P’sak from Rav Yisroel Belsky and Rav Shlomo Miller On Acappella Music During Sefirah
Q: A cappella albums - singing without instrumental accompaniment - are becoming more and more common, especially during Sefirah and The Three Weeks...
Aged Cheese List
Rabbi Avrohom Gordimer
Rabbinic Coordinator and Chairman of Dairy Committee, OU Kosher
In Yoreh Deah 89:2, the Remo writes, "And there are those who are strict...
Watch: Rav Gershon Edelstein On How to Deal with Those Who Leave the Fold
THIS IS THE TRANSCRIPT OF THE VIDEO TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH:
* KOVOD & YEDIDUS *
Avi Fishoff: The Rosh Yeshiva has stated clearly that when a...
Rav Moshe Feinstein’s Heter of Cholov Stam Revisited
By Rabbi Avrohom Gordimer
Rabbinic Coordinator, Orthodox Union
Halacha states that milk which is produced without hashgacha (r'iyah of a Yisroel) is non-kosher; such milk is...
Happy Birthday?
By Rabbi Berach Steinfeld
Should someone’s birthday be celebrated by making a meal? Is it considered a Yom Tov?
The Ben Ish Chai in Parshas Re’eh 17 writes that some people...
Mother or Father
By Rabbi Berach Steinfeld
In Bereishis 27:6 Rivkah told Yaakov that she heard her father talking to Esav etc. She ends off saying, “Listen to what I...
Geshem or Gashem?
By Rabbi Yehuda Spitz
Two weeks ago, on Shmini Atzeres, as per the Mishna's instruction and codified by the Shulchan Aruch, world Jewry started reciting...
Halacha Berurah: Thanksgiving Celebrations and Adapting Customs of Akum
By Rabbi Elli Bohm
Reviewed By HaRav Yisroel Belsky
It is vital to make two points clear at the onset of this article. Firstly, we will...
Building a Shul
By Rabbi Berach Steinfeld
In Shmos 25:5 it says that Hashem commanded the Yidden to build a mikdash so he can dwell amongst them. From this passuk we learn the concept that the Bnei Yisroel had...
Missing Name
By Rabbi Berach Steinfeld
The Baal Haturim in Parshas Tetzaveh brings down a Zohar that says there is no Sedra in the Torah since Moshe was born that does not have the name of Moshe in it, except for Parshas Tetzaveh....
Chanukah Questions
By Rabbi Berach Steinfeld
There are a few questions we will pose here and to which we will provide appropriate answers. How is it possible...
Rain
By Rabbi Berach Steinfeld
In Eretz Yisroel they begin to say “vesen tal umatar” on zayin Cheshvan. In Chutz Le’Aaretz we begin saying “vesen tal umatar” on December 4th or on December 5th the year before...
Readers’ Matzav: Pita Chips Bracha Issue
Dear Editor,
There is a product out by the name of Stacy's Pita chips that is OU certified. The product description, both on the packaging and...
Haircut During Omer
By Rabbi Berach Steinfeld
The Torah tells us that a “mitztaer” (a person in pain) is exempt from the mitzvah of Sukkah. One may say...
Doctor Kohen
By Rabbi Berach Steinfeld
In Vayikra 21:1 the torah teaches us that a kohen can not become tamei. The question one can ask is may a Kohen become a doctor? He may...
Video: Cholov Akum Nowadays
"Chalav Akum Nowadays" was presented by Rav Yisroel Belsky, OU Posek; Rav Menachem Genack, CEO OU Kosher; and Rav Aharon Teitelbaum, Nirbatur Rov,...
Sorry to Spoil the Cheese Party: A Reply to Rabbi Barry Dolinger’s “Milchig Manifesto...
By Rabbi Avrohom Gordimer
P’sak Halacha is very serious business. To adjudicate Halacha, one must be a grounded halachic authority, whose command of the issues...
Knife
By Rabbi Berach Steinfeld
In Devarim 27:5 the posuk says one should not raise a knife on the stones in the Bais Hamikdash. Shulchan Aruch OrachChaim 180 says that our minhag is to cover the knife while bentching. The Bais Yosef brings...
Calming Effect
By Rabbi Berach Steinfeld
The Torah tells us in Devarim 29:9 “All Yidden are standing here before Hashem…” The Medrash says the reason why Parshas Nitzavim was placed right next to the klalos is because when the Yidden heard the 98...
Holy Smokes! A Halachic Discussion Regarding E-cigarettes
Are e-cigarettes problematic from a halachic standpoint?
By: Rav Yosef Greenwald
Introduction
E-cigarettes are a new invention of the past few years which are designed to reduce...
