Ask The Rabbi
Halachic questions answered by Hagaon Rav Shlomo Miller Shlit'a
5,520 questions and answers
# 1915 A Show of Clean Hands
When I leave the house, I would like my hands to be clean (for learning, making brachot, etc). My problem is that I put my shoes on by the front door and usually will touch my shoes, making them too "...
# 1914 Greatest of All Time
My wife and I are debating how to name our next child to be born BE’H soon. We know he is a boy, and there are two equally reserving uncles that merit the name to be given. The names are Moshe an...
# 1913 The Spirit of the Law
Q Why should not "Dina Demalchuta Dina" apply to all wills, and therefore become valid according to Jewish Law?...
# 1912 Pass it Down or Pass it Up?
I have a number of questions in regards to inheritance Q. Is a secular will written by an attorney valid according to Halacha?...
# 1911 Right on the Money
How come Abraham Avinu, who kept the complete Torah including eruv tavshilin, gave all his possessions to his son Yitzchak, thereby violating the mitzva of yerusha, as Shmuel says (Kesubos 33a); Don&#...
# 1910 Shtick Or Treat
A meshulach from Israel, staying in my home went collecting last night (Halloween). He approached a house with a mezuza and a woman (possibly a babysitter) gave him a bag of candies (kosher). Can he e...
# 1909 Standing by the Falling Ill
Someone suffers from epileptic attacks or seizures that make him totally unconscious and unaware of his surroundings, he usually recovers after a half an hour, but has no recollection of what happened...
# 1908 The Matzav of a Matzeiva
Whom do you ask about minhagim? I recently saw many tombstone inscriptions from Bratislava (Pressburg), and all mention the mother’s name and not the father. I’d like to know the source & origin of th...
# 1907 Open To Question
(Re- question 1906). In the above case, if someone purchased pesicha as an honor, does he have to comply with his promise and pay his donation if the doors could not be opened, but you can see the sef...
# 1906 An Open or Closed Door?
The Aron Hakodesh in the shul I daven, has a proper paroches curtain. The doors behind them are made of artistic bars that permit seeing the sifrei torah inside the ark. Often they are locked with a c...
# 1905 A Kuck to this Tire
On Shabbos police chalked my car tire so that they could come back later and ticket me for parking for more than three hours. Is there permissible way for me to clean off the chalk?...
# 1904 Count One's Blessings
I’m wondering if it would be permissible to listen to a mussar shiur (on mesilat Yesharim) in the morning while getting dressed,etc. (before having said the birkat HaTorah. I think I’ve lear...
# 1903 Mystery Meat
Where does the Gemara say a Ben Pakua is Mutar to eat?...
# 1902 Easy on the Eyes
Re- last answer (1901) that eye ailments can be considered life threatening. Does one recite the hagomel bracha after an eye cataract operation?...
# 1901 An Eye on an Eye
Can eye drops be used in Shabbos after a cataracts operation?...
# 1900 The Empty Nest?
The Rashbo (Teshuvos 5: 115) offers a most novel third interpretation on the meaning of "Koneh Shamaim Vaaretz" (14: 18). He claims it means a nest, as in "ken tzipor." Does that not contradict what i...
# 1899 Abraham Hacohen?
How come there is no mention that Avraham Avinu, who kept all mitzvos, made a pidyon habben when Yitzchok was born?...
# 1898 Under Cover
Can the cover of the challos on Shabbos be transparent such as a plastic bag?...
# 1897 Everything About the Kitchen Sink
With a large family and a moderate size sink, we need the Friday night Shabbat dishes out of the sink after the meal, so we pack them into the dishwasher. (Usually we will not need these plates again ...
# 1896 From Cover to Cover
Hello Rav, I heard in a shiur that you are suppose to have 2 tablecloths on your table on Shabbat, so that when you remove one to switch it, or to shake it off, the table will always still be covered ...