Halachah

by R. Daniel Mann Question: On Erev Pesach, I will be in a small Jewish community that will not have a siyum. Is it permitted for me – a bechor1)Firstborn. – to break the ta’anit bechorot2)The fast of the firstborn. based on a siyum3)The completion of a significant section of Torah. in which I “participate” via Skype?  Answer: In the ...

by R. Daniel Mann Question: Some people write Hashem’s Name in English as “G-d.” Is that necessary, or are the halachot of Hashem’s Name only in Hebrew? If a Name can be in any language, then isn’t “G-d” another recognized form to write Hashem’s Name and have the same problem? Answer: What to consider a Name of Hashem is significant ...

by R. Daniel Mann Question: I showed my surprise to a serious young man who was drinking coffee during Shacharit. He said it helps him daven and is permitted. Can that be correct? Answer: We are not discussing one with special physical/medical needs. It is forbidden to eat before davening Shacharit (Berachot 10b), as derived (although it is probably Rabbinic) ...

by R. Daniel Mann Question: My shul has always read Parashat Zachor once, with our regular havara (pronunciation). Some people now complain that we do not follow other shuls and read multiple times with different havarot to fulfill the mitzva according to more opinions and to do the mitzva properly for Sephardim. Should we change our minhag? Answer: Let us ...

by R. Daniel Mann Question: In my shul, at the end of An’im Zemirot, the chazan (child) does not say “Lecha Hashem hagedula …” I understand that it is not permitted to say Kaddish after a shir (song of praise) without p’sukim. Can you provide me with sources to prove this?   Answer: To start with, we at Eretz Hemdah ...

by R. Daniel Mann Question: Is there a proof from the gemara in Berachot 18b-19a that when people speak to the deceased in the cemetery, he hears and understands? Answer: We will peruse some sources in Chazal and later authorities and try to arrive at a balanced approach. It is a basic Jewish belief (see Rambam’s principles of faith) that ...

by R. Daniel Mann Question: May we use a frozen challa for lechem mishneh on Shabbat? Answer: We will start by removing the main suspense: the one-word answer is clearly, “Yes.” After seeing why, we will see why some prefer avoiding the situation and weigh certain factors and distinctions. The gemara (Berachot 39b) says that on Shabbat, one needs to ...

by R. Daniel Mann Question: l have learned that a hot solid piece of food, such as a chunk of meat or a potato, has special halachot because it holds in the heat. How do we consider something like vegetable soup, which has both significant broth and solid pieces of vegetables? Answer: The concept that you to refer, known as ...

by R. Daniel Mann Question: Years ago, when I was working for a consulting firm, my bosses had me inflate hours we charged clients. (I received a set monthly salary). I now feel bad that I stole from my clients. I would want to return that money, but it is too hard to track down the clients and know how ...

by R. Daniel Mann Question: Can one use ma’aser money to pay for their grandchildren’s education? Is there a distinction between grandsons and granddaughters or Judaic studies and general studies? If it is permitted, may I putting money in a 529 fund (which earmarks savings for education, primarily post-secondary in return for tax breaks for the donor in the US)? ...