Yonasan, who was originally adopted by non-observant parents, called me with the following shaylah: “My parents, meaning the couple who adopted me, eventually divorced, and later my father remarried, although there was a halachic problem with his second marriage. My adoptive father was a kohen, and his second wife, Martha, was a divorcee. Recently, [...]

In parshas Va’Yishlach Yaakov needed to make very important and practical life decisions with major long-term ramifications, when he heard that Esav was approaching with his army of 400 men; these decisions were made based on his halachic and hashkafic background. We also have similar decisions to make. With this introduction, I bring you: Question [...]

  Question #1: MYSTERY IN THE COATROOM Our shul has coats, umbrellas and other items that have been sitting in the coatroom for months. We have hung notices asking people to check if they have any clothing there, but many items remain. The shul is now undergoing renovation which will ruin whatever remains. What can [...]

Let us begin by reviewing the concepts of mitzvas tzedakah that I discussed last article. These concepts include:

Dei Machsoro: the requirement to provide all the needs of a poor person, including luxury items that he became accustomed to when he was in a better financial situation.

Takanas Usha: a rabbinic injunction that prohibits spending more than one-fifth of one’s property on tzedakah or on any other mitzvah, lest one become destitute as a result. According to some opinions, this takanah does not apply to someone who will not become destitute as a result.

Ani Bifanav: when I am aware of a poor person whose needs are not attended.

Ayn Ani Bifanav: when I am not currently aware of a poor person whose needs are not being attended to.

Maaser Kesafim: giving ten percent of one’s moneys to tzedakah. The poskim dispute whether one subtracts household expenses from one’s income before calculating maaser.

My neighbor has been out of work for a while. The family is embarrassed to ask for help, but I know that they are hurting terribly. There is a discreet way of helping them whereby they will never find out the source of the money. How much should I give them? The mailman’s daily delivery brings a solicitation letter from an internationally reknown yeshivah. How large a check should I place in the return envelope?These are shaylos we face daily. Do we know the halacha guidelines how much to give?

Andy Gross, a businessman who is proud that he is now observing mitzvos, is on time for his appointment. After a brief greeting, I ask him what brings him to my office on this beautiful morning. “I recently learned that even though the Torah prohibits paying or receiving interest, there is something called a heter [...]

  In Parshas Ki Seitzei the Torah instructs “Biyomo sitein s’charo vi’lo sa’avor alav hashemesh,” “On that day (that is, the day the work was completed) you should pay his wage, and the sun shall not set (without him receiving his payment)” (Devarim 24:15). The Torah mentions two mitzvos; a positive mitzvah (mitzvas aseh) and [...]

Mendel Greenberg has been unable to resolve a matter with one of his suppliers. He has attempted to discuss the matter with him, but the last time he tried, the phone was abruptly slammed down. To his chagrin, Mendel realizes that he has no choice but to sue the supplier. Not knowing how to proceed, he makes an appointment with his rav to discuss what to do.

Thirty days before Pesach, we begin studying its many and complicated laws. In that “spirit,” I send you this article. As we all know, a Jew may not own chometz on Pesach, which is included in the Torah’s double prohibition, bal yira’eh and bal yimatzei. Furthermore, the Torah commanded us with a mitzvas aseh, a positive mitzvah, to destroy any chometz left in our possession after midday on Erev Pesach.

Although it is a very big mitzvah to lend money, some people are reluctant to do so because they know of loans that were hard to collect. Must I lend someone money if I am not sure it will ever be repaid? What can I do if I loaned money to someone who seemed very honest and sincere, but now that it comes time to repay, he informs me that he is penniless? What may I do and what may I not do to collect my money? How can I guarantee that I get my money back?