Question: I bought myself a prepackaged Esrog yesterday and found it to have a really large pimple like bump towards its lower half. Other than that it is a beautiful, clean, and yellow expert which is large and properly shaped. Is my Esrog still kosher? Answer: Yes, your Esrog […]
1) Selichos-Part 2-Nussach, Minyan, Tallis, Chazan; 2) Shabbos Mevarchim Tishrei
Shabbos Mevarchim Tishrei:[1] No blessing before Musaf:[2] On the Shabbos before Rosh Hashanah we do not bless the coming month despite this being the custom on every Shabbos that precedes Rosh Chodesh.[3] Tehillim:[4] The entire book of Tehillim is recited before Shacharis just as on any other Shabbos Mevarchim. Av […]
From the Rav’s Desk: Liability for leaving someone else’s food out of the fridge or freezer
Question: I made a huge order of meat and chicken for the holiday season which was unable to all fit into my freezer so I asked my next-door neighbor if I can put some of my meat into their freezer to which they complied. They even came over to my […]
Selichos-Part 1-When, Concentration, & Language
Selichos: A. On which days is Selichos recited?[1] Ashkenazim:[2] Selichos is recited for a minimum of four days prior to Rosh Hashanah.[3] Selichos is said starting from the Sunday [Motzei Shabbos, immediately after midnight[4]], of the week of, or the week prior to Rosh Hashanah. Being we need to say […]
Mezuzah on Store or office-Is a storefront or office obligated to have a Mezuzah and is a blessing to be recited?
Mezuzah on Store or office-Is a storefront or office obligated to have a Mezuzah and is a blessing to be recited?[1] Stores that are found in the marketplace are exempt from requiring a Mezuzah to be placed on their doorpost.[2] Temporary stores-Pop up shops, flee market, fare:[3] According to all […]
From the Rav’s Desk: Yibum/Chalitza if late husband had children with gentile woman
Question: Hi, I am in my later years and going on a Shidduch with an older man who became a Baal Teshuvah and was previously married to a Gentile woman with whom he had children. His children have since converted to orthodox Judaisim. I am wondering if I would require […]
From the Rav’s Desk: Order to be followed when bathing the body
Question: Is there any special order that should be followed when bathing the body? Answer: Yes. When bathing one’s body one begins with washing his head, as the head is the king of all the limbs. One then washes his right hand first and only then proceeds to his left. […]
From the Rav’s Desk: Until when can I still Daven Maariv if I fell asleep and woke up close to morning
Question: I was reading my kids a bedtime story and accidentally fell asleep prior to Davening Maariv and woke up at five in the morning. May I still Daven Maariv? Answer: Since five in the morning in your locality is past Alos Hashachar but before sunrise, therefore you are […]
Reading Tikkunei Zohar in Chodesh Elul
Reading Tikkunei Zohar in Chodesh Elul: Some have a custom to read the Tikkunei Zohar during Elul, one each of the 40 days from Rosh Chodesh Elul until Yom Kippur.[1] They begin the reading on Rosh Chodesh Elul and complete it on Yom Kippur.[2] Some prints of Tikkunei Zohar contain […]
From the Rav’s Desk: May one use a handheld lemon squeezer to squeeze juice over salad on shabbos?
Question: I purchased a hand held lemon squeezer which is meant to squeeze fresh lemon juice from a lemon into salad? I know that on Shabbos it is permitted to squeeze juice directly into salad. My question is if I can use this handheld nonelectric lemon squeezer to do so? […]
