrut of milk that was milked on Shabbat

This response deals with the kashrut element of the issue and not with the policy of going out...

Making Havdala on Sunday

There are a few questions to deal with here, starting with the question of whether you were correct...

Grape juice for Kiddush

The gemara has a rule that states that any type of wine which is valid b’di’eved (after the...

Giving a baby a rattle on Shabbat

We will begin by confirming your apparent assumption that it is forbidden for an adult to use an...

Killing mosquitoes on Shabbat

Ridding oneself of living creatures could involve the melachot of tzad (trapping) and/or shochet (killing). If one does...

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...

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...

Eating on Shabbat by midday

Your impression has a basis but is not precise. Let us explain. We fulfill the main mitzva of...

Making tea on Shabbat

There are many opinions, including widely varied ones, on this matter. We will have to be satisfied with...

Taking lactase pills on Shabbat

Before we try to solve your specific problem, let us “digest” the topic a little more broadly. There...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Sorting silverware on Shabbat

The basic rule of borer requires that three conditions be fulfilled in order to permissibly separate an object...

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...

Insulating a warm challa before Shabbat

The problem of wrapping, to which you refer, is the rabbinic prohibition of hatmana (insulation). We cannot get...

An Expectant Woman Staying Near the Hospital for Shabbat

An expectant mother certainly does not have to find a place close to the hospital for Shabbat. On...

Making Early Shabbat

There is a machloket among Tanna’im whether the cutoff between the times of Mincha and Ma’ariv is nightfall...

What One Must Eat After Kiddush

We will start with the background and the standard instructions for eating after making or hearing Kiddush and...

Women Eating and Drinking Before Kiddush

First, we need to understand the halacha for men, and then we can apply it to the case...

Paying for Work Performed by a Non-Jew on Shabbat

There are several rules regarding when and how one is allowed to ask non-Jews to do things that...

Violating Shabbat to Save an Animal

To save a human life, it is permitted – even halachically obligatory – to violate Shabbat. In fact,...

Using White Wine for Kiddush

The gemara says that wine for Kiddush must be fit for nesachim (libations). The ensuing discussion on applying...

Women Making Havdala

Women must at least recite HaMavdil‎{&&1}‎ or the equivalent on Motzaei Shabbat before doing work that is forbidden...

Do Children Have to Accept Shabbat Along With Their Mother?

Let us start with your assumption that a woman accepts Shabbat by lighting the candles, and proceed from...