The second of this week’s two parshios, Kedoshim, mentions the mitzvah of neta reva’ie. Hence… The Fruits of the Fourth Year Question #1: Rabbi Lamdan, a local talmid chacham, asks his Rav: “I have carefully studied this week’s parsha, which contains the Torah’s only mention of the mitzvah of neta reva’ie (fruit that grows during [...]

Question #1: Miriam recently sent me the following question: "I have heard that one should not eat apple peels, because they are coated with a treif, waxy substance. Does it make a difference if the apples are organic? Can any kind of apple be eaten with the peel? This subject concerns me, because there is [...]

uestion #1: A certain rav told me that he was unhappy that some kosher for Pesach apple sauce products contain vitamin C, which he claims is kitniyos. But I see some reliable Ashkenazic hechsherim containing vitamin C. Does that rav have his facts wrong? Question #2: My sister married a Sefardi, who eats rice on [...]

Question #1: Writing in the Air “May I communicate with someone on Shabbos by making the motions of writing the letters?” Question #2: Frosty Writing “May I write my initials on a frosty window on Shabbos?” Question #3: Asking a Gentile to Write. Elisheva plans to attend a seminar related to the latest advances in [...]

Before I begin this week’s article, I just wanted to share with everyone that my Hebrew responsa, most of which is available on the website in an almost unusable format, are now being edited with the hope that they will be available in the summer in a much more useful format. Also, for those who [...]

By Rabbi Yirmiyohu Kaganoff Writing is counted among the melachos prohibited on Shabbos, because each board of the Mishkan was marked in order to return it to its correct place whenever the Mishkan was reassembled. Erasing is a melacha because the numbers written on the boards were sometimes erased when a board was improperly marked [...]

or The Vanishing Importer and Other Tales Dovid calls me with following shaylah: ”Several years ago, Yonasan asked permission to store some items in my basement for a few months. The items are still in my basement, and I have no idea where Yonasan now lives. I have tried to contact him without any success. [...]

Many people will smile when they see this question. Others will frown. And everyone will gain from reading this article — since this question provides an opportunity to discuss many aspects of the laws of mezuzah. Let us start from the very beginning: “I live in an apartment building in New York. My building does [...]

This week’s parshah includes one of the main sources for the prohibition of carrying on Shabbos. I therefore decided to send the following article, the original of which I wrote almost thirty years ago. The Torah’s concern for the protection of life and health is axiomatic. In virtually all instances, Torah restrictions are superseded when [...]

This Shabbos falls on a Rosh Chodesh (or, this coming Rosh Chodesh falls on Shabbos)-   Question #1:  My mother always prepared a special kugel when Rosh Chodesh fell on Shabbos. Is there a halachic basis for this custom? Question #2: Do I fulfill the mitzvah of celebrating Rosh Chodesh by eating a fleishig sandwich [...]