Barchu of Birchas Hatorah

Barchu of Birchas Hatorah: One is to recite Barchu prior to beginning the blessings over the Torah.[1] The saying of Barchu serves as an introduction towards the blessing of “Asher Bachar Banu”, and is part of the blessing over the Torah that was instituted to be recited by the Oleh.[2] […]

The prayer of Keil Erech Apayim

Keil Erech Apayim: The prayer of Keil Erech Apayim is recited on Mondays and Thursdays prior to taking out the Sefer Torah.[1] Fast day: Some[2] are accustomed to recite Keil Erech Apayim prior to Kerias Hatorah on fast days, even if it does not fall on Monday or Thursday. Some[3] […]

The Parchment

  1. Which part of the animals skin to use as parchment:[1] Initially it is Mitzvah to write the Mezuzah on the Duchsutis[2]  part of the animal’s skin. However Bedieved if it was written on the Klaf[3] or on the Gevil[4] it remains Kosher.[5] Today’s Klaf is kosher according to […]

Renting or borrowing a home

  Renting/Borrowing a house that does not have a Mezuzah:[1] A. Outside of Eretz Yisrael: When renting or borrowing[2] a home outside of Eretz Yisrael, one is not obligated to place a Mezuzah on it for the first thirty days that he lives there.[3] Chabad custom:[4] The current Chabad Custom[5], […]

Covering a Mezuzah

  Covering the Mezuzah-Mezuzah Cases: This Halacha tackles three different subjects associated with covering a Mezuzah. 1) The need to cover a Mezuzah in certain areas of filth and immodesty. [Halacha A] 2) The custom leave the name Shakaiy of the Mezuzah visible to the outside, in areas that a […]

Borrowing a Mezuzah

Does one fulfill his obligation with a borrowed Mezuzah? Yes.[1] However some Poskim[2] question this matter. [1] Minchas Chinuch 23; Har Tzevi Yore Deah 238; Mikdash Meat 285/4 The reason: As the Torah does not say Lachem by the Mezuzah. [2] Daas Kedoshim 289; See Admur 38/11 and M”A 38/15 […]

Kissing the Mezuzah

  Touching the Mezuzah upon leaving and entering ones home:[1] There are opinions[2] which hold that when a person leaves his home, he should place his hand[3] on the Mezuzah and say “Hashem Yishmor Tzeisi Uvoi Meyata Viad Olam[4]”. Similarly one should place his hand on the Mezuzah upon entering […]

Holding a Mezuzah as Segula

May one hold on to a Mezuzah as a Segulah for protection?[1] Yes. The Rebbe Rayatz was accustomed to have a Mezuzah on his desk.[2]   May one give a Mezuzah to a gentile as a Segulah for protection?[3] Yes. [1] Yerushalmi Peah 1/1; Tosefes Yom Tov on Keilim 17/15; […]

Many rooms to a home

  Many rooms in one home:[1] All the rooms in a home are obligated to have a Mezuzah.[2] Thus placing the Mezuzah only on the front door, as is the renowned custom in these provinces, does not suffice, and they have no Halachic authority to rely upon.[3] Therefore every G-d […]

Many doors to a home

  Many openings to a home:[1] If a home has many openings to the outside or to the courtyard, and the openings were built for the household members to use to enter and exit into the home, then they are all obligated to have a Mezuzah placed on them. This […]

The Mitzvah; Its Importance & Reward

  1. The Mitzvah:[1] It is a positive commandment to write the paragraphs of “Shema” and “Vehaya Im Shamaoa”[2] and to then place it on the doorpost.   2. Its importance:[3] One must be very careful to fulfill this command. [The reason for this is because the Mezuzah contains everyone’s […]

A Domed entrance

A domed entrance:[1] An entrance that has two doorposts with a dome shaped lintel over it, requires a Mezuzah if the doorposts are both at least a height of ten Tefach. This length is measured from the ground until the point that the doorposts begin to curve.[2] If the doorpost […]

Height and Width of Doorpost

  Height of doorposts:[1] Each of the two doorposts must reach a height of at least ten Tefach to be considered a Halachic doorpost which requires a Mezuzah.   Width of the doorway-Must the entrance of the doorway contain a minimum width of opening? Some Poskim[2] rule the doorway does […]

Door-less openings

  A door-less opening:[1] Openings which do not have doors are nevertheless obligated to have a Mezuzah. However some Poskim[2] exempt such an opening from needing a Mezuzah.[3] Thus, in order to fulfill ones obligation according to all opinions, when one places a Mezuzah on a door-less opening he should […]

Ship

A ship:[1] The rooms of a ship are exempt from a Mezuzah.[2] [However those ships that contain permanent rooms of living, as is common in all boats and ships of today, some Poskim[3] rule they are obligated to have a Mezuzah. Other Poskim[4] however rule that the rooms of all […]

Mobile Home

  Are the doors of a mobile home obligated to have a Mezuzah? If one lives in the home on a permanent basis, it is obligated in Mezuzah.[1] If however one does not live in it on a permanent basis, then it is not obligated to have a Mezuzah. [1] […]

Office

Is an office obligated to have a Mezuzah? An office shares the same status as a store and is hence to have a Mezuzah placed without a blessing.   Is the entrance of an office building obligated to have a Mezuzah?[1] An office building which contains Jewish offices is to […]

Stores

  Stores:[1] Stores do not require a Mezuzah.[2] [However some Poskim[3] rule that only temporary store booths, such as the booths of a fair, are exempt from having a Mezuzah[4], however permanent stores are obligated in a Mezuzah.[5] Practically one is to place the Mezuzah without a blessing.[6]] Store inside […]

Stairway/Guard house; Garden

  Doors of a Staircase/Guard house/Garden:[1] The door of a staircase, guard house or garden is obligated to have a Mezuzah if the area leads to an opening which is obligated to have a Mezuzah. Thus the doors of stairways which lead to apartments are obligated to have a Mezuzah. […]

Diaper changing room

A diaper changing room:[1] A room which is used to change diapers, or that has other forms of excrement in it, should have the Mezuzah of its doorpost covered.   [1] Michaber 286/5; Shach 289/9 Other opinions: Some Poskim rule one should not place Mezuzahs in such a room. [Bach, […]

House or room of Women

  The house/room of women: The home or room of a woman is obligated to have a Mezuzah.[1] If it is a room which serves as an actual place of dwelling, then it is obligated to have a Mezuzah even if she is accustomed to be unclothed inside the room, […]

Storage room

Storage rooms:[1] Storage rooms of wine, oil, straw, or woods are all obligated to have a Mezuzah on their doorposts.[2] However those storage rooms in which a woman [or man[3]] undress in, such as to take a shower, are not to have a Mezuzah.[4] [1] 186/1-2 Other opinions: The Rambam […]

Barn and Chicken coop

  Barn/Chicken coop:[1] A barn and chicken coop require a Mezuzah to be placed on the doorpost of their entrance.[2] However the Mezuzah must be covered in such areas.[3] [1] 286/1 [2] Michaber ibid The reason: As a) People enter and leave through it; and b) The areas are not […]

Gates

Entrance gates:[1] The entrance gates of houses, courtyards, cities and countries [which are surrounded by mountains, or fences or walls, and thus the only exit from the country is through the entrance gate[2]] are all obligated to have a Mezuzah placed on their door posts[3], if there are no non-Jewish […]

Bathroom, Bathhouse, Mikveh

  Bathroom/Mikvah/Skin processing plant:[1] A bathroom or Mikveh is exempt from having a Mezuzah being that they were not made for an honorable form of dwelling.[2] Thus they should not have a Mezuzah placed on their doors even if the Mezuzah will be covered.[3]   Does the lounge of a […]

Shul and Beis Midrash

A Synagogue/A Beis Midrash: There is a difference in law between a Shul, which is the sanctuary of prayer, and a Beis Midrash, which is the learning hall. A sanctuary which also serves as a learning hall, as is common in most Shuls today, follows the same law as a […]

Gentile roommates

A home/room that contains a gentile:[1] If one of the occupants of a home or room is a non-Jew, such as a home or room that is jointly owned or rented by a Jew and non-Jew, it is exempt from having a Mezuzah.[2] [Some[3] however conclude that one is to […]

A roofless structure

  A roofless structure:[1] A house which does not have a roof is exempt from having a Mezuzah.[2] If it is partially roofed, then if the roof is by the area of the opening to the room, and the roof is a space of at least 4 by 4 Amos, […]

Women wearing Tefillin

Women:[1] Women are exempt from wearing Tefillin.[2] Furthermore, they are to be protested against doing so.[3] ______________________________________________________________________________ [1] 38/3; Michaber 38/3; Mishneh Brachos 20 Male slaves: Male slaves follow the same law as women and are exempt from Tefillin. [Admur ibid] [2] The reason: As Tefillin is a time dependent […]

Erotic Thoughts

Erotic thoughts:[1] One who dons Tefillin must beware not to entertain erotic thoughts of women.[2] [This applies even to one’s own wife.[3]] If he is unable to wear Tefillin without such thoughts then it is better for him not to put them on at all.[4] However this only applies if […]

Crack in Tefillin

If the Tefillin is cracked at its bottom, as is common to occur between the lower and higher Titurah which have been sewed, is it Kosher?[1] Yes, so long as the stitches have not been torn and the Tefillin maintain their square shape the Tefillin remain Kosher.   [1] Zichron […]

Smoking in Tefillin

  May one smoke cigarettes while wearing Tefillin?[1] One is to avoid smoking cigarettes while wearing Tefillin in public due to it being belittling to the Tefillin. In private however one may be lenient. As well if one feels he needs to smoke in order to clear his mind for […]

Eating in Tefillin

May one eat, drink, and say Lechaim, while wearing Tefillin?[1] A meal: One who enters [while wearing Tefillin] to eat a set meal [i.e. bread] is required to remove his Tefillin.[2] He is to leave them on the table so they are available to him after the meal is complete, […]

Tefillin on Chol Hamoed

Chol Hamoed:[1] The dispute: It is disputed amongst the Rishonim and Poskim as to whether one is to put on Tefillin on Chol Hamoed. Some Poskim[2] rule that Chol Hamoed is not a time of Tefillin [similar to Shabbos and Yom Tov, and it is hence forbidden to wear Tefillin […]

Tefillin on Shabbos and Yom Tov

Shabbos and Yom Tov:[1] Shabbos and Yom Tov are not a time for Tefillin and one is thus not required to wear Tefillin on Shabbos or Yom Tov.[2] Furthermore, it is even forbidden to wear Tefillin one these days for the sake of the Mitzvah. One who dons Tefillin on […]

Tefillin after early Maariv

If one Davened Maariv early may he still put on Tefillin?[1] One who forgot and did not put on Tefillin throughout the day and only remembered after Davening an early daytime Maariv [i.e. past Plag Hamincha but before night], it is disputed as to whether he is still allowed to […]

Tefillin past sunset

  Until when during the day may one put on Tefillin?[1] One is not to don Tefillin after Shekiah/sunset.[2] [See Q&A!]   Q&A If one did not put on Tefillin the entire day, may he do so after sunset, before Tzeis Hakochavim? Yes.[3] However one is to put the Tefillin […]

Tefillin at night

Tefillin at Night:[1] Biblically one is obligated to wear Tefillin also at night.[2] However the Sages prohibited one to wear Tefillin at night.[3]   Q&A If one did not put on Tefillin the entire day, may he do so at night?[4] No.[5] If one cannot wear Tefillin during the day […]

Speaking between Rashi and Rabbeinu Tam

  May one speak before wearing Tefillin of Rabbeinu Tam after Davening? It is permitted to speak prior to wearing Tefillin of Rabbeinu Tam after Davening.[1] Nevertheless, some Poskim[2] write it is best to avoid speaking prior to wearing Tefillin of Rabbeinu Tam.[3] Some Chassidim are stringent to follow this […]

How often is one to wear Tefillin?

How often is one to wear Tefillin?[1] The Mitzvah of Tefillin is for one to wear the Tefillin throughout the entire day.[2] [See Q&A regarding if this is a Biblical obligation] The custom however [in today’s times] is not to wear it the entire day.[3] Rather, the Tefillin is worn […]

The Mitzvah of wearing Tefillin

The Mitzvah of wearing Tefillin: It is a positive command in the Torah to wear Tefillin. It incorporates two positive commands, one to wear the head Tefillin and the second to wear the hand Tefillin.[1] This command is repeated in the Torah 4 different times, and hence one who does […]

Selling Tzitzis to a Gentile

This Halacha is an excerpt from our SeferBuy me on Amazon.com Selling Tzitzis to a Gentile: [1] One may not sell a Tallis with Tzitzis to a gentile, even if the gentile is a merchant, as doing so may lead to murder.[2] Likewise, one may not give a gentile a Tallis with Tzitzis […]

Sending Tzitzis string thru a gentile

This Halacha is an excerpt from our SeferBuy me on Amazon.com Sending Tzitzis strings thru a Gentile: [1] One who sends Kosher Tzitzis strings to a friend through a gentile messenger is required to place two signs on the strings, as explained in Yoreh Deah 11 [regarding the laws of Kosher food].[2] […]

Kashrus status of purchased Tzitzis

This Halacha is an excerpt from our SeferBuy me on Amazon.com The Kashrus status of purchased Tzitzis: Purchasing from a Jew:[1] One who purchases a pair of Tzitzis from a Jew can assume that the Tzitzis is Kosher [without doing any further inquiry].[2] [Nevertheless, in today’s times one can no longer rely […]

Discovered Tallis is Pasul

This article is an excerpt from our Sefer     Buy now on Amazon.com What to do if one discovered his Tallis is Pasul: [1] If one discovered his Tallis in invalid, and he is in an area that there is no embarrassment involved in removing his Tallis, such as he […]

Tying strings together

This article is an excerpt from our Sefer     Buy now on Amazon.com Tying strings together so they meet the minimum required measurement? [1] Prior to tying the string to the corner:[2] Prior to tying the Tzitzis strings to the corner, it is valid to tie the ends of two […]

Strings that unraveled

This article is an excerpt from our Sefer     Buy now on Amazon.com Strings that unraveled: [1] If any of the eight strings unraveled from its spinning after it was tied to the garment[2], the unraveled area is considered cut off from the Tzitzis and it hence does not enter into […]

Strings that tore

This Halacha is an excerpt from our Sefer Buy me here or on Amazon.com Check out our Tzitzis course! String tore from the Tzitzis:[1] Although it was already explained that at the time that the Tzitzis is tied to the corner each of the eight strings must have a minimum length of 12 Gudlin, […]

The Tzitzis braid

This article is an excerpt from our Sefer     Buy now on Amazon.com The Tzitzis braid: [1] In the previous Halachos, the laws dealing with the people that are valid to make the Tzitzis braid, and that the Tzitzis braid must be made Leshmah, were dealt with. In this Halacha the […]

A valid tying of the Tzitzis

This article is an excerpt from our Sefer     Buy now on Amazon.com The requirements that need to be fulfilled for a valid tying of the Tzitzis onto the Tallis: There are various laws relating to the tying of the Tzitzis to the garment, such as the intent one must […]

Cutting the strings

This article is an excerpt from our Sefer     Buy now on Amazon.com Cutting the strings of the Tzitzis: [1] It is proper to beware not to cut the Tzitzis strings using a knife.[2] Rather one is to cut the strings using one’s teeth. [Thus, if one’s Tzitzis strings are long […]

The length of each string

This article is an excerpt from our Sefer     Buy now on Amazon.com How long must each string be? [1] After the four Tzitzis strings are folded to form 8 strings, each of the 8 strings must contain a [minimum] length[2] of 12 Gudlin/Thumbs.[3] One measures from the wide part of […]

The Mitzvah of Techeiles

This article is an excerpt from our Sefer     Buy now on Amazon.com The Mitzvah of Techeiles: [1] As stated in the verse, the Biblical Mitzvah of Tzitzis requires that the Tzitzis strings contain both a set of white strings and a set of Techeiles strings. These two colors of string […]

How many strings must one tie

This article is an excerpt from our Sefer     Buy now on Amazon.com How many strings must one tie? [1] The Tzitzis of each corner must consist of four strings.[2] The four strings have to be entered into the corner hole of the Tallis and folded in half, for a […]

Four corners of Tzitzis

This article is an excerpt from our Sefer     Buy now on Amazon.com The four corners of Tzitzis: [1] All four corners of Tzitzis are considered a single Mitzvah, and therefore so long as a Tallis does not have all four Tzitzis attached to it, it is not Kosher.   [1] […]

Making the Tzitzis strings

This article is an excerpt from our Sefer     Buy now on Amazon.com Making the Tzitzis strings: Introduction-Understanding how a string is made: To understand the laws applicable to the making of the strings of the Tzitzis, one must first have basic knowledge in the string making process. The process […]

The hole in the corner

This article is an excerpt from our Sefer     Buy now on Amazon.com The hole in the corner of the Tallis: The hole in the corner of the Tallis Katan serves as the area through which the Tzitzis is tied to the corner. There are various laws relating to the […]

The Corners

This article is an excerpt from our Sefer     Buy now on Amazon.com The Corners: [1] A. Four corners:[2] A Tallis that contains less than four corners is exempt from Tzitzis.[3] More than four cornered garment: A Tallis that contains more than four corners, such as a garment that contains five […]

Owning the garment

This article is an excerpt from our Sefer     Buy now on Amazon.com Owning the Garment: [1] This law will discuss the Tzitzis obligations of a four cornered garment that is not owned by the wearer. Regarding reciting a blessing on a borrowed Tallis, and other related laws-refer to Chapter 2 […]

Types of garments obligated in Tzitzis

This article is an excerpt from our Sefer     Buy now on Amazon.com The types of garments obligated in Tzitzis: In addition to the requirements discussed in the previous Halachas [i.e. material; size; majority split], for a garment to be obligated in Tzitzis, there is also a set of requirements […]

Shiur Tallis

This article is an excerpt from our Sefer     Buy now on Amazon.com Shiur Tallis-The size of a Tallis Katan/Gadol: The Torah only obligates a garment to have Tzitzis if it is of a certain size. It is disputed amongst Poskim as to the measurements of this size. There is […]

5. Having a beautiful Tallis and Tzitzis

This article is an excerpt from the above Sefer *As an Amazon Associate I earn from  qualifying purchases. Donate Buy in Paperback or Kindle Buy on Apple Books Purchase on our website WhatsApp Telegram Facebook Twitter Sponsor an Article Having a beautiful Tallis and Tzitzis:[1] It is a Mitzvah to […]

Color of Tallis and Tzitzis

This article is an excerpt from our Sefer     Buy now on Amazon.com The color of the Tallis and Tzitzis: [1] Do the garment and fringes need to be the same color?[2] Some Poskim[3] are of the opinion that the fringes and garment must be the same color.[4] Thus, if the […]

A mixed material Tallis and Tzitzis

This article is an excerpt from our Sefer     Buy now on Amazon.com A Mixed material Tallis and Tzitzis: A. Mixed material garments:[1] Yarns of different materials were used to weave the garment:[2] If a Tallis was woven from yarn/threads of different materials, such as if the warp was made […]

Material of the Tzitzis

This article is an excerpt from our Sefer     Buy now on Amazon.com The material of the Tzitzis strings: [1] A. Wool and linen: Wool or linen fringes may be used as Tzitzis for a garment of any material.[2] [Nevertheless, due to the prohibition of Shatnez, it is forbidden to tie […]

Introduction to Laws of Tallis

This article is an excerpt from our Sefer     Buy now on Amazon.com Introduction: Terminology: The laws of this chapter relate to the garment of the Tallis, otherwise known as the Beged, and not to the fringes of the Tallis [to be explained in the next chapter]. In order for […]

Replacing Tallis that was removed

This article is an excerpt from our Sefer     Buy now on Amazon.com The law of the blessing when replacing a Tallis Katan/Gadol that was removed: [1] One who removed his Tallis Gadol/Katan and now desires to place it back on, is subject to the question of whether he is […]