Ask The Rabbi
Halachic questions answered by Hagaon Rav Shlomo Miller Shlit'a
5,521 questions and answers
# 881 Never Say Neder II
What if I forgot to say beli neder when donating for a mi sheberach or telling that I will do any mitzva, does (Kol Nidre or Hatoras Nedorim declaration of annulment) help?...
# 880 Never Say Neder
I have often wondered if we make hatarath nedarim on erev Rosh Hashana, why do we recite Kol Nidre? Do any of the two declarations actually work?...
# 879 Don't Be A-loan on Rosh Hashana
If someone has already written a pruzbul and then tutors or babysits before Rosh Hashana, but was not paid at that time, can they still collect after this Shmitah Rosh Hashana?...
# 878 Guest to Honor
My family is noheg that we wash netilas yadayim before Kiddush on Shabbos. When we have guests (both Ashkenazi and Sfardi) should they wash before like us, or after? The Mishna Brurah (siman 271 s"k 5...
# 877 Don't Go Nuts on Rosh Hashono
Can you eat peanuts or peanut butter on Rosh Hashana?...
# 876 Vanish The Varnish?
Hello Rabbi Bartfeld, Q. Is there a problem with using bamboo that is coated with a varnish like substance for schach? I saw at dollar stores that they have them…...
# 875 Vesikin The Answer
Dear Rabbi Since on Rosh Hashana we are being judged during the first three hours of the day which begin around 5.30 AM, would not davening vesikin (with the sunrise) be the best alternative, rather...
# 874 Have You Heard This One?
I daven like many others in a small shul, that is on a main street. It is common that the street noises like trucks going by or sirens are heard inside as well as sometimes small children crying or th...
# 873 Important Being Important?
(For writing a pruzbul) Can you take any three people who are frum, even if they do not know much about Torah and explain to them what is pruzbul and what you want?...
# 872 Lenders Insomnia?
Can a pruzbul be done at night?...
# 871 pruzbul.org
I’m a student in a place were there isn’t much of a Jewish community and I have a few questions this year. Can a pruzbul be done on line or via a fax or email to the bais din?...
# 870 Tithes To Tuition
Hi Rabbi Bartfeld. Wanted to wish you and your family a Ksiva V’Chasima Tova!!! I also wanted to ask if I can use my Maaser money to pay tuition for my 22 year old daughter to learn in... Yerushala...
# 869 Identity Crisis
How much credence can be given to a place of burial of maternal ancestors or pictures taken by the chupa in establishing the Jewish identity of a person?...
# 868 The Proof is in the P'tur?
Can you use an old get certificate of divorce (ptur - the Beis Din is not extant, but they were reliable Rabbanim) to prove that the man or the woman named there went trough a proper act on conversion...
# 867 Blowing in the Night II
Re- Question # 858 above (Dear Rabbi Bartfeld, please tell Rav Miller Shlit"a) that the ancient Minhag Aschkenaz during Elul was to blow Tashrat 3 times after Shacharis and after Arvis (includin...
# 866 A Matter of Record V
Re – question 863 above Q. Thank you - but I learned that when a goy does a melacha for a Yid on Shabbos, the melacha is not forbidden in benefit forever. The Yid can benefit after Shabbos if he w...
# 865 Is the Earth to be Abandoned?
is there any problem with taking out from Eretz Yisroel earth, stones or sand?...
# 864 They Gave a War and Nobody Came
I have a question on Parshas Shoftim that no one has given me a satisfactory answer. We learned there that people who committed any sin would not join a voluntary war. The Cohen would call out before ...
# 863 A Matter of Record IV
If one will be absent from class (school) on yom tov, is one allowed to have a goy record the classes for him? If a goy offers to do it, should one refuse?...
# 862 Strapped by My Straps
I am ordering Tefillin straps. Unfortunately, the quality of straps today are poorer than when I became BarMitzvah. The straps do not absorb paint as well and therefore the tefillin paint comes off fa...