Living the halachic process

Using a Non-Jew to Shut Lights on Shabbat so that a Jew Will Not

There are several circumstances in which a non-Jew can do work on a Jew’s behalf on Shabbat. Some...

Preventing a Son’s Chillul Shabbat

While your question, as asked, is a worthy one, you certainly understand that the more important issue in...

Heating Up Food Before Shabbat

We will first introduce the stringency of “right before Shabbat” that you refer to and then apply it...

Removing Loose Hair on Shabbat

Our response to this question is somewhat uncharacteristic in comparison to our standard approach to Halacha. We have...

Using a Dishwasher on a Timer on Shabbat

At first glance, there would not seem to be fundamental problems with operating the machine on a timer,...

Expressing Milk for Medicinal Purposes

According to the great majority of authorities, human nursing, not only milking a cow, is a Torah violation...

Categories of Muktzeh and their Ramifications

The categorization of an object as muktzeh machamat chisaron kis depends on the specific owner, object, and circumstances....

How Much of the Lechem Mishneh‎ Does One Need to Eat?

The Rama, in describing how much of a loaf one should properly cut off after reciting HaMotzi, writes:...

Removing Food with a Slotted Spoon‎

A baraita mentions cryptically that selecting (borer) some food from among other types of food is sometimes forbidden...

Moving a Potted Plant on Shabbat

Before we get to your question regarding muktzeh, we must first discuss the potential problem of uprooting a...

Making Ice Cubes on Shabbat

A baraita states that on Shabbat, one may not crush snow to get water, although he can put...

Carrying a Child on Shabbat Where There Is No Eiruv

While your friend is not totally mistaken, the basic answer is that one may not carry a person...

A Group Eiruv Techumin

It is possible to make an eiruv techumin for a period of many Shabbatot. (To do so, one...

Is a Shofar Muktzeh When Not in Use?

In order to answer this question, we must first evaluate whether it is permitted to blow the shofar...

Birkat Kohanim of Ne’ila after Sunset

The practice of doing Birkat Kohanim during Ne’ila is referred to in a mishna and is accepted by...

Intravenous Nutrition on Yom Kippur

We will start with a discussion of whether intravenous nourishment is a violation of eating on Yom Kippur,...

Keeping a Kosher Restaurant Without a Sukka Open on Sukkot

You do not want your restaurant to be responsible for people eating improperly. While women’s eating in a...

For Which Mitzvot Does Shelichut‎ Work

The mitzva of taking the arba minim on Sukkot is a classic example of a mitzva sheb’gufo, a...

Eiruv Tavshilin and the Second Day of Yom Tov

There are three types of eiruvin: 1) tavshilin – to allow cooking on Yom Tov for Shabbat; 2)...

When and How to Light Chanuka Candles When Returning Home Late

First, one may not light at work with a beracha. The mitzva is essentially only fulfilled in a...

Mincha Before Chanuka Lighting on Friday

There are prominent, albeit relatively recent, sources that indicate that one should daven Mincha before lighting Chanuka candles...

Are Women and Single Children Obligated in Mishlo’ach Manot?

The Rama writes: “Women are obligated in mishlo’ach manot as men are; women should send to women, and...

The Practice of Machatzit HaShekel‎

Let us first clarify a few things about the minhag of machatzit hashekel before dealing with specifics. There...

Chametz that Is Difficult to Reach

There are several Talmudic discussions about situations in which it is questionable whether it is necessary to get...

One who Failed to Recline While Drinking Wine on Pesach

Our main focus in our answer will be on Ashkenazi men. (Many Ashkenazi women do not recline while...

Does One Need to Own the Matza That He Eats?

The gemara does appears to say, as you indicate, that one must own his matza. In discussing matza...

Stovetop Grates for Pesach

As is common with regard to Pesach, the halacha is particularly strict on this matter, and the practice...

Erev Pesach that Falls on Shabbat

There are a number of valid solutions to the challenges of Erev Pesach on Shabbat. People should determine...

Eating Dairy on Shavuot

We can give you only partial clarity – and an assurance that there are many legitimate ways to...

Eating Meat During the Nine Days

The gemara says that on the day before Tisha B’Av, one should not eat meat. The Shulchan Aruch...