Ask The Rabbi
Halachic questions answered by Hagaon Rav Shlomo Miller Shlit'a
5,519 questions and answers
# 4905 Noise Not Nice
I know that I’m not supposed to interrupt my davening amida or benching but if the alarm on my cell phone goes off or I forgot to turn off the ringer and the noise is bothering me, can I pause br...
# 4904 Small Sefer - Big Reading
See question above. Someone waiting in a hospital for an operation can he take with him a small sefer Torah an read Zachor by himself?...
#4903 Know Beans About Beans?
Hello Rav! I wanted to add some canned beans to a salad on Shabbat. After I’ve dealt with the opening up the can issue, I then had an potential borer (prohibited choosing and separating) issue in...
#4902 Don’t Forget to Remember
Kvod Harav. My husband is ‘Lo Alenu’ chronically ill and finds it very difficult to come to shul early. What should he do with Parshas Zahor?...
# 4901 Symptoms of Costumes
Can a woman get dressed up with men’s clothes as a Purim costume? Can a girl get dressed with a costume that is half woman in front and half man in the back?...
# 4900 Milk for Human Kindness
Dear Rabino. How can someone warm milk on Shabbat morning for the elderly in our retirement home that is very needed for them for breakfast? It can’t be left overnight even on a covered stove....
#4899 – Awakening to Wokeness
Is making fun of ’wokeness’ in the category of ’Leitznuso D’Avodah Zoro Mitzva’, and is this meritorious behaviour to be occupied with during the Purim Se’udah, on par wi...
# 4898 This is Not a Joke
See question above. Can one prepare Purim jokes and funny stories while in the bathroom?...
#4897 No Rest in Restroom?
Can I learn “teitch” (explaining) words from the Jastrow dictionary in the bathroom. (it has lashon hakodesh and also he brings down pieces of gemora and Tanach). is there a difference if I’m doing th...
# 4896 Oy Vay AI?
Kvod Harav. An associate of mine, who has designed and implemented similar commercial selling merchandise and marketing programs, is trying to develop an AI program that will inspect all info availab...
# 4895 - This Is Not Purim Torah
Is it correct to say Purim Torah during the Seudas Purim? Why is it not making fun or embarrassing our Holy Torah? On question 1276 explaining the reason for the strange minhag of saying Purim Tora...
# 4894 Purim Flowers?
Can one send flowers or a nice vase as Shalach Manot to an elderly woman that is often intubated on line support and suffers from severe diet restrictions and comply with this mitzva....
# 4893 The Not Dunk Drunk
My elderly father when he takes his medicine without food becomes mixed up and kind of inebriated and then falls usually asleep. Since he can’t consume any alcoholic drinks, can he avoid for a short w...
# 4892 The Purim Baby Bottle
Dear Rov Shlit’a. I have seen often people send as Shalach Monos little bottles of wine or even grape juice? How small can such bottle be to comply with the mitzva? How about sending the little 50ml. ...
# 4891 Skip a Bit More
See question 4877 above. The Rav said to skip Baruch Hashem L’olam if necessary when davening for the amud. But if the minhag hamakom is to say it, how can one go against that?...
# 4890 A Gentle Gentile Purim
Can one invite a friendly Gentile neighbor to a Purim Seudah?...
# 4889 Return the Remove
I have seen some people remove their Tefilin on Rosh Chodesh before the reading of the Torah. Is there a source for that minhag?...
# 4888 Why then Keep the Remove?
See question above. Does the taking off the Tefilin on Rosh Chodesh have anything to do with what kind of nusach one recites during the Kedusha? The Rema adds that this is only necessary in places ...
# 4887 Remove the Remove?
Why do we remove tefillin on Rosh Chodesh before davening Musaf?...
# 4886 A Poor First?
My wife reminded me that in our family we give for Matanos Lo’Evyonim at least as much money as we spend on Mishloach Manos, if not more. I am wondering if this custom has a source, or is it jus...