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 […]