Q & A from- Yeshiva.org.il

Kashrut

Rabbi David Sperling

Question:

Hello and thank you for your site! I have a few questions about kashrut. 1) I use a glass measuring cup for parve ingredients (it is made of clear glass except for the measurement markings). The other day I accidentally poured cold milk into it. Then I realized my mistake and washed the cup with warm water and soap. Is the cup still parve? 2) Yesterday I put some cherries into a dairy bowl and then washed the cherries in the bowl over the meat sink. There were spoons in the sink that were used for meat within 24 hours(with pieces of meat on them). The bowl was clean, but it was used for milk within 24 hours. Also, the water that was used was cold. Are the spoons still kosher if I wash them with soap? Can I continue to use the sink? Thank you very much!

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why is both parents convert?

Rabbi Yoel Lieberman

Question:

Why does the shulchan aruch specify that it is okay if the mother only converted and not if both parents converted. If both parents are converts would that not make it even better? Or if it is both parents is there a fear one converted for the other and therefore you cannot tell if they truly converted of their own volition? Furthermore, what if both parents converted prior to meeting one another?

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Different types of Tefillin

Rabbi David Sperling

Question:

Some Sefardim lay Shimusha Rabba tefillin (mostly at Mincha time), as brought down in the Ariza"l. Is a bracha made over this pair of tefillin?

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Uensils in dishwasher

Rabbi David Sperling

Question:

Shalom Here are the details: I washed a milk spoon in a meat dishwasher. Please can you tell me the status of the spoon, the dishwasher and all the crockery and cutlery (meat) that was in the dishwasher when I had the milk spoon in the dishwasher. Also if there is an issue how do I fox things. Regards M. L.

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Personal Requests On Shabbos

Rabbi David Sperling

Question:

I understand that because one should not ask on Shabbat for personal things, some have the minhag to stop benching after וּמִכָּל טוּב לְעוֹלָם אַל יְחַסְּרֵנוּ. This is really the minority opinion, yes? Thanks, Mitch

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The Great Exodus and the jewelry

Rabbi Ari Shvat

Question:

Dear Rabbi, I have often wondered if Pharoah’s palace and all the taskmasters and leader’s homes were plundered or if these key individuals gave of their substance as well based on the following two scriptures: Exodus 12:35 And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: 36 And the Lord gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians. Looking forward to hearing your response!

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Hebrew language

Rabbi David Sperling

Question:

What is the difference between "ani" and "anachi" in biblical Hebrew? They both mean "I", so why are there two different words that mean the same thing?

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Sim Shalom in MIncha on Shabbat

Rabbi Yoel Lieberman

Question:

I understand that saying Sim Shalom in the Amidah is somewhat tied to the Birkat Cohanim. What is the source of the minhag to say Sim Shalom at Mincha on Shabbat in Eretz Yisrael when no Birkat Cohanim is included in the the Amidah..

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Fine China dishes

Rabbi Moshe Leib Halberstadt

Question:

The Rabbi stated that fine china dishes cannot be koshered unless immersed in boiling water. However in the case cited, the questioner stated he could not for fear of breaking the dishes. I wish to point out that china dishes are not the same as earthenware. Fine china is glazed and glaze is a thin coating of glass which has the effect of sealing the eating surface.

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mechitza- Lady in wheel chair in men’s section

Rabbi Ari Shvat

Question:

The shul where I daven for the past year a lady in a wheel chair who is in the convelescant home next door tp our shul is brought into the men’s section. The home/hospital has a minyan there that is wheel chair accessable with mechitza rather than a balcony like our shul. I asked the lady why doesn’t she daven in the home/hosipital & she said the davening there is not what she is used to as it Sephardi/Edot HaMizrach. My question is doesn’t there need to be a mechitza put up? If I wanted a lady in the men’s section wheel chair or otherwise I would go to a conservative or reform place not an Orthodox shul. I am in a quandry what to do.

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Follow up on Halacha .vs mitsvah

Rabbi David Sperling

Question:

Rabbi Sperling, You wrote: "only positive commands can be a mitzvah". Aren’t "Do not steal, murder", etc. mitsvot? i.e. aren’t they negative commandments(mitsvot)? If not, what are they? Thank you

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non-Jewish cooking

Rabbi David Sperling

Question:

Can you please settle an argument? If a non Jewish person cooks a meal in a kosher kitchen adhering strictly to the rules of kosher - is the meal prepared still kosher?

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Halakha vs mitsva

Rabbi David Sperling

Question:

What’s the difference between a halakha and a mitsva?

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Kim Jon Un haircut - payot

Rabbi David Sperling

Question:

Is a Kim Jon Un haircut mutar or assur, due to the grade 0.5 at the Peyot?

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which Tehilim at Poland

Rabbi Ari Shvat

Question:

I am a senior and will be going to Poland on a march of the living type trip. As a part of the trip we will be visiting Zbilatowska Gora, the children’s grave and I would like to say a psalm of tehilim while there. Is there a specific one you think is appropriate for the occasion?

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Dina D’malchusa - civil law

Rabbi Moshe Leib Halberstadt

Question:

I was wondering if Rema seems to pasken Dina D'malchusa dina even for laws between people (not just the laws specific to the king) and there are of many laws that people simply don’t observe. Besides that if we are strict about it we would need to study the laws of the land in the same way we study Shulchan Aruch. Imagine people sitting in shuls and learning the most current laws of the country with a lawyer teaching them: How to throw away the garbage? When and who is responsible about snow cleanup? What are the laws and obligations when you hire a babysitter? There are just so many laws and none of us know them except the lawyers that specify in the specific fields. And we never saw anything like this – serious shiurim regarding laws of the land and making sure you always keep updated. Maybe we could say that most laws are not pedantically observed by the people themselves, so we don’t have a greater obligation than the rest of society? (Also some people say Dina D'malchusa would not apply to democracy but it’s hard to rely just on that isn’t it?)

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Nusach

Rabbi David Sperling

Question:

Shalom, My fathers custom is to daven nusach Ashkenaz but I always wanted to be a chassid so I switched to nusach sefard, then later on I learned that the ar"i said that nusach sefard defiantly breaks through into shamayim. And I’ve been davening sefard for a long time now, and I’m very used to it, but my fathers minhag is to daven Ashkenaz, should I continue davening sefard or should I go back to nusach Ashkenaz? Thanks so much for your time!

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Why celebrate Yom Yerushalayim

Beit El Yeshiva Rabbis

Question:

Why didn’t King David establish a “Jerusalem day” (Yom Yerushalayim) on the day Jerusalem was inaugurated for generations, as the Rabbis established these days? If the answer is that he was waiting for the construction of the Temple by King Solomon, why do we celebrate before the Temple is built? If the celebration today is because the rescue of the Jewish people, also on King David’s times the was a rescue and still, it wasn’t celebrated for generations.

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Kiddush for a woman

Rabbi David Sperling

Question:

B’H Is it correct to say Kiddush before eating on Shabbat morning, before davening. I am by myself (a woman) and have been saying Kiddush before I eat and after I say morning blessings and before any further davening. Sometimes just feels too early for Kiddush.

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Rikud Dgalim

Beit El Yeshiva Rabbis

Question:

I wanted to know what the rabbi thinks about the "Rikod Dgalim" (the parade with flags to the Kotel) held in Jerusalem, is there a problem of separation or any other problem?

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