From the Rav’s Desk: May one allow a person to bring his dog into a Shul?

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May one allow a person to bring his dog into a Shul?

It is disputed amongst the Poskim as to whether there is an intrinsic prohibition against entering a dog into a shul, with the Rebbe taking a lenient approach in the event that the person cannot go to shul otherwise, such as he needs a service dog, or a guide dog for blindness. However, certainly one is not to bring his pet dog into the Shul without the above reasons of necessity due to the above debate and due to the fact it may be a disturbance to the public. Likewise, even by a service dog, the shul management is to consider the effect that having the service dog present will have on the other congregants and mitigate a solution that will make everyone happy.

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See: Poskim who prohibit: Torah Shleima 15:147; Chelkas Yaakov 1:34; Yalkut Yosef 151:25; Shema Shlomo 4:3; Mikveh Mayim 5:19; Mishneh Yosef 9:53; See Michaber 153:21; Sifri Ki Seitzei 281; Keli Yakar Ki Seitzei 23:19; Chinuch Mitzvah 571 Poskim who permit: Rebbe in Igros Kodesh 18:422 and 455, printed in Shulchan Menachem 1:113; Igros Moshe 1:45; Daas Noteh Teshuvah 68; See; Ran and Ramban on Megillah 28a in name of Yerushalmi Megillah 3:3

About The Author

Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein is a 6th generation descendent of the famous Chief Rabbi of Izhmir, Rav Yehoshua Avraham Krispin, who authored a number of Sefarim, and was a colleague of Rav Chaim Falagi, and father in-law of the Pesach Hadvir. He currently lives with his wife Shayna, and twelve children K”H, in Tzfas, Israel. Rabbi Goldstein received Semicha from Rabbi Schneur Zalman Labkowski of the Tomchei Temimim headquarters in 2005 and served as a chaplain in the Lotar/Kalatz and K9 unit of the IDF from years 2005-2008. He is also a certified Shochet, and has performed Hashgacha work in slaughterhouses. Rabbi Goldstein is the director of Shulchanaruchharav.com, the world’s leading web-based Halacha database, and is the director of the Home Study Semicha Program, a self-study web-based Semicha program. He is a prolific author of over 50 Sefarim studied by a wide range of readers throughout the world, which is used regularly in Semicha programs around the globe. He is a world renowned Posek, answering questions to a web-based market, and serves as a local Posek, Rav, and Lecturer, in the Tzemach Tzedek community Shul in Tzefas, Israel. His many classes can be heard both from his website, Vimeo and YouTube channel. Students can join live to classes given in the Tzemach Tzedek Shul, through the “בית חבד צפת Chabad Tsfat” YouTube channel.

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