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Last answer posted on: 2 Sep 2010

Questions answered to date: 1675

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Showing Questions in 'Halacha (General Jewish Law)'

Question No.	1763
Category	Halacha (General Jewish Law)
Date Posted	6 Jul 2010
The Question	Is it considered proper to have a gathering of relatives and friends to celebrate the completion of the writing of a Sefer Torah during the Three Weeks between Sheva'eser b'Tammuz and Tisha B'av? Light refreshments-cakes, cookies, fruit and schnapps- being served. No music. If mutar, can a Shechechianu be said by those privileged to write an os? Thank you. —Mair Zvi, Toronto
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	1754
Category	Halacha (General Jewish Law)
Date Posted	27 Jun 2010
The Question	I have always had a hard time learning halacha, quite simply because I find it hard to stay interested in memorising halacha after halacha. Then I discovered the Aruch HaShulchan, which brings the halacha to life. Is it problematic to learn this sefer in the respect that we pasken like the Mishnah Brurah? —Anonymous, Jerusalem, Israel
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	1745
Category	Halacha (General Jewish Law)
Date Posted	16 Jun 2010
The Question	L'chvod HaRav. is it permitted to listen to the music of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach from after he pretended to be a hippy? also, I heard that the Amshinover Rebbe was very "pro-Carlebach." What was the extent of his "pro-Carlebach"ness? What is your opinion on this topic? thank you. —Anonymous, Snippetchuk, Alabama
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	1735
Category	Halacha (General Jewish Law)
Date Posted	7 Jun 2010
The Question	My father is buried in a plot in a Jewish cemetary that does not allow large gravestones, only small head plates. My mother now wishes to be buried where she can have a large gravestone and wants to move my father although there is a plot next to him for her now. I don't feel this is proper but need guidance either for myself or for her. Thank you for your thoughts on this —Anonymous, Chicago
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	1733
Category	Halacha (General Jewish Law)
Date Posted	7 Jun 2010
The Question	Lichvod HaRav I started abstaining from cola products about a year ago because I felt i was too addicted to them. I wanted improved health and to break my ta'avah to some extent as well. I did not intend to make this into a neder and even declared this. However, I would still like to know if it has become a neder and if I need hatarat nedarim before I taste cola products again. Thank You —Anonymous, Jerusalem
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	1732
Category	Halacha (General Jewish Law)
Date Posted	5 Jun 2010
The Question	1)On what basis is the prevalent practice NOT to bentch zimun on a cup of wine despite gemaras etc. that seem to indicate its being done? 2) Why don't litvaks generally put on gartels despite the Shulhan Arukh's and Mishna Berura's apparent leaning that it is preferable? 3)Why is the audience's singing of "od yishama" in middle of the recitation of the bracha achrita in sheva brachot not considered a hefsek? —Yisrael Kaniel, Bet Shemesh
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	1730
Category	Halacha (General Jewish Law)
Date Posted	4 Jun 2010
The Question	The sefer Hashovas Aveida K'hilchosa says that if one sees someone else doing something that could cause damage to another person, he should be mochiach the person to stop that behavior. If the person doesn't stop, he is obligated to tell the beis din so that they should stop him. Is this l'maiseh today? Let's say that I have told parents that it is dangerous to the point of sakanos nefashos to drive around without properly seat belting their young children or to allow their children to ride bicycles without a helmet, and they did not change their behavior. Am I now obligated by the Torah to approach the local rav or beis din to get them to speak to the parents? Is the rav or beis din obligated by the Torah to actually do so? Thank you. —JR, Israel
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	1729
Category	Halacha (General Jewish Law)
Date Posted	3 Jun 2010
The Question	Lchvod HaRav Shlita, As far as I understand there is only a heter to speak lashon hara if there will be some constructive outcome. That being the case, is there a heter to discuss politics in Israel, since practicaly everyone involved is jewish, and the vast majority of the time people are just shmoozing without any realistic chance of changing anything? (also, is the halacha the same for secular jews in positions of power in other countries?) Thank you so much! —Anonymous, Ramat Beit Shemesh
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	1727
Category	Halacha (General Jewish Law)
Date Posted	3 Jun 2010
The Question	Shalom, is fish "Bianchetto" or "Bianchetti and Gianchetti" kosher? (for informations lokk also italian wikipedia) Thanks and bye! —Anonymous, Genoa, Italy
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	1726
Category	Halacha (General Jewish Law)
Date Posted	1 Jun 2010
The Question	What can a person do if he does an inappropiate act in shull to be forgived and what is the punishment —Anonymous, America
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	1707
Category	Halacha (General Jewish Law)
Date Posted	10 Feb 2010
The Question	What is the halacha regarding yichud for a male psychiatrist or psychologist who is seeing a female patient? Obviously the door must be kept shut because of confidentiality. Is it enough for the patient to have a parent in the waiting room? —Anonymous, new york
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	1705
Category	Halacha (General Jewish Law)
Date Posted	6 Feb 2010
The Question	Bkavod Ha'Rav, What is the source for the Mechitza and the hashkafa behind it? Are there instances were praying with women and men in the same room without a mechitza are permitted? Please if the Rav does not mind, also mention makaros where I could look up and follow the Rav's answer, for example,s'eef in shulchan aruch. Thank you. —Anonymous, United States
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	1702
Category	Halacha (General Jewish Law)
Date Posted	1 Oct 2009
The Question	is one allowed to buy a lottery ticket if it is held on shabbos. is it a problem of possibly making money on shabbos even though his chances are slim. —Anonymous, cleveland
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	1700
Category	Halacha (General Jewish Law)
Date Posted	30 Sep 2009
The Question	I am staying with my family. I am not able to Kasher some of their utensils (plates, bowls). May I use them with cold or hot parve or milkig food items? (not ben yomi) —Yonasan, Texas
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	1698
Category	Halacha (General Jewish Law)
Date Posted	29 Sep 2009
The Question	Kvod Ha'Rav, My neighbors are currently building their sukkah under a tree. What action am I to take? They are religious sephardim who surely know the hallachah, but build their sukkah in the same spot every year. Thank you. —Anonymous, Jerusalem
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	1688
Category	Halacha (General Jewish Law)
Date Posted	14 Sep 2009
The Question	There's a website that sells very expensive paintings of gedolim. I wanted to see one of the pictures enlarged, so I clicked on it, and when it came up enlarged in a separate screen, I realized that I could right-click it and save it to my computer, which means I can bring my copy to a store and get it developed in a large size for a few dollars. I've listened to the questions about copying music, and in this case, I would definitely not pay $350 for a gadol picture, not even Rav Moshe. Is the halacha the same as with recorded music? If it matters, the quality of my copy will probably be considerably lower quality. Thanks and K V'Ch T. —Yoni Leibowitz, New York
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	1684
Category	Halacha (General Jewish Law)
Date Posted	14 Sep 2009
The Question	regarding question 1176 and 1695. i read a teshuva from Rav Belsky, shlita, that stated that a person can easily convince himself that he definitely would not have bought the cd anyway, and therfore convince himself that he may copy it. therefore a person shouldn't rely on that heter. (a little side point i want to make. there is a new kind of ipod that cam hold up to 200 gigabytes of music! to fill that up with music legally, would cost $35,000! just imagine how much these singers, producers, composers, distributors are losing...) —Anonymous, Philadelphia
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	1680
Category	Halacha (General Jewish Law)
Date Posted	7 Jul 2009
The Question	my tenant owes me 5 months rent he refuses to pay he refuses to leave —Anonymous, illinois
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	1674
Category	Halacha (General Jewish Law)
Date Posted	2 Jul 2009
The Question	I'm a bit confused regarding how many men are needed to start chazrat hashatz after silent Amidah. Mishnah berura seems to hint to 10- but i go to many shuls and they seem to say six. What is correct? or is this minhagim? —Anonymous, Manchester, UK
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	1673
Category	Halacha (General Jewish Law)
Date Posted	2 Jul 2009
The Question	Regarding Mincha, What is supposed to be finished by Shkia, silent shmoneh esreh? chazras Hashatz or the whole of Mincha ie aleinu? —David, Beit Shemesh, Israel
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

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