Ask The Rabbi
Halachic questions answered by Hagaon Rav Shlomo Miller Shlit'a
5,912 questions and answers
# 3186 Testing the Test
I saw that there is a clinic in my neighborhood that does Covid testing on Saturday. If it is in walking distance and I don’t have to do any melachos, can I go for a nasal swab?...
# 3185 Casting Aside Traditional Greenery
After Shavuos do the branches of the trees and flowers that were used for decorating the shul, have to be treated like the Schach or the Hoshanos after Sukos, and bury them properly?...
# 3184 Fuss the Feathers?
See question 3183 above. When the cat brought me a live bird it caught on Shabbos, there were feathers everywhere. Since I am allergic to them, I automatically cleaned them up. Then I wondered if the...
# 3183 For the Birds?
My cat brought me a live bird on Shabbos (door to backyard was open). Usually, when it does that on weekdays, I wrap it in a towel and release it before my cat kills it.- Fortunately, the bird went on...
# 3182 Watch Out for That Shemira
Can a woman be a Shomeres and watch over a deceased? Can the wife of the deceased do so?...
# 3181 To The Last Drop
If one made a bracha on a drink and it spilled out, is one mechuyev to take a drop with his finger from the floor?...
# 3180 Let The Minyan Count
If five people already davened and five need to daven, may one of those that already davened say a tefillas nedava so that there will be six mispallelim? May this be done in a case of need, such as wh...
# 3179 Lost in the Wash?
My wife entered a bathroom during davening in order to obtain a tissue or piece of toilet paper with which to blow her nose. A local Rebbetzin told her that even in such a case she is supposed to wash...
# 3178 Thank You, but Yes Thank You
The Mishna B’rura says that the reason, according to the Ramo, for joy on Lag BaOmer, is that the disciples of R. Akiva stopped dying on that day. The custom is to behave with signs of mourning ...
# 3177 Just a Handshake?
Re- question 3176 above. If I use a virtual office of the new Gather Town technology, with holographic Avatars that really resembles the person it represents and it shakes hands with a customer in a b...
# 3176 Look At Me!
I’m of a Chasidic background and I run an office for a company that is planing to update their Zoom office program, (as we work from home, and it is likely to continue) to the new Gather Town tec...
# 3175 Have a Number on Mind
We learned recently on the Daf that one should not count people directly. When making sure one has a minyan for davening, can one count the present attendants mentally, by just looking at them?...
# 3174 No Tears On a Tear
If someone touched his hair on his head or pulls or tears some hair from his head or beard, does he have to wash hands three times?...
# 3173 Earn One's Daily Bread Brocho
1) Q. In reference to question 3156, since the flour goes through a process and the result is only wheat starch, why isn’t it different than other starches or products that have totally changed t...
# 3172 Hair Splitting?
If someone touched his hair on his head or pulls or tears some hair from his head or beard, does he have to wash hands three times?...
# 3171 Get the Swing of This
Someone bought a nice swing for the young kids in his family that they much desired. It was delivered on Erev Shabbos a few hours before the shekia (sunset), Since the children so much wanted to have ...
# 3170 Listen Yisrael
When one reads Krias Shema and extends the word Echa’ad as required, does he say the elongated alef letter (Sefardi pronunciation) together with the ’chet’ or just by itself. I have hea...
# 3169 A Close Shave
I recently became a caregiver for a few elderly patients that require help and are high risk for Covid contamination. I have to use a double mask, but it is ineffective since I have a large beard that...
# 3168 A Long Short Cut
Hello Rav, If an adult gets a small cut on Shabbat and need to put a band-aid on, is it okay to add a bit of Antibiotic cream (e.g. polysporin) to the inside of the band-aid (ie. you are not smearing ...
# 3167 See The Light?
Hello Rav, On Shabbat, are we able to move the new kosherlamps (or any similar light) that have LED or CFL lightbulbs in them? I know fire (and thus incandescent bulbs) can’t be moved, but maybe ...