Living the halachic process

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...

Tashlich on Shabbat

First a little background on the origin of Tashlich, which will also have pertinence to the answer to...

Blowing shofar on behalf of women

Women are exempt from hearing shofar blowing. Although it is forbidden to blow a shofar on Yom Tov...

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...

Children fasting on Yom Kippur

Children below age nine: There are no limitations on these children’s eating on Yom Kippur. There is discussion...

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,...

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;...

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...

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...

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...

The validity of artistic chanukiyot

Many people subscribe to an “absolute fact” that the lights of a chanukiya (Chanuka menora) must be in...

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...

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...

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...

Rushing to eat afikoman

It is generally difficult for one to decide whether someone else should be stringent. In this case, the...

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...

Chametz found on or after Pesach

Although there is a prohibition of possessing chametz on Pesach, you probably have no need to feel guilty...

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...