Ask The Rabbi
Halachic questions answered by Hagaon Rav Shlomo Miller Shlit'a
5,520 questions and answers
# 1777 iTunes Not Their Tunes
iTunes Not Their Tunes Q. Are we allowed to sing melodies in schul that were sung in a church as part of the service?...
# 1776 Sing For The King
Some shuls have a custom that the Baal Shacharis on Rosh HaShana & Yom Kippur sings HaMelech from his seat in shul instead of at the Amud. What is the source of this custom?...
# 1775 A Brocho For The Bro
Dear Rabbi. In my shule there are twin brothers who are Kohanim. They are not really observant, but they are currently in their year of availus. Their father’s yurtzheit is coming up on a Thursd...
# 1774 A Little Too Late?
if one comes slightly late to shul and the tzibbur has already started shmone esrey, may one start while the tzibbur is in the middle of davening if he will miss answering kedusha? At what point is th...
# 1773 Catch a Break
Out of the five reasons given for the fast of Shiva Asar Betamuz, the most important seems to be the first one, the day when the luchos were broken, due to the making of the eigel, since that totally ...
# 1772 First Come First Served
The Mishna in Avos says Hashem made the world with ten utterances to punish the wicked who destroy the world... and to reward the righteous who sustain it. So punishment is punished before reward. BUT...
# 1771 A Question You Want to Flush Away
Can you dispose of a spider or an ant by throwing it into the toilet or sink?...
# 1770 Need to Catch Up
Hello Rav, My son was very disturbed when he found a spider right next to his bed on Shabbat, which prompts the following question: If a non-dangerous spider or ant is in your house on Shabbat and i...
# 1769 A Material Question
Is it better to use a taalis made of silk that is of an impure worm sheretz origin or better use rayon which originates from cellulose from permitted wood and plants? Can you use Lanital artificial w...
# 1768 A Mesh in the Flesh
Is a mesh taalit kattan, probably synthetic, kasher and can you make a bracha on it?...
# 1767 Guests Of Honor
It is said that ancestors are present at the weddings of their descendants. Is there a source for this tradition? Which are the ancestors that come and do they need an invitation?...
# 1766 Do Lose Sleep Over This
Dear Rabbi, I’m going to be going on a very long (about 1000 mile) drive for business during the three weeks - during the nine days in fact. I find it difficult to drive such a long distance wi...
# 1765 Enlightening the Light Travel
If one is traveling and space and weight are of the essence, does one have to take with, both his Shabbos and weekday taalis, or can he wear his Shabbos taalis for all prayers? If one is medakdek (ca...
# 1764 The Man Makes The Clothes
A person who can afford only one suit (jacket) and he would like to wear it both on Shabbos as well as when he davens during the weekdays, is this OK, or does it take away from the honor of Shabbos to...
# 1763 All Things Must Come to a Good End?
Why does ending with a good topic not apply to one ending a daily daf or any shiur on a sefer?...
# 1762 Finishing Touched
(See question 1761 above). How come some Parshios (like Kedoshim, Balak and others) do end with a wrong done?...
# 1761 Off To a Good Start
How important is when calling someone to the Torah to start with a good subject as we are so careful when finishing the aliya? Is it equally important?...
# 1760 That's Only The Half of It
How come we recite the half pasuk "Al Pi Hashem Beyad Moshe," (that is the way most people say, and the way it is printed in the Artscroll sidurim) during hagbaha. Is that not only half of the pasuk,...
# 1759 A Living Image?
Re- question above (1751) on pointing a finger towards the Sefer Torah during hagbaha, some questions. Q. If you don’t see the front of the Torah, but since the parchment is thin (sh’li...
# 1758 Table Talk
When a minyan meets in a home such as in a shiva, is there a need to have a table in the room during tefilah, even in the days that the Torah is not read, since it represents the mizbeach and that was...