Halacha Deep Dive

51

Singing Zemiros with your Wife & Daughters

Jan 23, 2025

20:43

Can you sing zemiros together with the female members of your family? Can you sing bentching together?

52

The Latest Time to do Melacha on Erev Shabbos

Jan 6, 2025

22:00

What is the latest time you can do melacha on Erev Shabbos? When should you finish mincha on Friday?

53

Is a cross avoda zarah?

Dec 22, 2024

24:19

Can do business with crosses? Can you bend down if there is a cross in the front of the room?

54

Kosher Cheese

Dec 18, 2024

22:43

What makes cheese kosher? Is there a difference between Mozzarella and cottage cheese?

55

How to Put On Your Tallis

Dec 8, 2024

18:18

How to wrap yourself when you make a bracha on your tallis

56

Using the Shul's Tallis

Nov 25, 2024

20:48

Do you make a bracha when using the Shul's tallis? What about when you borrow one from your friend?

57

Urns on Shabbos

Nov 17, 2024

22:50

Can you use an urn with a water gauge on Shabbos? Does the water in your urn need to be fully cooked before Shabbos?

58

Pizza Makers & Urns With Hashgacha 'No Tevila Required'

Nov 12, 2024

24:58

How is tevilah avoided? What is necessary for the hashgacha? Is that hashgacha valid when bought from a non-Jew?

59

Toiveling a Keurig

Nov 3, 2024

24:07

Does a Keurig require Tevilas keilim?

60

The Bracha on Hydroponic Vegetables

Oct 28, 2024

20:47

What bracha is made on hydroponic vegetables? Haadama or shehakol?

61

Bamboo Schach Mats

Oct 14, 2024

21:53

What are the possible problems with using bamboo mats for schach? Why do they need a hechsher? How to use them properly

62

Eruv Tavshilin

Sep 22, 2024

27:54

When is the earliest that you can ake an eruv tavshilin? Can you put up a cholent late on the second day of Yom Tov?

63

Washing Dishes on Shabbos

Sep 16, 2024

22:21

Can you wash your dishes on Shabbos

64

Making a Smoothie with Unwashed Strawberries

Aug 15, 2024

20:03

Do you need to wash or check your strawberries for bugs before blending them for a smoothie?

65

Whipped Cream on Shabbos

Jul 24, 2024

23:27

Can you use whipped cream on Shabbos? Can you make ice cubes? Melt frozen milk?

66

Neutering & Spaying Pets

Jul 14, 2024

17:48

Can you neuter your pet? Does it make a difference if the vet is a Jew? What about a female animal?

67

Negative Online Reviews

Jul 11, 2024

21:23

Are you allowed to post a negative online review? Does it make a difference if it is Amazon or Google?

68

Cleaning Contact Lenses on Shabbos

Jul 2, 2024

19:07

Can you clean your contact lenses on Shabbos? Can you use multi purpose solution? Saline solution?

69

Potato Chips & Pringles

Jun 20, 2024

21:26

Do potato chips need to be bishul yisroel? What about pringles?

70

Is Veal Kosher?

Jun 9, 2024

20:54

Is veal that is fed exclusively treif food, kosher?

71

Erasing the Name of Hashem- E-books & Tattoos

Jun 2, 2024

23:13

Can you erase Hashems name from an E- book (kindle, nook etc.)? Can someone remove a tattoo of Hashem's name?

72

Using Deodorant on Shabbos

May 27, 2024

24:30

Can you use a stick deodorant on Shabbos? Spray deodorant? Do you have to make sure it does not get on your undershirt?

73

Women Wearing Pants

May 20, 2024

16:48

Can a women wear pants? With no men around? Pajamas? Ski pants?

74

Folding a Tallis on Shabbos

May 14, 2024

15:06

Can you fold your tallis on Shabbos or should you leave it until after Shabbos?

75

Listening to music

May 6, 2024

21:29

Is all music and singing permitted year round? Music in a restaurant with wine?

76

Using Grape Juice for Kiddush & Daled Kosos

Apr 16, 2024

21:00

Is it better to use wine for Kiddush? Can grape juice be used for the daled kosos? Should I get a non mevushal wine or grape juice?

77

Lowering a Flame on Yom Tov

Apr 8, 2024

19:26

Can you lower a flame on Yom Tov? What if your food will burn? What if you can light a smaller flame instead?

78

Bringing a Korban Pesach Nowdays

Apr 1, 2024

21:01

Can we bring a korban pesach before Moshiach comes and Beis Hamikdash is rebuilt?

79

Responsibility for Damage on Purim

Mar 17, 2024

20:24

Is a person held responsible for damages they cause on Purim? Does it make a difference if they are drunk? Does it make a difference how much damage they cause?

80

Pasterurized Wine as Mevushal

Mar 3, 2024

23:32

Does pasteurization make wine considered mevushal?

81

Using a Water Filter on Shabbos

Feb 27, 2024

23:19

Can you use a water filter on Shabbos? A Brita pitcher? An undersink filter?

82

The Bugs in NYC Water

Feb 12, 2024

23:41

Does NYC water need to be filtered?

83

Using 'Hanging' Toilet Disinfectant on Shabbos

Feb 5, 2024

23:25

Can you use a toilet disinfectant tablet that colors the water and gives off a good smell on Shabbos?

84

Mezonos Rolls

Jan 29, 2024

18:43

Is the bracha on 'mezonos rolls' mezonos or hamotzi?

85

Reading Other People's Mail, Texts & Emails

Jan 21, 2024

29:25

Can you read your spouse's emails? Can you look at your child's texts?

86

Shellac on Candies

Jan 16, 2024

23:20

Is Shellac (used to glaze candies kosher)?

87

Counting Jews

Jan 7, 2024

24:08

When and how can you count a group of Jews? Can one partcicpate in the Israeli census? How to count for a minyan?

88

Workplace Holiday Parties

Dec 25, 2023

22:45

Can you go to your office holiday party? Can you have 'drinks' by your office end-of-year party?

89

Asara B'Teves on Erev Shabbos: When Does a Friday Fast Finish?

Dec 17, 2023

18:45

When Asara B' Teves is on Friday when can you break your fast? Before Shabbos? When youget home from shul? Tzeis Hakochovim?

90

DE - With Meat, After Meat, and Cholov Yisroel

Dec 10, 2023

24:47

Can a dairy equipment (DE) product be eaten with meat or after meat? Can someone who only eats Cholov Yisroel eat a DE prodcut?

91

Bison & Giraffe

Dec 5, 2023

19:54

Are Bison kosher? What about Giraffe? Do animals require a mesorah to be considered kosher?

92

Is Turkey Kosher?

Nov 19, 2023

18:47

What makes a bird kosher? Does turkey meet those requirements? Why is turkey widely considered to be kosher?

93

Worcestershire Sauce

Nov 14, 2023

21:17

Can you use Worcestershire sauce on meat? Can you put a marshmallow on a skewer you just used for a hot dog?

94

Hunting & Fishing for Sport

Nov 5, 2023

22:10

Is hunting or fishing for sport permitted? Is it tzaar baalei chayim or baal tashchis? Is it something a Jew should do?

95

When Does Shabbos End?

Oct 29, 2023

25:30

Explaining the various opinions about when Shabbos ends. 50, 60, 72 and 8.5 degrees

96

Shaking Hands with the Opposite Gender

Oct 22, 2023

19:55

Is a man allowed to shake hands with a woman?

97

Fridges and Freezers on Shabbos

Oct 15, 2023

23:09

Can you open a fridge when the motor is off on Shabbos? What are the issues to be aware of with new model fridges?

98

Buying Jewish

Sep 27, 2023

15:15

Do you have to give preference to buying from a Jew?

99

Shabbos Elevators

Sep 10, 2023

26:04

Using an automatic elevator on Shabbos

100

Magic Shows

Sep 3, 2023

18:56

Can you do a magic trick or attend a magic show?