Author Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein

Traveling from home during the first year:[1] The Torah[2] states that “When one marries a new wife he is not to go to the warfront or do other matters and is to be available to his house for one year and rejoice his wife that he took.” From here we […]

Todays Halacha is an excerpt from our Sefer Buy Here How long must a widow or divorcee wait to remarry? A. Not pregnant and not after birth:[1] All widows and divorcee’s must wait 90 days from after the divorce, or death of the husband, prior to remarrying [Kiddushin/Nissuin].[2] This applies even […]

Preventing monetary damage from occurring to a friend:[1] If one is able to save his friend from a possible monetary loss, he is obligated to exert as much effort possible, with all his bodily strength, to try to prevent the loss.[2] Doing so is a positive command and is included […]

Is one to specifically recite blessings out loud in order so others can answer Amen? Some Poskim[1] rule one is to specifically recite blessings aloud in order to have others answer Amen after the blessing. One is to try to have at least two people answer Amen after the blessing.[2] […]

Public affection: Couples showing affection in public:[1] Some Poskim[2] rule it is forbidden even for a couple to affectionately touch each other in front of other people.[3] [Thus, one may not hold hands, dance, hug, or kiss in public. Practically, so is the final ruling[4], and so is the custom […]

Child who stole:[1] If a child stole an object, then if the stolen object is still in existence, it is required to be returned to its owner. [This applies only if it is well known that this object of the child is stolen.[2]] If the stolen object is no longer […]

Yichud with ones mother in-law with children at home   It is permitted for one to be in Yichud with the opposite gender if there are children of a certain age [to be explained] present in the area, thus acting as Shomrim. Below we will discuss the age in which […]

Standing for a Torah scholar:[1] It is a positive command in the Torah to stand up in front of all Sages. The age: The command to stand before a Sage applies even if the Sage is not old but is young [even if he is a child under Bar Mitzvah[2]] […]

May one look into his neighbor’s property?[1] It is forbidden to look into another person’s property to see his actions and dealings, without his permission and knowledge.[2] This law applies even to a backyard and porch and goes without saying that it applies to a house. This applies even the […]

Hitting one’s parents:[1] One who hits his father or mother during their lifetime is liable for the death penalty of strangulation. This applies whether to a son or a daughter. However it only applies if blood was drawn through the hit. If however blood was not drawn through the hit, […]

Which direction should one face upon sleeping?[1] From North to South:[2] Just as it is forbidden for one to face East or West when having a bowel movement, similarly it is forbidden to sleep facing East or West with one’s wife together in bed, when one has intention to have […]

If one says he is Jewish because he converted, is he to be believed?[1] Marrying a Jew: If a person who was known to be a gentile claims that he went through conversion and became Jewish, he is not believed to be allowed to marry a Jew unless he supplies […]

Using check cashing services: Using a check cashing service is for all purposes similar to selling a loan to a third party, and follows all the restrictions relevant to it. The difference between cashing a check by a bank and by a check cashing service is that by a bank, […]

The requirement to have legal proof of the loan:[1] It is forbidden for a lender to give a loan without receiving a form of legal testimony of its occurrence.[2] This applies even if the borrower is a Torah Scholar ]and is thus a trustworthy person].[3] Thus, one must either have […]

May a man send a present to a woman? One is to avoid sending gifts to a widow or any single woman.[1] Likewise, some Poskim[2] rule one is to avoid sending gifts to a married woman due to Sheilas Shalom.[3] However, when doing so without any intent of affection, such […]

Hitting one’s parents:[1] One who hits his father or mother during their lifetime is liable for the death penalty of strangulation. This applies whether to a son or a daughter. However it only applies if blood was drawn through the hit. If however blood was not drawn through the hit, […]

May one take a gentile to a secular court? The Biblical prohibition against going to secular courts applies even against taking a gentile to such a court, and one who transgresses this prohibition has transgressed a negative command.[1] This applies even if the secular courts rule the same way as […]

Where is one to keep the Kesuba?[1] Many Poskim[2] rule that the Kesuba is to be kept in the home of the wife’s mother [the husband’s mother in-law] or another trustworthy relative of the wife, or by the Rav or Beis Din.[3] Other Poskim[4] rule it is to be placed […]

Cutting nails on Thursday:[1] Some[2] are particular to not cut the nails on Thursday.[3] [Thus beginning from Wednesday night one should not cut his nails.]   Q&A If one will not have time to cut his nails on Friday may he be lenient to do so on Thursday?[4] Yes.   […]

Is it permitted to cause pain or kill living creatures?[1] It is Biblically forbidden to actively[2] cause pain to any[3] living creature [for no justifiable reason, as will be explained].[4] [It goes without saying that one may not kill a creature for no justifiable reason.[5]] If the creature is a […]

Leaving out one dish by a meal:[1] The Sages enacted that in commemoration for the destruction, upon making a meal for guests [or any other meal, including even a Seudas Mitzvah[2]] one is required to leave out from the table one of the commonly served dishes of food. One is […]

Relatives bathing together:[1] The Talmud[2] prohibits one from bathing together with his father or step father[3], or father in-law[4], or sister’s husband [brother in-law].[5] Some Poskim[6] extend this prohibition even against bathing with one’s brother, however other Poskim[7] permit regarding a brother. One was already in the bathhouse when relative […]

    Leaving part of one’s wall unpainted:[1] When the Temple was destroyed the Sages of that generation instituted that one may never build a home that is painted and decorated like the palace of a king, and rather one is to cement the walls and paint the walls of […]

How to pray by the gravesite: At the grave of a Tzaddik one is to pray to Hashem to answer his prayers in the merit of the Tzaddikim.[1] Likewise one may ask the Tzaddik to intervene on one’s behalf and pray to G-d for the matters which he needs.[2] Some […]

Closing up a window or door:[1] One may not completely [and permanently[2]] close off a window or door, being that demons use openings to enter and exit and hence can lead to danger. Rather one must leave a small hole in the area. [The custom is to place a hollow […]

Historical background:[1] The Shulchan Aruch Harav, also known as the Alter Rebbe’s Shulchan Aruch, or Shulchan Aruch Admur Hazakein; was written by Rav Schneur Zalman of Liadi. Its initiation: The Maggid of Mezritch was encouraged by the heavenly courts to search amongst his students for a proper candidate to compile […]

The importance of learning practical Halacha: Ruling of Shulchan Aruch:[1] In the laws of Talmud Torah the following ruling is given: The learning of practical Halacha takes precedence over other fields of Torah study. Only after one is clearly well versed in practical Halacha and knows the detailed laws relevant […]

* This article is an excerpt from the above book *The article below 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 Awaking like a Jew Learning Course + […]

Placing sefarim on top of each other:[1] It is permitted to place a Chumash on top of Nevim or Kesuvim. However one may not place a Nevim or Kesuvim on top of a Chumash, and one may not place a Chumash on top of a Sefer Torah.[2] One may place […]

Bayis Malei Sefarim: It is a Mitzvah to publish [and purchase] Chumashim, Mishnah, Gemara and their commentaries.[1] Some Poskim[2] rule that this Mitzvah is a positive Biblical command, and is in place of the Mitzvah of purchasing a Sefer Torah. [This Mitzvah is fulfilled through writing or purchasing all Torah Sefarim and […]

Starting a new activity on Mondays and Wednesdays:[1] It is accustomed not to begin a new activity on Mondays and Wednesdays.[2] [Some[3] rule that this only applies for mundane matters and not for matters that involve a Mitzvah. Practically so is the custom.[4] One may thus get married on Mondays […]

Moving houses:[1] One should refrain from moving houses until the 15th of Av if it is possible for one to do so.[2] [1] Igros Kodesh 9/228 [brought in Shulchan Menachem 3 p. 48; Sha’arei Halacha Uminhag 2/225]; Not found in other Poskim. [2] The reason: Seemingly the reason for this […]

Intellectually Proving G-D- Mamar Veyadata Hayom For the full written review of the Mamar click here