“I was told that I should not include quotations from pesukim on my daughter’s wedding invitation. Yet I see that ‘everyone’ does! Could you please explain the halacha?” “Someone told me that sukkah decorations should not include any pesukim. Is this true? My children bring home decorations like this from school.” “Does a newspaper containing [...]

How can we pass Parshas Behar without discussing the laws of shemittah? And the fact that we read these laws annually teaches that the Torah wants us to understand the lessons of shemittah every year. Yet many chutz la’aretz residents see no need to learn these laws, assuming that they are never affected. Well — [...]

Among the many topics covered in this week’s reading are the mitzvos of the woman who just gave birth. This provides an opportunity to discuss the basics of Birchas Hapomeil: Question #1: An offering or a blessing? “The Torah describes bringing a korban todah as a thanksgiving offering. How does that relate to the brocha [...]

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 [...]

A few minutes ago, I sent you an article for your Pesach reading pleasure on the topic of sheva berachos and the seder. Here I am sending you a second Pesach article. My next article will be sent out iy”H after Pesach and will be a kashrus article germane to Parshas Shmini. Wishing you and [...]

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. [...]