Parashat HashavuaSeries'LibraryPiskei Din (Hebrew)Test YourselfIn our sedra, Moshe places his hands upon Yehoshua & "ordains" him as the new leader. For many centuries, until classic Semicha ended about the 5th century, individual rabbis or a court of 3 passed on their prerogative to decide Halacha to those they deemed fit (there was a brief period, in 1538, when Rav Yaakov Berav temporarily restored Semicha & ordained several Tzfat scholars, including Rav Yosef Karo, author of the Shulchan Aruch). The formula or title given to rabbis is "Yoreh Yoreh"- Can he teach? Yes, he can teach!" or "Yadin Yadin – Can he judge; Yes, he can judge!" The latter designation is considered superior, implying that the recipient has the texts immediately at hand, rather than having to look up the law, & may serve as a dayan. Today, semicha is generally given by yeshivot & religious institutions, though private ordination is still practiced. Rabbis are expected to have wide knowledge in many areas of Halacha, from Shulchan Aruch to Gemara to practical issues such as kashrut, Shabbat & life-cycle events. The title of "Posek," - an acknowledged decisor of halacha - is generally awarded by acclamation, as opposed to being an official designation.
What happens when your biggest competition is about to incur a lot of losses? Are you happy or do you help? Watch this incredible story of how a company reacted to its competition's crisis.
work at a hospital and, some days, I am unable to wear tefillin during the day, but only pre-dawn. May I then put on tefillin before its regular time? [Our staff knows the querier.]
Torah studies and acquiring a profession take longer, so how does this affect the obligation to get married by a certain age? What about postponing having a family after marriage?
Reciting Brachos in the Presence of Unpleasant Odors
Reciting Brachot, Benching and learning Torah in the Presence of Unpleasant Odors. May one wash for bread in a public restroom? Can one discuss Torah while walking through city streets where there are dumpsters or dog droppings? What if one cannot smell? and more.