Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Asher Yatzar during Psukei d'Zimra

Hi,

There are two opinions regarding reciting Asher Yatzar after using the washroom during psukei d'zimra; some say to recite it immediately, others say to wait until after davening. Either opinion is correct, but Rav Moshe Feinstein waited until after davening.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 4:14)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Which foods qualify for Mishloach Manot on Purim?

Hi,

May I use any kind of food for mishloach manot?

Although Megilas Esther never specifies that the gifts should be food, we understand that these gifts are meant to form the Purim Seudah (feast). Therefore, we give two foods as our gift; ideally, each portion should be of a quantity sufficient to serve as an independent Purim seudah. A beverage also suffices as a portion.

There is no basis for the common notion that the foods must warrant separate berachot; it is clear in Gemara and Shulchan Aruch that foods of the same berachah may be used. However, some authorities do require that they be two "types of food", and having foods of separate berachot would safeguard against any concern.

While mishloach manot is a beautiful mitzvah, one who must restrict his Purim expenditures should put more toward matanot la'evyonim (gifts to the needy) than to mishloach manot.

(Megilah 7a-b; Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Megilah 2:15; Terumat haDeshen 111; Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 695:4; Aruch haShulchan 695:14; Mishneh Berurah 694:3, 695:20; Tzitz Eliezer 14:65; Yechaveh Daat 6:45; http://matzav.com/harav-dovid-feinstein-purim-halacha-tidbits)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Monday, February 27, 2012

The Amen for "v'Yatzmach"

Hi,

One who is davening with a Sephardic minyan, so that they include ויצמח פורקניה ויקרב משיחיה, should not respond Amen to those words when he is in pesukei d'zimra. The Rambam did not include an Amen for this line in his edition of kaddish, so it is not considered integral.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 4:14)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Sunday, February 26, 2012

"Amen" during Baruch she'Amar or Yishtabach

Hi,

One does not respond "Amen" to another's blessing during Baruch she'Amar or Yishtabach, even though these blessings do not appear in the Talmud.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 4:13)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Questionable tefillin and mezuzot

Hi,

One who has tefillin or mezuzot of uncertain validity should have them checked immediately, or put them in genizah [storage] where they will not be used by accident. One should not keep them in a place where someone might unwittingly use them.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 4:12)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Kissing the straps of one's tefillin

Hi,

Theoretically, one could contend that kissing the straps of one's tefillin, after donning the arm tefillin and before donning the head tefillin, would constitute an illegal interruption. However, because this does not cause a delay in donning the head tefillin, this is not a concern.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 4:10)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Obligating one's self in Tzitzit

Hi,

Technically, the law of Tzitzit requires only that one who is wearing a four-cornered garment must attach the strings of Tzitzit. There is no requirement, biblically, to put on a four-cornered garment in order to be obligated in Tzitzit.

However: Since the universal custom among observant Jewish males is to wear a four-cornered garment daily in order to fulfill this mitzvah, and since this custom enables accrual of merit, one may not diverge from this custom.

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

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Machatzit haShekel - the Half Shekel

Hi,

On Taanit Esther, we customarily contribute to tzedakah three coins which are each minted as "half" coins, such as half-dollars in lands where those are available. This contribution is meant to commemorate the half-shekel contributions solicited from men over the age of 20 in Parshat Ki Tisa, as well as the subsequent annual half-shekel donation by adult men toward the coming year's communal korbanot. Women could give that annual donation, but were not obligated to do so.

Preferably, the coins we use should contain at least 9.6 grams of pure silver. One who does not possess "half" coins may give three coins which are minted as 'whole' coins instead, intending to contribute half of their value as the formal half-shekel contribution. One who lacks silver may donate currency of equal value.

The custom is generally understood to include men from the age of 13, and in many places women are accustomed to give the half-shekel as well. Our practice is also to give on behalf of the children in our household, and some even give on behalf of a fetus.

(Mordechai Megilah 777; Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 694:1; Magen Avraham 694:3; Kaf haChaim Orach Chaim 674:19-28; Mishneh Berurah 694:5; Aruch haShulchan Orach Chaim 694:8; Piskei Teshuvot 694:4)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Monday, February 20, 2012

Following Kabbalah in halachah

Hi,

Where there is debate among equal halachic authorities, we follow Kabbalistic tradition - but that is only regarding a tradition rooted in the Zohar. Later Kabbalistic writings, such as those of the Ari z"l, are considered to be on par with the halachic authorities involved in the debate.

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

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Are flowers muktzeh on Shabbat?

Hi,

Are flowers muktzeh on Shabbat, if they were cut beforehand?

Flowers which were brought home before Shabbat to be admired for their beauty are not muktzeh, and may be handled on Shabbat; for example, one may remove them from their vases to admire and smell them. However, if the flowers have visible roots then one may not remove them from water; this would be an act of uprooting them.

One may not set up a vase with water on Shabbat; this is considered a strenuous activity. Even if a vase already contains water, one may not introduce flowers; water invigorates them, causing blossoms to open, and so this would be an act of planting. For the same reason, one may not return flowers to water from which they have been removed.

One may not assemble a bouquet of flowers in a receptacle, even without tying them together.

(Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 336:11; Mishneh Berurah 308:100, 336:53; b'Tzel haChachmah 4:87; Aruch haShulchan Orach Chaim 336:30; Shemirat Shabbat k'Hilchatah 26:26; Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 4:73)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Responding "Amen" to the end of Kaddish

Hi,

The "Amen" response to the Half-Kaddish, and to the corresponding parts of the Whole Kaddish, is obligatory [such that one would do it even during psukei d'zimra]. The same is likely true for the Amen response to Titkabel in the Whole Kaddish.

The Amen response to the last two lines of the Whole Kaddish, though, is not obligatory, but only optional.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 3:101; he does not discuss the response to Al Yisrael)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Thursday, February 16, 2012

When the 17th of Tammuz is on Shabbat

Hi,

This year, if Mashiach does not arrive, the fast of the 17th of Tammuz will be observed on Sunday the 18th of Tammuz, because the 17th is Shabbat.

In such a circumstance, the laws of the Three Weeks of Mourning begin Motzaei Shabbat (Saturday night), so that one could not shave then, etc., even according to those who permit these practices on the evening of the 17th of Tammuz in a normal year.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 3:100)

Have a good day,
Mordechai

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Changing the order of Simchat Torah

Hi,

Hakafot of Simchat Torah should not be moved until after Musaf.

First, they are meant to be joyous celebrations of Torah and of Yom Tov, and so their mitzvah is a full-day mitzvah and should not be delayed due to the more frequent occurrence of Musaf.

Second, the joy associated with completing the Torah belongs at the time when we complete the Torah.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 3:99)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Feeding birds on Shabbat

Hi,

May I feed wild birds on Shabbat Shirah?

There is an old custom of leaving grain or bread for birds on Shabbat Shirah. Some suggest it is a reward for their song at the Sea; others link it to the way the birds ate the false manna dispersed by Dasan and Aviram on Shabbat.

Some oppose this practice, insisting that food be left out before Shabbat. This is because the sages forbade feeding wild animals on Shabbat (1) because there may be strain involved and (2) because one might forget the laws of Shabbat and trap these creatures. They permitted only feeding domesticated animals which depend on us for food.

Other authorities defend the practice of putting out food on Shabbat Shirah, arguing that there is no strain involved and that the birds are beyond trapping when the food is placed outside. Further, we are doing it not for the birds' sake, but for the sake of our own custom.

(Maharam Lublin to Beitzah 23b; Magen Avraham 324:7; Tosefes Shabbos 324:17; Mishneh Berurah 324:31; Aruch haShulchan Orach Chaim 324:3; Tzitz Eliezer 14:28)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Monday, February 13, 2012

When to perform Hoshanot

Hi,

There are halachic reasons to put Hoshanot after Hallel and after Musaf. The former is sensible because the lulav is in hand and so one should complete the mitzvot performed with the lulav. The latter is sensible because the Torah reading and Musaf are actual mitzvot, which should precede the custom of Hoshanot. Our custom is to do Hoshanot after Musaf.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 3:99)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Skipping a word in Shnayim Mikra

Hi,

"Shnayim Mikra" refers to the practice of reading the Torah portion privately in advance of the reading in shul, twice in the original text and once in the Aramaic translation/commentary.

To fulfill this practice, one must not skip a word. Therefore, one must say Gd's Name properly, as written in the translation, whenever he encounters it.

[Note: Many editions of the Mikraot Gedolot chumash have mistakes in their Aramaic. For example, some of them have בתראה instead of בתרהא for Shemot 15:20 ותצאנה כל הנשים אחריה, and this changes the meaning entirely. One should use an edition which has been prepared properly.]

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 3:98)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Fasting through different time zones

Hi,

One who travels by airplane on a fast day observes the fast based upon his current location, whether this lengthens or shortens the fast.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 3:96)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Purim is coming

Hi,

It's time to review laws of Purim.

I have already posted what I believe are the most-relevant laws; please go to the following pages to see them:

Al haNisim

Kriat haTorah (Torah reading)

Matanot laEvyonim (Gifts for the needy)

Megilah reading

Mishloach Manot (Sending food to others)

Purim Clothing

Purim Seudah (the Purim feast)

Taanit Esther (the fast of Esther)

If I am missing anything you would like to see, please email me.

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Arba Minim [Four Species] for a minor

Hi,

One who can afford to purchase sets of Arba Minim [lulav, etrog, hadasim and aravot] for his minor children should do so, rather than rely on the minority view that they can fulfill the mitzvah with a borrowed set, and train them to recite a berachah with it.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 3:95)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Yizkor for Israelis outside of Israel

Hi,

Israelis who are outside of Israel may go to shul and say Yizkor on the day that the community says it. They should appear to recite all of the prayers with those around them when in shul, lest they distinguish themselves from those around them.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 3:92)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Dangerous illness on Yom Kippur

Hi,

One who is suffering from an illness which, left untreated, could result in a potentially fatal illness, is considered to be 'dangerously ill' in the eyes of Jewish law. Such a person may take a pill (for his current illness) on Yom Kippur with water, if he cannot take the pill dry.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 3:91)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Medicine to enable fasting

Hi,

One should not receive injections which will enable him to fast; there is no obligation to do so, and doing so may be an inappropriate use of medicine as well as an act of wounding in performing the injection.

This is true for any fast.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 3:90)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Tachanun and local custom

Hi,

One who lives in a place where Tachanun is recited without the 13 attributes of Divine mercy, and who prays at some point with a minyan which does recite them, is obligated to recite them with the community. One may not diverge visibly from communal custom.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 3:89)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Saying the 13 attributes of Divine mercy with another minyan

Hi,

One who has already prayed, and who then hears a congregation reciting the 13 attributes of Divine mercy, is not required to say it with them. However, where the custom is for bystanders to say it with the congregation, one should do so, even if this interrupts his personal study. Communal study should not be interrupted.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 3:89)

Have a great day,
Mordechai