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Last answer posted on: 2 Sep 2010

Questions answered to date: 1675

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Showing Questions in 'Miscellaneous'

Question No.	1760
Category	Miscellaneous
Date Posted	5 Jul 2010
The Question	In circumstances where my wife and I go to a Jewish non-religious wedding where there is immodest dress and mixed dancing, would it be permitted to attend or to stay in the hall during the mixed dancing even though we would not participate? Furthermore at “Modern Orthodox” weddings, where there is a simple mechitzah open on all sides and the men and women can see each other dancing, would either my wife or I be allowed to stay in the hall during the dancing or even participate in the dancing? What would be the preferred conduct in those two situations? Thank you —Anonymous, Montreal, Canada
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	1740
Category	Miscellaneous
Date Posted	12 Jun 2010
The Question	There are my wife, myself and a female guest sitting down to Shabbos dinner. Who should my wife serve first me or the guest? —Raphael, New York City
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	1738
Category	Miscellaneous
Date Posted	7 Jun 2010
The Question	As a Baal Teshuvah who's family isn't frum I don't really know to whom I can ask this embarrassing question. What is the avera of Zera Li'Vatala specifically and its punishment and teshuvah for it? Is there as difference if it happens at night or on purpose? if at night it is accompanied by a dream, does it matter whether the dream is pleasurable or not? and lastly even if it's not an avera at nigh does one still suffer some amount of spiritual damage? if so is there anything that one can do to fix it? If the Rav feels it inappropriate to answer the question would the Rav please point some out some sforim so that I could look it up. Thank You very much —Anonymous, NY
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	1731
Category	Miscellaneous
Date Posted	4 Jun 2010
The Question	When I was working on shmiras HaBris when I was 16, I said either “If I should ever do the sin G-d should not give me children” or “I swear that if I should do this again …” or I swear I wont, and if I do then…”. (I don’t remember the exact terminology). I didn’t know how strong the yetzer hara was, and what type of fight I was in for. I have sinned many times since then, and still struggle. Will I have children? Do I have to be matir the neder in front of people? (does the erev rosh hashana one work?) What do I do? —Anonymous, yerushalayim
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	1716
Category	Miscellaneous
Date Posted	16 Feb 2010
The Question	How can we define murder? —Anonymous, US
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	1699
Category	Miscellaneous
Date Posted	29 Sep 2009
The Question	Dear Rabbi, I am a drug counselor. i often come across questions from my clients, that "if drugs are bad why did god create them" and "I am using drugs to connect myself to god and to feel spiritual". I don't have a good answer for them. How would the rav answer these statements. —Anonymous, far rockaway, new york
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	1697
Category	Miscellaneous
Date Posted	29 Sep 2009
The Question	Kvod Ha'Rav, I am torn about which shul to daven at. We've recently moved and while there are many shuls in our new area, none are ideal. There is a local kolel, but it does not have services consistently and on key times such as Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, so we had to find an alternative at least for some occasions. We have finally found another shul that we like. It has an appropriate community, nice sanctuary, and is in a reasonable walking distance, Ashkenazi, etc. The catch is they are "liberal" orthodox. Women receive 3/7 aliyot once a month and a woman reads the Haftorah that week as well. Can I daven in this shul? In all other ways it seems "normal" and really seems to be the ideal option. Thank you. —Anonymous, Jerusalem
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	1696
Category	Miscellaneous
Date Posted	26 Sep 2009
The Question	We are planning a memorial service for Deceased patients of a Jewish Hospice. The name of the deceased patient will appear in the memorial printed material. It is our understanding that when the name of a deceased person is printed, it should include a jewish symbol recognizing that they are deceased. Unfortunately, we can not find any specificity as to the appropriate symbol to use and we would like to assure that we are conveying the appropriate respect. Could you please provide any information on this subject, including the name of the symbol so that we may locate and reproduce it in the memorial material? —Michael Kellough, Pittsburgh, PA
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	1694
Category	Miscellaneous
Date Posted	24 Sep 2009
The Question	I have developed diabetes, now comes yom kippur, what do I do? I have not dissobeyed this mitzaht, I am afraid to! Rabbi, were I live there are no rabbies, you are the one I must go to. how shall I keep yom kippur, what shall I do. Shalom —Yaakov Ben Eliyahu, Cherokee Village, AR.
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	1689
Category	Miscellaneous
Date Posted	16 Sep 2009
The Question	Tzadi Hassadik. What influence does this name have on a person? —joseph salaman, San Adres Island Colombia
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	1678
Category	Miscellaneous
Date Posted	7 Jul 2009
The Question	Dear Rabbi, I have heard that referring to G-d as masculine is because masculine implies 'giving of potential' and feminine implies 'receiving of potential' - and since G-d can only give and not take, we refer to G-d as 'He'. Is this true? Also, if this is true, then how can the Divine Presence (Shechina) be feminine? Surely that implies that G-d is taking something from us?! Thank you for reading my question. —Elliot, UK
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	1677
Category	Miscellaneous
Date Posted	7 Jul 2009
The Question	I have heard that G-d is in the physical realm if we bring Him into it. Is this true? Also, how is G-d brought into the spiritual realm? —Elliot, UK
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	1670
Category	Miscellaneous
Date Posted	30 Jun 2009
The Question	Rabbi Leff, thank you for taking the time to answer my last question. My question now is why do some people pronounced the cholam as "oy" and some as "o". For example "tOYrah" vs. "tOrah"? —Anonymous, canada
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	1661
Category	Miscellaneous
Date Posted	19 May 2009
The Question	Rav Leff, I would like to thank the Rav for his time. I am a Gioress living a beautiful jewish life. My husband is in Kollel and we are a "typical" yeshivish couple. We love it! My entire family convertered when i was younger. I feel like my whole family fell apart since we converted. My parents divorced & my siblings are all struggling badly with life and the Jewish world and the problems they see. 2 are religious 1 has gone back. Why does HaShem have gerim? Many people look down on them and dont want to marry them. We as gerim always felt different and didnt fit in. We did this all for Hashem! What is there status? Once they convert are they always Jewish? I wanna be positive about the siuation but its been difficult. V'ahavta es HaGer?!? —Bas Sarah Imeinu, Israel
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	1660
Category	Miscellaneous
Date Posted	17 May 2009
The Question	Dear Rabbi Scientists have evidence of dinasoars living at least a million years ago but we say the world is 5769 years old.How can one explain this discrepancy regards —Anonymous, South africa
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	1647
Category	Miscellaneous
Date Posted	29 Apr 2009
The Question	Not really a question. Following up to the question about sleeping on your side. "Anonymous" was probably refering to Kitzur S'A, Siman 71 Halacha 5, " And it is good to lay in the begining of his sleep on the left side, and in the end on the right, and it is good for health of the body.. " Yashar Koach . —Yisrael Dov, Rechovos
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	1643
Category	Miscellaneous
Date Posted	23 Apr 2009
The Question	I am a baal tshuva for may years, and on my father's side of the family, I only know the name of my gr. gr. grandfather from Galicia who did not come to America. His son, my gr. grandfather, came to America early and was not raised by his father, therefore, nobody in my family has any genealogical information going backwards. I have absolutely no other frum relatives (other than my wife.) How hard should I work to find out about my ancestors and their customs? It would entail extensive research through census reports and ship manifests, perhaps, which soulds like fun in a way, but is it really necessary? I don't plan on taking on Chassidish minhagim since I was "raised" by a very litvish BT yeshiva. Or is it good to know? Thanks! —Anonymous, brooklyn
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	1641
Category	Miscellaneous
Date Posted	19 Mar 2009
The Question	Dear Rabbi; I'm having a hard time with the halacha that one must sleep only on one's side. I am much more comfortable sleeping on my stomache, and sometimes my back, always have. How can I all of a sudden switch to sleeping on my side? And what is the reason for this halacha? And even if I try to go to sleep on my side, which I have, and find it difficult (I have backaches), how can I choose to do so when I am asleep? Also, I just recently found out that one must go to sleep on one's left side and wake up on the right (or vice versa - I forgot which). That makes things even more difficult. How on earth can one choose on what side he's going to wake up? Thank you. —Anonymous, Brooklyn
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	1635
Category	Miscellaneous
Date Posted	15 Mar 2009
The Question	Sometimes one tries to give honor to a rav or Rosh Hayeshiva by opening the door for him or helping him with his coat,or maybe even giving up a seat for him on a bus. But sometimes a rav doesn't like this, and he will insist on not letting others open a door or give up a seat by either expressing disappoval, or by waiting at the door until the other enters first. What happens the next time you see this rav? Does one let the rav open the door himself, and also not bother to offer his seat, or does one keep trying despite this rav's annoyance, because it's an obligation to honor rabbeim? Thanks for direction. —Anonymous, Brooklyn
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	1611
Category	Miscellaneous
Date Posted	6 Feb 2009
The Question	The Rav spoke about the issue of using someone elses wireless internet. The Rav did not speak about the possible problem of stealing from the Internet Service Provider. What would be the Halacha regarding that? Thanks. —Sruly, Jerusalem
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

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