Ask The Rabbi
Halachic questions answered by Hagaon Rav Shlomo Miller Shlit'a
5,520 questions and answers
# 1317 Blessings Of Life
The bracha of sheheheyanu is recited on mitzvos that come from time to time (e.g., sukkah, shofar, Yom Tov). Why is this bracha not said when making an eruiv tavshilin?...
# 1316 The $100 Baby Bill
A Jew is walking on Shabbat and sees a baby crawling in the street. He picks up the baby and gives it to the mother who is nearby. She slips a $100 bill in his pocket to thank him and walks away. What...
# 1315 Day One, One Day or One A Day?
I just learned that according to the Chazon Ish, as brought in Orchos Rabeinu, vol. 2, p. 94, one who said Today is the first day etc. is NOT yotzi sefiras haomer (he needs to say Today is one day, as...
# 1314 A Matter Of Life Not Death
Can you say a shloshim hesped thirty days before Yom Tov for a community Rabbi? Do you recite E-l Mole Rachamim? If permitted, why is it different than others?...
# 1313 Shiras Hachaim – A Song For Life
We, who follow Minhag Aschkenaz, Minhag Rainus, are stringent during Sefiras HaOmer, after Rosh Chodesh, not only not to listen to music, but also not to sing. This stringency was adopted by Chachmei ...
# 1312 Give Us A Ring
Is one allowed to have a telephone ringtone that’s a segment of a song with musical instruments?...
# 1311 Raise The Spirits
Father was hospitalized and went into intensive care the day before Erev Pesach. Before he was given sedatives I reminded him to do bitul chometz which he did. I’m taking care of business for him and...
# 1310 Children Should Be Seen And Heard?
Grandparents visiting their children in Israel for Peisach, should they be joined by the children and grandchildren on the second seider so the grandparents can comply with the mitzva of vehigadta lev...
# 1309 Sold Out
I sold my house and cars before Pesach on an early mechira because we were going out of town. Sadly when we returned I found out that one of our cars was stolen. The insurance is B”H replacing it, but...
# 1308 All Things Must Pass?
I am in the store on Chol Hamoed and there is a lady (I do not know whether or not she is Jewish) who asks me to pass her the bagels on the top shelf because she can’t reach them. Am I allowed to pas...
# 1307 Still A Steal?
If someone travels to Eretz Yisroel for Pesach and he is joined by his children and grandchildren for the second sedder that they don’t keep, are the grandchildren allowed to “steal” the afikomen at t...
# 1306 Grab A Bite
What is the hetter (permit) for the tradition of the children stealing the afikoman? Are we not teaching them to do wrong?...
# 1305 Face The Music
Can you play on the piano classical music during sefira days?...
# 1304 Selling Point
I own a condo in southern Europe, that I did not completely clean for Pesach. I want to sell it as an early mechira, before the night of bedikat chametz arrives, so I will be exempt from bedika. Can I...
# 1303 Holy Smoke?
Can you smoke electronic cigarettes on Pesach (Chol Hamoed)?...
# 1302 Bear In Mind Smokey The Bear
My baby got as a present a stuffed bear, best described in the instructions as; “Filled with 100% natural wheat and lavender, it can be safely warmed or chilled at will. Use to soothe, comfort and rel...
# 1301 A Golem Shaileh?
My son has put together a robot that can be commanded on line from far, It carries a camera that can be moved to reach over five feet and move in all directions. The images we get on line are clear an...
# 1300 No Yachatz Between Karpas and Maror?
It is brought down that when reciting the bracha of "Borei Pri Ha’adama" on the karpas one should specifically have in mind that this bracha should exempt the maror that will be eaten later on. (...
# 1299 Search Or Destroy?
If the father searches for chometz and the son burns it next day, who recites the bracha of Al biur Chametz, the father since he owns the chametz or the son who actually burns it?...
# 1298 My Pet Shaileh
We own a small aquarium with fish and also a dog. It is difficult to change their diet and we think their regular food may contain chametz. Since we go away for Pesach, we leave our pets with a kind n...