Author Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein

Parshas Vayechi Which overrides, personal spiritual growth or public activism? (Likkutei Sichos Vol. 15 Sicha 3) In this week’s Parsha, Parshas Vayechi, we learn of the passing of our forefather Yaakov. Prior to his passing, Yaakov blessed each one of his children with blessings that represented their personal future as […]

This article is an excerpt from our Sefer    Buy now on Amazon.com Parshas Vayechi Pesukim: 85 [Siman: פה אל פה] Haftorah: Melachim 1 2:1-12 Number of Mitzvos: There are no Positive or Negative commands mentioned in Parshas Vayechi. Rishon Yaakov summons Yosef and requests to be buried in Eretz […]

Question: [Thursday, 12th Teves 5781] Is it permitted for me to make an order from Amazon if the arrival date is Shabbos? Also, on Amazon prime we are guaranteed the product within a certain time [i.e. two days,48 hours]. Am I allowed to order an Amazon prime product within 48 […]

Cleaning spills on Shabbos Introduction: Cleaning a spill on Shabbos involves two actions which touch upon a number of possible prohibitions. These two actions are: 1) Wetting the cloth with the spill and 2) Moving around the soaked cloth. Wetting a cloth on Shabbos touches upon a possible laundering and […]

Question: [Wednesday, 11th Teves, 5782] I guess I was never made aware of this, but a Shabbos guest of mine told me that it is forbidden to bake fish and meat simultaneously in the same oven. What do I now do with the fish and meat that was baked together […]

Walking into the Shul wearing Tallis and Tefillin:[1] According to the Zohar[2], one is to leave his house[3] and walk to the Shul wearing his Tallis [Katan and Gadol[4]] and Tefillin.[5] If this is not possible, then one should put on the Tallis and Tefillin in the courtyard of the […]

Question: [Tuesday, 10th Teves 5782] We are having a Bris today. Does the father of the child have to fast?   Answer: The Baal Bris [father of the child, Mohel and Sandak] are all required to fast the entire day of a fast day even though the Bris is taking […]

Bathing, anointing, wearing leather shoes, on a fast day:[1] It is permitted to bathe, anoint, wear leather shoes, and have marital relations on a fast day other than Tisha B’av.[2] Nevertheless, a Baal Nefesh is to be stringent not to bathe [in hot water[3], if it does not involve a […]

Question: [Monday 2nd Teves 5782] How many times is one required to immerse a vessel in the Mikveh Keilim? I have heard that one time suffices but have been told that the custom is to immerse them three times. Answer: From the letter of the law, a single immersion suffices […]

Question: [Sunday, 8th Teves, 5782] I, and many people I know, have been taught, perhaps erroneously, that the Ashkenazi custom is to always say the blessing of Minei Besamim by all spices whether they come from a tree or from the ground. Recently, someone else told me that this is […]

Parshas Vayigash An investigation into the marriage of Shimon and Dina (Likkutei Sichos Vol. 5) In this week’s Parsha, Parshas Vayigash, Yaakov and his children discover Joseph’s whereabouts and that he is the Viceroy of the country and journey to the country to remain by Joseph side. Yaakov and his […]

This article is an excerpt from our Sefer    Buy now on Amazon.com Parshas Vayigash Pesukim: 106  [Siman: יהללאל] Haftorah: Yechezkal 37:15-28 Number of Mitzvos: There are no Positive or Negative commands mentioned in Parshas Vayigash. Rishon Yehuda contends with Yosef to release Binyamin: Yehuda confronted Yosef and asked to […]

Question: [Sunday, 5th Teves 5781] Should Chabad Chassidim recite Tachanun on Hei Teves?   Answer: In general, it is customary not to say Tachanun on a day on which one celebrates a miracle that took place. However, there is no universally accepted practice of omitting Tachanun on the fifth of […]

Summary: Drinking non-wine beverages: It is permitted on temporary occasion to drink any non-wine beverage from a vessel of a Gentile even if the vessel was designated for drinking or storing wine, so long as the vessel is properly rinsed from any leftover wine prior to usage. If one desires […]

Question: [Wednesday, 4th Teves, 5782] I have heard that many people save the oil and wicks of the Chanukah Menorah for the burning of chametz by erev Pesach. Is this allowed to be done or must one burn it right away?   Answer: Although some are accustomed to save the […]

Wine glasses of a gentile-Using glass vessels of a gentile that were used to drink or store Yayin Nesech: No need to Kasher with hot water: It is permitted to drink from clean wine glasses, and other clean wine glass vessels, of a gentile without Kashering them in between [using […]

Question: [Tuesday, 3rd Teves 5782] I’m getting married in the near future and buying a wedding ring for my Kallah. I know the wedding ring should be made of gold but I would like to know if it should be made out of yellow gold or can also be made […]

Forgot to say Vesein Tal Umatar:[1] One who forgot to say Vesein Tal Umatar during the period that it is to be said [which is in Eretz Yisrael between the 7th of Marcheshven and Pesach, and in the Diaspora between the 5th/6th of December and Pesach] is required to repeat […]

Question: [Sunday, 1st Teves, 5782] I and a number of my roommates lit the menorah on the floor in order so we can sit around it and have a Kumzitz around the lights. Someone then said to us that it must be lit three handbreadths above on the ground, otherwise […]

Eating festive meals on Chanukah and the Chanukah menu:[1] There is a dispute amongst Poskim regarding the form of celebration the Sages established to be performed on Chanukah. Some Poskim[2] rule the rejoicing was established to be performed only in a spiritual nature; to light candles, say Al Hanisim and […]

Question: [Thursday 28th Kisleiv 5782] We are accustomed, as many of the people are as well, to answer the Amen after the blessings of the Hanukkah menorah in a long tune which stretches out the Amen. One of my children said to me that she heard that it is forbidden […]

Question: [Wednesday, 27th Kisleiv, 5782] We are having a Chanukah party by relatives for which we must leave prior to the candle lighting time. My question is regarding what we should do about lighting and if we should light candles by our host, or should wait to light until we […]

The Shamash-Purpose & Halachic details-Part 2[1] E. How long is the Shamash to last for?[2] The Shamash is to last for at least 30 minutes after nightfall. F. When to light the Shamash: The candle which is used to light all the other candles is to be lit before the […]

Question: [Tuesday, 26th Kisleiv 5782] One of the branches of our tall Chanukah menorah broke off together with the Shamash, and we hence now have only seven branches by the Menorah. May I use this menorah to light with until the seventh night?   Answer: If the menorah is made […]

The Shamash-Purpose & Halachic details:[1] A. Its name and the candle that it refers to: The technical term Shamash refers to the candle used to light the Chanukah candles, hence lending it its name “the servant,” and not necessarily to the extra candle that is lit in addition to the […]

Question: [Monday 25th Kisleiv 5782] My wife will not be coming home until about an hour after nightfall. Is it better for me to light by myself on time or should I wait for her to come home in order to light?   Answer: It is better in such a […]

Question: [Sunday, 24th Kisleiv, 5782] In our Shul we usually have a custom that the Chazan of Mincha lights the Shul’s Menorah before Aleinu. I am actually within the year of morning and will be leading the prayers throughout Chanukah and I would like to know is there any issue […]

This article is an excerpt from our Sefer    Buy now on Amazon.com Parshas Vayeishev Pesukim:112  [Siman: יבק] Haftorah: Amos 2:6-3:8 Number of Mitzvos: There are no Positive or Negative commands mentioned in Parshas Vayeishev.   Rishon Yosef’s relationship with his father and brothers: Yaakov dwelled in the land of […]

Parshas Vayeishev The spiritual advantage of Yosef over Yaakov and his brothers and the lessons in Bitachon and Bechira Chafshis (Likkutei Sichos Vol. 3[1]) In this week’s Parsha, Parshas Vayeishev, we learn of the troubling tale of events that occurred between Yosef and his brothers. Yosef rouses his brothers anger […]

Question: [Thursday 21st Kisleiv 5782] I know that women are accustomed to not do work during the first half-hour the candles are lit. My question is if this applies even against frying Latkes to give out to the family while they sit around the Chanukah candles?   Answer: It is […]

Where in the home/property should the Menorah be lit- Inside the house versus outside the house? A. The letter of the law:[1] The candles are to be lit outside the front door of one’s house, which opens towards the public.[2] [This only applies if there is no courtyard in the […]

Question: [Wednesday, 20th Kisleiv, 5782] Somebody said something to me the other day in Shul, within ears reach of other people, which I was deeply offended by. I know that he probably did not intend to offend me, and he may have had good intentions, but the way it came […]

In honor of Yud Tes Kisleiv, shulchanaruchharav.com, is offering a 30% discount in its English Sefer on Torah Or-Likkutei Torah, using code yudtes30. The following article was published today in the Daily Halacha podcast of shulchanaruchharav.com in honor of Yud Tes Kisleiv. You can sign up to receive the daily […]

Question: [Tuesday, 19th Kisleiv 5782] I just noticed that one of my Mezuzahs were upside down. I don’t know how this happened, but I must’ve absentmindedly put it in the wrong way into the case and only noticed now when I was looking for where the shin was, and saw […]

The Halachic obligation to celebrate the day of a miracle Chanukah and Yud Tes Kisleiv A day in which a miracle occurred is to be commemorated throughout the generations. This celebration is not a mere matter of thanks but according to some Poskim carries with it a Biblical obligation. There […]

Question: [Monday 18th Kisleiv 5782] If I have an itch by my ankle in middle of Shemoneh Esrei, may I lift my other leg in order to itch it with my shoe and the like?   Answer: If the itch is really bothering you, then you may use your foot […]

Question: [Sunday, 17th Kisleiv, 5782] May or should a Chazan who is a non-mourner recite the Kaddish before Hodu if there is no Avel in the room? Does this apply even if both his parents are still alive? Answer: Yes, even a Chazan whose parents are both alive may, and […]

The measurement of the Batim-Understanding the 4×4 Chabad Batim:[1] Letter of law: The length and width of the Batim [i.e. Ketzitza] do not have any [minimum or maximum] size.[2] [Nonetheless, one cannot make them too big that they won’t rest on the head properly, and may also not make them […]

This article is an excerpt from our Sefer    Buy now on Amazon.com Parshas Vayishlach Pesukim: 154 [Siman: קליטה] Haftorah: Ovadia 1:1-21 Number of Mitzvos: There is a total of One Mitzvah in Parshas Vayishlach; Zero positive command and One negative commands. The following are the commands in the order […]

Parshas Vayishlach The importance of the day of the wedding and its everlasting effect (Likkutei Sichos Vol. 30 3rd Sicha) In this week’s Parsha, Parshas Vayishlach, the names of the wives of Esav are mentioned. In total, he had three wives one of which one was the daughter of Ishmael […]

Question: [Thursday 14th Kisleiv 5782] I was in middle of saying a blessing of Hamotzi by the Shabbos table when one of my small children started talking in middle, and I shushed him up to be quiet. I didn’t actually say any words but simply said to him “Shah.” Is […]