Question: [Tuesday, 12th Kisleiv 5782] I often visit nonreligious families in their homes as part of my Shlichus work and it quite often occurs that I am offered a drink [of tea or coffee or water or soda] in one of their cups, either Glass or porcelain [i.e. China]. Is […]

Making sure that the Kesher of the Yud of your Tefillin Shel Yad remains Kosher:[1] It is a Halacha from Moshe on Sinai that a knot in the shape of the letter Yud be formed by the Tefillin Shel Yad after the straps have been entered into its Mabarta. This […]

Question: [Monday 11th Kisleiv 5782] We were sitting on the lawn in a city in Israel playing with the grass and plucking it out when someone told us that you can’t do that during shemita. Is this correct?   Answer: It is definitely proper to avoid plucking grass during Shemita. […]

The Segula of reciting the Mizmor of “Lamnatzeiach Ye’ancha” during pregnancy prior to retiring to sleep:[1] Throughout all the days of a woman’s pregnancy, the husband[2] is to say the Psalm of Lamnatzei’ach Ya’ancha [Kappitle 20, printed between Ashreiy and Uva Letziyon] prior to sleep. Repeating the last verse: At […]

Question: [Sunday, 10th Kisleiv, 5782] During Chazaras Hashatz, is it permitted for one to learn Torah in his mind without verbalizing the words, for example to review something by heart, or to look into a sefer without actually reading from it? Answer: Although there exists a Limud Zechus for those […]

Holding onto the handles of the Sefer Torah during the Aliyah-Why and how:[1] One holds on to the [handles[2], known as the Eitz Chaim, of the] Sefer Torah while saying the blessing [and during the reading[3]].[4] While saying the blessing he is to hold onto both handles, holding onto the […]

Question: [Thursday 7th Kisleiv 5782] The maintenance of our website is performed by a non-Jewish web technician. I would like to know if it’s permitted for him to do work on Shabbos on my website or if I have to tell him not to do any work on my website […]

Comforting a mourner on Shabbos:[1] It is permitted to comfort an Avel on Shabbos.[2] [However, one is not to publicly announce for people to go be Menachem Avel, due to the prohibition against showing public Aveilus on Shabbos.[3]] The Nussach:[4] It is even permitted to comfort the Avel in the […]

Believing in superstitions: A. Introduction:[1] The prohibition of Nichush:[2] It is Biblically forbidden due to the prohibition of “Lo Sinacheish” for one to practice superstitions such as to say that if a black cat crosses his path then he will not leave his house that day due to belief that […]

Question: [Wednesday, 6th Kisleiv, 5782] Many families have a tradition that a child should not look in the mirror prior to him growing teeth, and that you should not step over a child lest he not grow, and if you do step over him that you should step over him […]