Eating Bread in the Sukka on the First Night of Sukkot; Eating on Erev Sukkot; Rainfall on the First
Hacham Ovadia Yosef, in his Hazon Ovadia – Laws of Sukkot (p. 115), cites a debate as to whether one may fulfill the obligation to eat bread...
Radio and PodcastLive Radio & PodcastsReligion & Spirituality
Daily Halacha Podcast - Daily Halacha By Rabbi Eli J. Mansour
Daily Halacha Delivered to Your iPod
Episodes
20 of 25 episodesSuccot- How Does One Choose a Kosher Etrog?
What should a person look for when purchasing an etrog? First, one should be careful to purchase etrogim from an orchard which maintains a t...
How does one Choose Hadasim?
How does one choose kosher hadasim when purchasing the arbat haminim? The Shulhan Aruch (646) discusses the requirements of the hadas. The m...
Sukkot - Hiring a Non-Jew to Build a Sukka
Many people hire workers to build their Sukka for them in preparation for Sukkot, which is perfectly acceptable. The question arises, howeve...
Yom Kippur- Halachot of the Final Meal Before Yom Kippur; Using Pills to Alleviate the Effects of Fa
The Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909), in Parashat Vayelech, records a custom to dip one’s bread in honey or sugar during t...
Yom Kippur - Candle Lighting
Halacha requires lighting candles each week before the onset of Shabbat, and before the onset of Yom Tob. Before lighting the Shabbat candle...
Laws and Customs of Kapparot
It is customary to perform the "Kapparot" ritual on Ereb Yom Kippur – or, if necessary, anytime during the Aseret Yemeh Teshuba – which invo...
Must Pregnant Women Fast on Yom Kippur?
The Shulhan Aruch (Orah Haim 617) rules that generally speaking, pregnant women must fast on Yom Kippur, and under ordinary circumstances, t...
Yom Kippur - Wearing Gold Jewelry
The Gemara tells that when the Kohen Gadol would enter the Kodesh Ha’kodashim for the special Yom Kippur service, he would wear white garmen...
Yom Kippur - Guidelines for Ill Patients Who Need to Eat
If an ill patient’s condition on Yom Kippur is life-threatening, Heaven forbid, then he eats and drinks as usual without any restrictions. T...
The Beracha of Shehehiyanu on the Second Night of Rosh Hashanah
There is considerable discussion among the Halachic authorities regarding the recitation of the Beracha of Shehehiyanu on the second night o...
Rosh Hashanah - "Yom Terua", and "Zichron Terua" if on Shabbat
The Gemara in Masechet Rosh Hashanah (29) notes that the Torah uses two different terms in reference to the holiday of Rosh Hashanah. On one...
Staying Up On Rosh Hashana Day, Must One Wake Up at Dawn on Rosh Hashanah?
The Talmud Yerushalmi teaches, "Anyone who sleeps on the Rosh Hashanah – his fortune will sleep." On the basis of this passage, it has becom...
Rosh Hashana- One Who Cannot Eat the Traditional Rosh Hashanah Foods
It is customary to eat certain foods on Rosh Hashanah that allude to our wishes for a successful and pleasant year. Thus, for example, we ha...
Rosh Hashanah - The Custom to Eat Sweet Foods, Pomegranates and Apples
There is a custom to refrain from bitter, sour or tart foods on Rosh Hashanah, to symbolize our hopes for a sweet, pleasant year. The Talmud...
Rosh Hashanah - The Importance of the Special Rosh Hashanah Foods
Unfortunately, there are some people who belittle the "Simanim" – the special foods that we eat on the two nights of Rosh Hashanah to symbol...
Rosh Hashana- Candle Lighting If On Shabbat or Saturday Night
Regarding lighting of the candles on Rosh Hashana night. Let’s begin with our scenario this year, where the Holiday is on Friday night which...
When Rosh Hashanah Falls on Shabbat
When the first day of Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbat, a number of passages are added to the prayer service that mention Shabbat. One who for...
Rosh Hashana- Se'uda Shelishit When Rosh Hashanah Falls on Shabbat
When Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbat, one must remember that the obligation of Se’uda Shelishit applies on that day no less than it does on a...
Does One Recite Shalom Alechem, Eshet Hayil and Azamer Bishbahin When Yom Tob Falls on Friday Night
It is customary on Friday night to recite a number of hymns before Kiddush, specifically Shalom Alechem, Eshet Hayil (a section from Mishleh...