- Q. My Dear Rov Shlit”a.
As you well know, my elderly and ill father can’t go to Shul anymore even on Yom Kippur. We have a similar guest staying with us now and he leaves his phone on a very low volume. He sleeps in the same room with my father for Rosh Hashana. Can my father hear with him the blowing of the Shofar transmitted on the phone?
A. On question 3898 Hazoom Es Hakol? we were asked:
Q. Can a patient in the hospital during Selichot, zoom a minyan and repeat with them the Thirteen Midot usually said only with a Minyan present?
A. Usually, any Zoom contact does not contribute to mitzvos that require a minyan. On question 2845 regarding saying Tashlich during the Aseres Yemei Teshuva via zoom we wrote:
Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is that one should not.
The reason is that reciting Tashlich next to a body of flowing water is similar to other mitzvos, where the presence of the article, place or situation that brings about a blessing or Tefila, has to be real.
After all, one recites a brocho only on real lightning or thunder, kiddush levana only on actually seeing the moon and not a picture or reflection or listening to the Megila and answering Kedusha or Kaddish only when the voices are real and present.”
We have had other similar shailos and the consensus of Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit’a and many other Rabanim is that one does not comply.
However, if he tells his visiting friend the above, there should not be any prohibition for him on just being there and listening, since he actually complies with the great mitzva of Hachnasat Orchim to a very ill and in need friend.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by, Horav Yaakov Hirschman, Horav Dovid Pam, Horav Aharon Miller, Horav Chanoch Ehrentreu, Horav Kalman Ochs and Horav Dovid Bartfeld quoting Horav Berkovits Shlit’a .
Important Numbers
