Erasing a recording that includes Gd's Name

Hi,

By the letter of the law, one may erase a magnetic tape recording that includes Gd's Name, since no visible letters are present. However, one should avoid doing so directly, because of appearances; one may cause it indirectly.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 3:31)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The berachah for chocolate-covered raisins

Hi,

When eating chocolate-covered raisins, one really ought to recite separate blessings for the chocolate and the raisins. Ideally, the blessing on the raisins should be recited first, so one should recite a blessing on a separate raisin first.

One who does not have a separate raisin should recite the Shehakol berachah for the chocolate, keeping in mind that this does not exempt the raisin from its berachah, and bite in. Then one should recite a separate ha'Eitz berachah for the raisin, and bite in.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 2:31)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Synagogue artwork

Hi,

One should not pray opposite clothes with designs, or artwork, which might distract him.

(Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 90:23)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

During the repetition of the Amidah

Hi,

"The acharonim [late authorities of Jewish law] wrote that it is also appropriate to hold an open siddur during repetition of the amidah, so that one's ears will be open to that which the chazan says."

(Mishneh Berurah 96:9)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Synagogue dedications

Hi,

Two rules:

1. A synagogue may not sell the same dedication twice.

2. A synagogue may change its method of commemorating dedications without soliciting permission from donors, so that they may stop listing donors on the dedicated items, and instead list them on a wall plaque.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 3:26)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Calling a Yisrael instead of a Kohen

Hi,

[I've never seen this done, but:]

On Mondays and Thursdays in a shul with sparse minyan attendance, one may call a Yisrael for the first aliyah even with a Kohen present, assuming the Kohen permits it. This will not apply for Shabbat and Yom Tov, though.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 3:20)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Jaywalking

Hi,

May I "jaywalk", crossing a street against the light or outside of a crosswalk?

There is great debate as to the power of civil government within the principle of dina d'malchuta dina. Some authorities contend this is limited to financial matters, while others include all civil issues in their legislative powers. [Of course, no one assigns the government authority to require violation of Torah.] Therefore, the inclusion of jaywalking prohibitions in dina d'malchuta is debatable.

However, all authorities acknowledge the mitzvah of v'nishmartem m'od l'nafshoteichem, requiring that a Jew guard his life; we are stricter regarding possible loss of life than regarding possible violation of Jewish law. Therefore, one is obligated to refrain from crossing a street in a situation which might possibly involve danger. Further, one must be particularly careful around children, lest one teach them a behaviour which they might emulate in an unsafe situation.

(Dina d'Malchuta: Bava Kama 60b, 113a; Bava Batra 8b; Rashi to Gittin 9a chutz; Ran Nedarim 28a; Hilchot Zechiyah uMatanah 1:15; Ramban to Bereishit 34:13; Danger: Chullin 10a; Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 116; She'eilat Shlomo 2:413; http://www.yeshiva.org.il/ask/?id=45)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

In the absence of a baal keriah

Hi,

If a minyan lacks someone who can read from the Torah with the notes, they should have someone read without the notes, making sure that he pauses at the end of each pasuk, and ideally at each etnachta as well.

The minyan should not use someone who looks back and forth between a chumash and the Torah text, lest he end up reciting the text from memory instead of from the Torah.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 3:19)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Duchening on Yom Kippur which is also Shabbat

Hi,

Kohanim should perform Birchat Kohanim on Yom Tov and Yom Kippur even if those occur on Shabbat.

The Magen Avraham (128:70) does offer two explanations to justify the practice of refraining from Birchat Kohanim on Yom Tov which is also Shabbat - 1) Concern that people might say the supplicative paragraphs inserted in Birchat Kohanim, which should not be recited on Shabbat, and 2) Concern that the kohanim may have been with their wives the night before, and will not have gone to mikvah in the interim. However, neither point is irrelevant for Yom Kippur, when one may recite those paragraphs and when procreation is prohibited.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 3:18)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Birkat Kohanim

Hi,

It is clear that kohanim are obligated to offer a blessing in Birkat Kohanim (aka duchening); according to some, the non-kohanim present are obligated to remain present and accept that blessing.

Even according to the view that non-kohanim are obligated to accept the blessing, the opening berachah (אשר קדשנו בקדושתו של אהרן) is only upon the mitzvah of the kohanim, and not of the rest of the minyan. Therefore, the listeners could, theoretically, say "Baruch Hu uVaruch Shmo" in their response to the berachah, without that response constituting an interruption. However, we avoid this lest their be any disturbance at all in the course of Birkat Kohanim.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 3:17)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Making sure there is a minyan

Hi,

Men associated with a particular synagogue are obligated to make sure there is a minyan in that synagogue for each prayer, rather than pray elsewhere.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 3:16)

[Note: Rav Moshe does not make clear what 'associated' means in this responsum.]

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Entering a hotel room with an electronic key

Hi,

May I have a non-Jew open my hotel room with an electronic key on Shabbat?

Most authorities rule that use of such a key violates at least rabbinic law, and so one may not tell a non-Jew to use it on Shabbat. Further, one may not benefit directly from melachah performed by a non-Jew on Shabbat. However, leniencies are offered for a case of need:

• I may tell the concierge, upon checking in, that this service is required in order to make my stay possible. When he makes the arrangement, it is with his own good in mind.

• If a non-Jewish hotel employee opens my door on his own, without any instruction, I may enter the room if necessary. This is because my benefit is considered 'indirect', and because the employee does it with his own good in mind. Some suggest actually keeping a gift for the hotel employee in the room and telling him you have something for him [without actually requesting he open the door], so that he opens the door for his own benefit.

Note that the hotel key itself may be considered "muktzeh", and should not be handled by the Jew.

(Beer Moshe 6:Kuntrus Electric 19; Melachim Omnayich pg. 575)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Magen David - The Star of David

Hi,

Although the 'Star of David' has no known source in Torah, it need not be removed from an Aron Kodesh curtain on which it is emblazoned.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 3:15)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Disqualification of a synagogue president

Hi,

One who is known (and not only rumored) to violate Shabbat knowingly is disqualified to serve as a synagogue president. However, if he thinks what he is doing is permitted then he is not disqualified.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 3:11)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Where does the Chazan stand?

Hi,

The chazan should stand in front of the Aron Kodesh when leading davening. However, if there are so many people present that he will not be audible from in front, he may lead from the bimah in the center of the synagogue.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 3:10)

[See, too, this post and this post.]

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Praying with the community

Hi,

One who recites the amidah along with the chazan is not considered to be fulfilling the mitzvah of praying b'tzibbur (with the community); we are supposed to recite the amidah along with the rest of the minyan.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 3:9)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Translating prayer

Hi,

One may not interrupt his amidah to recite translations of the Hebrew in the middle; that would constitute an inappropriate interruption and invalidate the amidah.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 3:8)

[Note: One who cannot read the Hebrew should use a good translation in a different language. The law presented here is for one who can read the Hebrew, but who wishes to recite translations as well in order, perhaps for the purpose of improving his concentration.]

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Concentration vs. Minyan

Hi,

One whose concentration is disturbed when he prays with others, but who is able to maintain the basic concentration level required to fulfill the requirements of prayer [see Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 70:3], is obligated to pray with a minyan despite the lack of greater concentration.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 3:7)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

A true 'Beginners' Minyan"

Hi,

If a minyan includes many who cannot recite the amidah, the chazan should recite the words of the entire amidah aloud with them, word for word, so that they will recite the amidah and so that they will learn it for themselves.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 3:6)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Changing accents in prayer

Hi,

One who has a family tradition of using Ashkenazi or Sephardi pronunciation of Hebrew should not veer from that tradition when praying.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 3:5)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

When in doubt

Hi,

The context for the following statement is the obligation to immerse glass utensils in a mikvah, when one does not know whether they were manufactured by Jews, but he could easily find out.

It is true that one who is in doubt regarding his obligation to fulfill a rabbinic mitzvah may opt for leniency (ספק דרבנן לקולא). However, if it would be easy to resolve the doubt, and it is only laziness which keeps him from investigating, then he is obligated to fulfill it.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 3:4)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The berachah on besamim, when one has a cold

Hi,

Does one recite the berachah on besamim at Havdalah, if he cannot smell them due to a cold?

One who cannot smell should not recite a berachah on besamim, even if he is reciting Havdalah on behalf of a group; the others in the group should recite the berachah for themselves, before they smell the besamim.

If some in the group are unable to recite a berachah, then the leader should recite the berachah on their behalf despite his cold. He should only do so after drinking the wine from Havdalah, though.

(Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 297:5; Har Tzvi Orach Chaim 1:37; Mishneh Halachos 15:89; Shemirat Shabbat k'Hilchatah 61:5)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The Chazan's recitation of Kedushah

Hi,

The chazan should state the responses of kedushah [Kadosh Kadosh, Baruch Kvod, Yimloch] aloud, separate from the community's recitation of those responses. In this way, he will fulfill the obligation of individuals who have not yet completed the amidah, who then listen to his responses as their own.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 3:4)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Waiting for a minyan

Hi,

A group of people who are davening Shacharit, and who reach Yishtabach without a minyan, should not wait for the tenth if the delay might cause them to start conversing, which is prohibited at that stage in davening. Even if they will not converse, they should not wait long, since that would rob them of time they could have spent in Torah study.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 3:4)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Fasting when a Torah falls

Hi,

The practice of fasting when a Sefer Torah falls to the ground is subject to significant debate. In practice, all who are present should fast, even if it fell due to circumstances beyond anyone's control.

There is room to be lenient if part of the Torah remains in one's hand, although it would be appropriate to fast.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 3:3)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Tefillin for re-trained lefties

Hi,

One who is naturally left-handed, but who trains himself to write passably with his right hand, still puts on tefillin like a left-handed person, on his right arm.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 3:2)

Have a great day,
Mordechai