Ask The Rabbi
Halachic questions answered by Hagaon Rav Shlomo Miller Shlit'a
5,519 questions and answers
# 2074 A Clean Brake?
Can you wash your hands netilas yodaim by immersing them in snow, as when exiting the house after touching boots or shoes?...
# 2073 Some Opinions of the Salt of the Earth
Can one scatter salt or sand on the snow during Shabbos to prevent people from falling?...
# 2072 Insides On Stressed Out
Re - question above. If one is allowed to violate Shabbos when one is under extreme mental and emotional pain and stress?...
# 2071 Taking Great Pains with Great Pains
Does extreme pain such as a severe tooth cavity qualify as pikuach nefesh or danger of life to violate Shabbat and drive to a dental clinic?...
# 2070 Slack on the Black Widow?
Q, I understand that a widow whose two previous husbands died is called a Katlanis, literally "a killer", a woman who is dangerous to marry or forbidden to marry (not sure which). I understand that t...
# 2069 Snow Alert
Regarding a recent shiur given by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit’a addressing shailos in snow related activities during Shabbos, it is worthwhile to present them to the many readers of this forum worl...
# 2068 Aliyas Neshama on Purim
Regarding one that has yortzait on Purim and wants to make a siyum, Horav Shlomo Miller advised that if possible, in this leap year, he should make a siyum on both days of Purim, as one does with reci...
# 2067 Of Biters and Pickers
May a nail-biter or a skin-picker swallow the nails or the little pieces of skin he bites off, due to the prohibition of eating human flesh or disgusting things? Is it permitted to do so in a day of ...
# 2066 My Cup Runneth Away
If someone left a small closed cup of common commercial yogurt on a table in the communal kitchen of a Torah institution. He then left the room and when he came back, he found a similar cup on another...
# 2065 First Come, First Served or on Second Thought?
I have been a member of the local Chevra Kadisha for over twenty years. Recently we relocated to another city and I also joined their Chevra Kadisha. In the past, whenever there was a leap year. the m...
# 2064 Davening For or Before Food
If the available davening is late and the seuda will be close to chatzos or after, can one eat fruit, yogurt or cheese before davening?...
# 2063 Meals on Wills
If one made Kiddush (Shabbos morning after Shacharis or Musaf) and ate a kezayis of cake, or drank a cup of wine, is it OK to delay the actual seuda after chatzos? Or should one in all cases wash and ...
# 2062 An Early Drink?
Regarding the time of the Shabbos day seuda- is it OK to have a drink of water before davening and then start the seuda after chatzos? Or only b’dieved?...
# 2061 Export Permit
Recently a Sephardi Rabbi (Yonatan Halevy) posted on Facebook that Fruits and Vegetables from Israel grown for markets outside Israel do not require Terumah and Ma’aser according to the rulings of Rab...
# 2060 The Doubt of the Benefit
Can I rent a property to a non-Jewish restaurant that constantly serves cooked milk and meat dishes, since I would be benefiting from isurei hanaah or items prohibited in benefit when they pay their r...
# 2059 We Know Moshiach Now!
I once read that Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetzky responded to a query about when Moshiach was going to arrive, "Those who know don’’t say and those who say don’’t know." How does that sta...
#2058 A Value Judgment
(Re- question 2057 above). On a second but connected question. Can Shimon have a claim that Reuven made his property go down in value. Let’s say Shimon had an offer on his house for $500k but aft...
# 2057 Have Your Day D-in Court?
Is one allowed to appeal a decision by the planning board or does he have to go to Beis Din first? You have two parties. Reuven and Shimon. Reuven applied to be able to build a building next door to ...
# 2056 A Word on Honor
Hello Rav, I started learning at the Toronto Kollel in the mornings. As I’m learning, several young rabbis also walk by and come into the room to learn. I’m wondering if I should be standin...
# 2055 An Answer to an Answer
Re- question 2000 (on answering Yehei Shmei correctly during kaddish). The Gemara says whomever answers Y’hei Sh’mei etc. with all his Koach, they tear up etc. The Gemara uses the words "Kol...