Penalty Box April 17, 2026 Q I discovered this week that my ten-year-old son’s desk drawer held a box of shalach manos cookies over Pesach. May they be eaten now? A If a Jew owned chametz on Pesach in violation of…
Leaven Scent March 26, 2026 Q I live near a non-Jewish bakery and enjoy the aroma of freshly-baked bread that wafts into the street as I pass by. May I do this on Pesach? A Chametz is asur behana’ah (forbidden to derive benefit from),…
Halachic Grounds March 20, 2026 Q May I set a coffee maker before Shabbos to grind beans and brew coffee on Shabbos morning? A It is well established that one may set a timer before Shabbos to activate electric lights on Shabbos,…
Halachic Grounds March 19, 2026 Q May I set a coffee maker before Shabbos to grind beans and brew coffee on Shabbos morning? A It is well established that one may set a timer before Shabbos to activate electric lights…
On Request March 5, 2026 Q May I daven on Shabbos for someone who needs a shidduch? A The Yerushalmi (Shabbos 15:3) says not to make personal requests on Shabbos (bakashas tzrachim), and the poskim cite this as halacha (see Bais…
Letter: Let Her? February 26, 2026 Q May my artistic daughter fix a broken letter in my old megillah? A The writing of a megillah is subject to the general rules of writing a sefer Torah. The Gemara (Megillah 16b) says…
Arm Wrestling February 19, 2026 Q I developed a condition that affected my handwriting ability, so instead of writing, I type on my phone, which I tend to do with my left hand. But I perform all other tasks with…
Night Lights February 12, 2026 Q Shkiah has arrived, but I haven’t lit neiros Shabbos. Is there anything I can do? A During bain hashmashos (halachic twilight, between shkiah and tzeis hakochavim, which is safeik yom safeik leilah), amirah lenachri is permitted letzorech Shabbos (O.C. 261:1), so you may ask a…
The Winter War February 5, 2026 Q I paid for the snow to be cleared from my driveway, but the crew mistakenly cleared my neighbor’s driveway instead. My neighbor wants to use his clean driveway and reimburse me, but I’d prefer…
Karasi Ve’ein Oneh January 29, 2026 Q Our minyan typically has ten or eleven men, of which seven are currently saying Kaddish. Is it a problem that so few are answering? A Some shuls have the minhag that only one person…
