Ask The Rabbi
Halachic questions answered by Hagaon Rav Shlomo Miller Shlit'a
5,520 questions and answers
# 1337 Time To Call It A Night?
If one would have a net loss of learning over Shavuos by staying up all night learning because would be too exhausted to learn over the rest of Yom Tov, is it better to go to sleep or should one stick...
# 1336 Bentching Etiquette
A Jewish man is sitting at his desk at work, having just said the words "Baruch ata Hashem Elokeinu Melech Haolam" of bentching. Suddenly, his gentile boss walks in, accompanied by an entourage of dis...
# 1335 The Angle On Angels
In a number of benchers, I’ve seen printed that there’s actually a 5th verse/stanza to Sholom Alechaim. Why is the minhag not to sing/say this verse?...
# 1334 Sitting In Judgment
Can a convert sit shiva and recite kadish for his benevolent and righteous father or mother that did not convert? How about if they were actively keeping another religion?...
# 1333 Holy Tongue!
A person who has a hard time davening in Hebrew (it takes a long time to do so, he is just starting to learn how to daven in Hebrew), may he recite part of the SE (e.g., 1st three and last three brach...
# 1332 Advanced In Year?
I am (reciting) kaddish for a father of a female friend. He was niftar on the first day of Shavuos 5776 before sunset and buried on 8 Sivan. What would be the last day I would say kaddish? Thank you....
# 1331 The Shape Of Things To Come
Can you give a shape on Shabbos to the food you are eating, by cutting it with a knife or by selectively biting and eating from it, such as cutting the challah in a triangle or creating other shapes? ...
# 1330 Count Your Blessings
Shalom Aleichem Harav. When one is waiting for a bagel to finish toasting and wants to eat a danish, does this constitute a bracha she’eina tzricha? assuming it doesn’t since there is significant hu...
# 1329 Put Cards On The Table
(Re- prior question 1328) What is HoRav Miller’s opinion in regards to the card being muktza because it is a utensil dedicated to a prohibited task and then you would be permitted to carry it with you...
# 1328 Take Offense
( Re- question 1327). Thank you for your comprehensive answer on using an electronic key-card on Shabbat. I have two more questions. You mentioned that there is at least a rabbinic prohibition for usi...
# 1327 Out Of Key?
Is there any heter for using an electronic key card in entering a hotel room during Shabbat, if there is no light that goes on or if the light is covered?...
# 1326 The Beginning Of The End
Since we require that the seven weeks counted before Shavuot should be temimot and complete, we wait until night to say Maariv. Why is that some women light candles early and even say shecheyanu then?...
# 1325 Lag's Gilgulim
In our shul we make a seuda every year likvod Rashbi on Lag Baomer, we light candles and say divei Torah in his honor. Someone suggested that since it is also the yortzait of the Remoh, we should also...
# 1324 Along For The Ride
1) An elderly lady who uses a wheel chair is going to be staying at an hotel during Shabbos where the bar mitzva of her grandson is taking place. Can she take the elevator if her caregiver presses t...
# 1323 A Close Shave?
Someone who is going to surgery on Thursday night (Lag Baomer is Sunday). Can he shave and take a haircut Thursday evening after the shekia? He keeps sefira prohibitions from Rosh Chodesh until before...
# 1322 Right To Life
Q, Dear Rav Bartfeld. I hope this finds you well. I’m wondering if Rav Miller Shlita has a position on organ donation, specifically regarding the Ontario driver license option of listing onese...
# 1321 Shul Shiva
If avelim are given permission to sit shiva and daven in a Beth Midrash that does no ordinarily have a daily minyan, does the ba’al tefila omit tachanun and lamentzeach (ya’ancho Hashem) and all tefil...
# 1320 Take One’s Medicine?
Hello Rav! My wife needed some medication from her purse on shabbat, which brought up an interesting question in muktza. I believe medicine and purses are muktza, but the medicine becomes permitted i...
# 1319 Smell Test
During Havdalah, one recited a benediction over spices and then realized that he is completely unable to smell them and has thus recited a blessing in vain. Should he recite baruch sheim etc. immediat...
# 1318 Miss Fire
My half sister who was my mother’s daughter lives in... and is gravely ill in hospital. My mother’s first husband was an avowed atheist and taught my sister to be one too. My mother became a...