Paying a Babysitter for Work on Shabbat

We need a babysitter for a few hours on Shabbat. Is there a problem paying her for Shabbat work?

Responsive Baby Bassinet

There is a special bassinet that provides motion and soothing noise and reacts to an infant’s crying by intensifying them. Is it permitted to use this bassinet on Shabbat, and if so, are there special instructions?

Raffle on Shabbat

May one hold a raffle on Shabbat?

Batim of Tefillin on the Floor on Shabbat

The “retired” tefillin batim (in which the parshiyot go) I keep in a closet fell to the floor on Shabbat, inside a flimsy plastic bag. I intuited that it was better to pick them up than to leave them in disgrace on the floor. Was that correct?

Using Hot Water on Shabbat

May I use my hot water on Shabbat since I have the boiler on a timer to go on every morning before I wake up? If this arrangement is unacceptable, please suggest a permitted one.

Taking Medicine to Facilitate Mitzvot

Last Friday, I developed minor nasal issues, resembling my allergies. I figured that if I take my allergy medicine and wake up symptom-free, I can assume it was allergies. Was I permitted to take it (nasal spray) on Shabbat?

Playing Darts on Shabbat

Can we play darts on Shabbat? The darts are classic ones that pierce the board’s surface; the board hangs loosely from a nail in the wall; in between uses, the darts often stay on the boar

Adding Salt to Hot Food on Shabbat

If I cook with less salt, may people add salt to their soup or cholent on Shabbat?

Borer on Plates

We set our Shabbat table with a larger "charger" plate under the main plate. At the end of the meal, we clear off the dirty dishes and leave the charger plates. Is there a problem with borer (selecting)?

Trapping and Releasing on Shabbat

A couple of weeks ago, we saw a mouse in the house and put out a cage trap. A mouse was trapped last Shabbat. Because we felt bad for the mouse, we took it (on Shabbat) to an isolated area and let it out. Did we violate anything by trapping the mouse on Shabbat, or by letting it out (like some melachot that come in pairs, like tying and untying)? Was the cage muktzeh and, if yes, did tza’ar ba’alei chayim justify taking it out?

Removing Hair from a Necklace

Is it permitted to remove loose hair on Shabbat, which usually includes ripping it, that has gotten stuck in a necklace?

Definition of Davar Gush

l have learned that a hot solid piece of food, such as a chunk of meat or a potato, has special halachot because it holds in the heat. How do we consider something like vegetable soup, which has both significant broth and solid pieces of vegetables?

Heating Pad on Shabbat

I have muscle pain in my back, which sometimes becomes severe. Going to bed with a heating pad has made a big difference sometimes. May I use it on Shabbat, or is it a problem of muktzeh?

Reheating Liquids on Shabbat

Regarding the prohibition to reheat liquid foods on Shabbat (in cases where there is not a problem due to returning food to a heat source), what constitutes a liquid?

Moving Kugel into a Cholent Pot – Revisited

May I take a potato kugel that was on a hot plate on Shabbat and put it into a cholent that is in a crock pot?

Moving Kugel into a Cholent Pot

May I take a kugel that was on a hot plate on Shabbat and put it into a cholent that is in a crock pot?

Eating Questionably Reheated Kugel