Ask the rabbi: what are the jewish implications of a total solar eclipse?

Visiting Egypt

I am considering sightseeing in Egypt. Need I be concerned with the Torah’s prohibition of returning to Egypt?

No Opinion

In my younger days, I had great certainty about life, people, events, and the future. It soon becomes quite evident that in many circumstances, having no opinion is not only the safer path in life, but in most cases, it is also the wiser one.

The Lost Computer File

What's the Ideal Life Style, Working for a Living or Just Learning?

One of the most basic questions is how should we strive to live? The differing approaches to this issue is seen to this day, whether just to learn Torah (as claimed by the Haredim) or to also merge work as an ideal, as proclaimed by the modern-orthodox or religious-Zionists. If one is a millionaire, and doesn't need to work for a living, perhaps nevertheless, he should work, if it's an ideal. This machloket is found already among chazal, but even in the time of R. Shimon Bar Yochai, who had claimed that just Torah is the ideal, he surprisingly & apparently changed his mind, and joined Torah vaAvodah! The Chatam Sofer also differentiates between those living in Israel, where work is a mitzva and holy, as opposed to work in the diaspora.

Earthware and Earthenware

Modernity And Tradition

How do we make kosher cheese?

Question 1: Is there a need for kosher cheese to cost such a premium over non- kosher cheese? Question 2: Do the Conservatives have any basis for their "heter" of permitting all cheeses?

Essentials of Tochachah - admonition

Is there a mitzvah to admonish someone when I know that he will ignore me or if there is a chance he will become my enemy?

Reducing and Utilizing the Summer Vacation

The summer vacation is too long and can cause idleness, boredom and bad things. It should be reduced to one month and until then we must build a good program to fill the vacation.

The Torah is for all

It does recognize that there are different personality needs and differing societal mores. But the Torah was always the same Torah for all Jews. What was expressly forbidden in the Torah was forbidden to all and what was permitted was also permitted to all.

The True Saga of Charles, the “Kohen”

All his life, even before he was at all observant, Charles had known that he was a kohen. He knew that as a kohen he was entitled to the first aliyah when the Torah is read. When Charles became observant, he began duchening. He then learned about receiving pidyon haben money and began to envision himself wearing kohen’s garb and serving in the Beis HaMikdash. And so, Charles made it his hobby to study the laws that affect kohanim and particularly to know the gifts that they receive. Charles knew about many of the honoraria a kohen receives today, and also began studying about what kohanim will receive when the Beis HaMikdash will be rebuilt. Here are some of the laws he learned

Making a Beracha before Separating Challah

Before we begin, it is important to note that the word challah was used above to mean two completely different things – the bread we serve on Shabbos and Yom Tov, and the consecrated portion that we separate from dough. To avoid confusion, whenever I use the term "challah" for the rest of the article, I will use it only to mean the consecrated portion.

The Laws of Tumas Meis

When the Beis Hamikdash is rebuilt, bimheirah beyameinu, the laws of tumah will affect us all, since we will be required to be tahor in order to enter the Beis Hamikdash, to eat korbanos and maaser sheini, and in order to separate challah and terumah.

The Great Cottage Cheese Controversy

My friend Yaakov* often travels in places where there are no kosher products available, and he has amassed a list of items that he can eat and drink wherever he finds himself. He told me that someone once told him that when traveling he may eat cottage cheese without any hechsher. What is the rationale for this psak?

How Do We Make Kosher Wine?

The laws of Kosher wine, Yayin Nesech, Stam Yeynam and wine made or touched by a non Jew.

Chalav Yisrael and Powdered Milk

"Friends of ours keep chalav Yisrael, but they will use foods made with non-chalav Yisrael powdered milk. But I know from my professional research that one can purchase powdered mare's (female horses) and camel's milk – they are specialty products that command a very high premium. So why is there any difference between using non-chalav Yisrael powdered milk, and non-chalav Yisrael fluid milk?"

To Buy or not to Buy?

"My husband and I would like to buy life insurance, but we’re concerned that it might show a lack of bitachon that Hashem always does what is best for us. Is that correct?"

Treatment of animals

What is the moral justification to slaughter animals and eat their flesh? Should we educate for vegetarianism? Why is there a Mitzvah to eat meat on Shabbat? Rabbi Eliezer Melamed teaches us the Jewish perspective on correct animal treatment.

Mezuzah Mysteries – or Is this really a doorway?

In modern residences, many rooms are not entered via doors, but through entranceways. Do these entrances require a mezuzah? In order to answer, we need to explain when a doorway requires a mezuzah.