However he says that if the lender is a poor person it is forbidden to go back on your agreement to give him a loan.  The reason is that the Halacha says (YD 258:6) that someone who promises money to Tzedoka must keep his word and may not change his mind unless he does Hatoras Nedarim.  Lending money to a poor person is more than a loan.  It is the best kind of tzedoka (YD 249:6).  It is tzedoka that doesn't embarrass the recipient.  Therefore, although a promise to lend money may be rescinded, a promise to a poor person must be honored.

Important Note: We try to convey the Tshuva to the best of our ability. We admit that our understanding may not be accurate. Please also understand that this Tshuva may not be the final word on this topic. One should consult a Rav before drawing any conclusions.

 Disclaimer: We try to convey the Tshuva to the best of our ability. We admit that our understanding may not be accurate. Please also understand that this Tshuva may not be the final word on this topic. One should consult a Rav before drawing any conclusions.

The fact that it is done in Bais Yaakov, says the Bais Ovi, shows that the Rabbanim permitted it.  Furthermore when looking at the beautiful frum families and entire communities that emerged from this system it is clear that they have done nothing wrong.  Since we know that Aveira Goreres Aveira were this an issue it would have had a terrible negative affect and spiraled out of control to the other extreme.  Since the results are so positive it must not be any problem whatsoever.

He further says that when Reb Yisroel Salanter came to Germany and found the great gaon and tzaddik Rav Ezriel Hildesheimer teaching Shulchan Aruch and Tanach to girls without a Mechitza, he told him that if any Rav would do this in Lithuania he would be fired immediately and rightfully so according to Halacha.  Nevertheless said Rav Yisroel Salanter, "Halevai I should be zocheh to sit next to Rav Hildesheimer in the Olam Haba where his reward will be great.  He did it all L'Shem Shamayim and it is and "Es Laasos LaHashem".

The Bais Ovi does caution that this liberty can only be taken for a Torah lecture, but for any non torah lectures, the Halacha should be strictly adhered to.

Disclaimer: We try to convey the Tshuva to the best of our ability. We admit that our understanding may not be accurate. Please also understand that this Tshuva may not be the final word on this topic. One should consult a Rav before drawing any conclusions.

The Shevet HaKehosi (5:230) says that while the chiyuv is specifically to make the Chosson happy and not the parents if you ate from the seudah before the young couple arrived in the hall there is no issur.  The problem only arises if you eat while the Chosson and Kalla are present in the room where you are eating.

With regard to what is called making the Chosson happy, he says, that saying Mazal Tov is enough to earn your meal.

Disclaimer: We try to convey the Tshuva to the best of our ability. We admit that our understanding may not be accurate. Please also understand that this Tshuva may not be the final word on this topic. One should consult a Rav before drawing any conclusions.

The minhag in today's Yeshivos is not to teach Tanach before learning Gemara. Rav Moshe Shternbuch (2:457) explains that learning Tanach requires even deeper understanding than learning Gemara. A Mekor for this is Rashi in Brachos (28a) who says that one should stay away from too much Tanach.

The danger he says is that people do not realize this. He quotes the Chasam Sofer who says that this was the tragedy of translating the Torah to Greek. Since then, people were free to learn Tanach with literal translation without being taught the correct interpretation through kabalas avoseinu.

This is not to say that Tanach is blacklisted, says Rav Shternbuch. One who has learned a great deal of gemara and poskim and has acquired a great deal of Yiras Hashem is required to learn all of Tanach and must know it thoroughly.(See also Rav Vosner's Tshuva on this subject)

Important Note: We bring this tshuvah as a starting point for discussion and not to convey any halacha.  We try to convey the Tshuva to the best of our ability. We admit that our understanding may not be accurate. One should learn the tshuva to verify the accuracy of our interpretation.  Please understand that this Tshuva may not be the final word on this topic. One should consult a Rav before drawing any conclusions.
 

Disease transmitted through the air is not a new phenomenon.  The gemara says Rav Zeira was careful to avoid being downwind from a person with a certain disease, Rava stuffed up his window during a plague, and Rav Ami and Rav Asi wouldn't eat an egg that was in the same street as a sick person.

What about Bikur Cholim?  Are you exempt from the mitzva if the person has a contagious disease?  The Tshuvas HaRema says that worrying about catching a disease from Bikur Cholim is nonsense.  Hashem makes people sick and Hashem is the one who cures.  The Maharsham agrees with this opinion.  However the Shulchan Gavoa argues and says, "Who will listen to the Rema to endanger their life?"  The Sdei Chemed says that since there are strong opinions on both sides it is hard to take a side.  (V'Darashta V'Chakarta 4:50)

In the Shevet HaLevi (8:251), Rav Vosner argues with the logic of the Tshuvas Rema, who says that if we are scared to visit the sick the mitzva will become Batel.  Rav Vosner says that even if the mitzva would become batel we should not endanger our lives to do it.  Furthermore there are many non contagious illnesses where we can visit the sick and do the mitzva.  He therefore recommends following the Halacha of the Shulchan Aruch (YD 335:8) which says that you can be Yotzei the Mitzva of Bikur Cholim by going into a room outside of where the sick person is and inquire about what the Choleh needs.  In this way you have done your mitzva and avoided any possible danger.  

 Disclaimer: We try to convey the Tshuva to the best of our ability. We admit that our understanding may not be accurate. Please also understand that this Tshuva may not be the final word on this topic. One should consult a Rav before drawing any conclusions.

Rav Moshe Shternbuch points out (1:553) that the Rambam (Yesodei HaTorah 6:8) distinguishes between Kisvei Kodesh meaning klafim of tanach that must be buried and seforim that do not fall into the category of Kisvei Kodesh which do need to be buried but it is forbidden to destroy them or burn them. If you destroy them you get Malkus D'Rabanan (Mardus).

To be Melamed Z'chus on people who throw newspapers with Torah content in the garbage he makes two points. Firstly, printed materials technically have no kedusha and secondly, since these newspapers are made to be thrown out they never become kadosh.

Although Rav Shternbuch himself buries any papers with any kind of torah content, he paskens that one should wrap it in a bag or another paper before throwing out. That would be okay considering the fact that it is printed and meant to be erased. Furthermore it is best not to place it in the garbage can with the rest of the garbage but rather in separate bin. He ends of by saying that V'Hamachmir Tovoi Alav Bracha.

He answers that technically this is permitted since reading through plastic or glass is considered reading the actual scroll.  However, he says that he does not feel comfortable giving his stamp to this new innovation.  He suggests solving the problem in the traditional way, which is for someone with a Chumash to whisper into the ear of the Baal Korei and the Baal Korei read from the Sefer Torah.  He also comments that this is different than reading through eye glasses which is perfectly acceptable.

 Disclaimer: We try to convey the Tshuva to the best of our ability. We admit that our understanding may not be accurate. Please also understand that this Tshuva may not be the final word on this topic. One should consult a Rav before drawing any conclusions.

With regard to a gift of money Rav Shlomo Zalman says one must give maaser. There is no difference between earning money from business or from a gift. He adds that one should be sufficiently satisfied to receive 90% of a gift. If the gift is not money then you do not need to give any money to tzedoka based on its value but if and when you sell it you should then give 10% to tzedoka.

To another questioner however Rav Shlomo Zalman suggested that he value the gifts at the current price he can sell it at and give that sum to tzedoka when Hashem blesses him with sufficient means to pay it. (Aleihu Lo Yibol 1:YD:98)

The Halachah is that a food or drink that can't be eaten raw may not be cooked by a non-Jew. However it is permitted to drink coffee made by a non-Jew since coffee is not something that is normally served at a Royal banquet it is not regarded as something prestigious and is thus permitted even though it was cooked by a non-Jew. (Yechave Da'as 4:42)

If the Matzos are broken a little bit around the sides it is still regarded as a Shalem for Lechem Mishnah paskens the Chelkas Yaakov (92). The reason that we need Lechem Mishnah is because we need a Challah that is Chashuv and a Challah that is missing a small piece does not lose its Chashivus. Although there are some Acharonim that are machmir, since the Mitzvah of Lechem Mishnah is only M'Derabanan one can be lenient.

If a person needs to daven on an airplane it is permitted to daven Shomeh Esrei sitting down if standing up is difficult and it will disturb him from davening with the proper Kavanah. However he should stand up prior to the parts of the Shomeh Esrei that require bending down. After he bends down he may sit down again. If the plane lands before the end of the Zman Tefillah he is not obligated to daven again even though he davened while sitting. (Igros Moshe OC 4:20)

The Rema paskens (YD 276:10) in the name of the Terumas HaDeshen that one can only erase Shem Hashem written (usually in Siddurim) as two letter "Yud"s if really necessary. The Shevet HaKehosi (4:256b) says that if the letters Dalet or Hey are used to indicate Hashem's name, you are permitted to erase it. He brings a "Raya" from the Tosfos in Shevuos that says although the gemara says that every time it says the name "Shlomo" in Shir HaShirim it refers to Hashem nevertheless you are permitted to erase it.

If so what is special about two yud's that you are only allowed to erase it "L'tzorech Gadol"? The Terumas HaDeshen says (2:171) that Tosfos says in the name of R. Chananel that you cannot erase the name of "Havaya" or of "Adnus" even if only the first two letters are written (i.e. Alef Dalet or Yud and Hey). Therefore says the Terumas HaDeshen that when there is two Yuds since the Yud is the first letter of Hashem's name it is better not to erase. But it is permissible "L'Tzorech" because it is only one letter of Hashem's name (not two) and it is followed by another Yud that is not part of Hashem's name.

Disclaimer: We try to convey the Tshuva to the best of our ability. We admit that our understanding may not be accurate. Please also understand that this Tshuva may not be the final word on this topic. One should consult a Rav before drawing any conclusions.

There are three issues involved in telling the boy.  1.  The question of Lashon Hara.  2.  The girl's request not to disclose.  3.  The oath of confidentiality that every Doctor makes about becoming a Doctor.  The Tzitz Eliezer paskens that in this case all hurdles are cleared and the Doctor must tell the boy.

1.  Lashon Hara - In a lengthy discussion he says that on the contrary, by not telling the boy the Doctor would be oveir the Lav of "Lo Sa'amod Al Dam Rei'acha"; do not stand on your brother's blood.  This aveira applies even for financial loss and certainly in this case where the consequences to his future are very grave.  He calls this "leading the ox to the slaughterhouse".
2. The Girl's request - Even if the Doctor assured the girl he would not divulge this information he must do so.  Even if he swore it would not be effective because an oath to violate a Mitzva is not valid.  Moreover this would only have been a promise so he is obligated to save the boy.
3. The Doctor's Professional Oath - Here lays the only hitch.  Since he oath covers both permissible cases and cases where he would be oveir an aveira be keeping his oath, therefore Halachicly the oath is valid.   However says the Tzitz Eliezer he still is obligated to be "Matir Neder" to nullify the oath in order to save the boy. (He does add that possibly he never made the oath intending cases like this and therefore is not bound in this case.)

His final Psak is that the Doctor is obligated to tell the boy and for good measure should do Hataras Nedarim before three people on his professional oath. 

He does however advise, as a practical matter, that it is best to tell the girl know, as gently as possible, that he will inform the boy.  This way she may agree to tell him personally and save herself tremendous embarrassment.  This psak he says applies in the reverse situation as well.

Disclaimer: We try to convey the Tshuva to the best of our ability. We admit that our understanding may not be accurate. Please also understand that this Tshuva may not be the final word on this topic. One should consult a Rav before drawing any conclusions.

Rav Yitzchok Isaac Liebes zt"l in Shu"t Bais Ovi says that the Mishna Brura (11) brings two reasons from the Bais Yosef why knives need to be covered.  One reason is that our table is compared to a Mizbei'ach.  The mizbei'ach lengthens a person's life and iron which is used to shape weapons shortens a persons life. Therefore as soon we finish eating and have no use for the knife, we cover it.  Accordingly a plastic knife does not need to be covered. The second reason is that once a person became so distraught over the Churban when saying U'Vinei Yerushalayim that he grabbed a knife from the table at stabbed himself in the stomach.  Therefore as a precautionary measure we remove all the knives from plain view.  According to this says the Bais Ovi, even plastic knives should be covered.

He brings another reason from the Mekubalim for covering the knives.  The four items on the table during the meal are Sakin (knife), Mayim (water), Oichel (food), Lechem (bread).  The Roshei Teivos spell out the name of the evil malach Sama-el (Samech, Mem, Alef, Lamed).  As soon as we finish eating we hide the Samech (Sakin/Knife) and introduce the letter Kuf for Kos Shel Bracha, a cup of wine for Birchas HaMazon.  The new combination of letters spells out Michoel, the name of the malach of Rachamim.

Disclaimer: We try to convey the Tshuva to the best of our ability. We admit that our understanding may not be accurate. Please also understand that this Tshuva may not be the final word on this topic. One should consult a Rav before drawing any conclusions.

In the case of a Jew marrying a gentile, although this would be considered L'Tei'avon and he was not excommunicated, nevertheless says the Sridei Eish, he cannot be counted for a minyan since he deserves to be excommunicated.  The fact that today Bais Din does not wield the necessary power does not let him off the hook.  Therefore we view him as if he were excommunicated and exclude him. (Chashukei Chemed - Shabbos 116a)

Fast forward to his Teshuva 3:294 where Rav Shternbuch quotes his earlier Psak and questions it.  The mitzva of Bris Milah is referred to by the word "Sason".  Sason, explains the Vilna Gaon means happiness expressed outwardly, as opposed to the word "Simcha" which means inward happiness; in the heart.  This outward expression of happiness is manifested by a great banquet in honor of the mitzva and therefore he says, one should be Makpid to serve meat at a Bris.  This he says is the opinion of the Maharsham as well as the Brisker Rav.

Rav Shternbuch in his sensitivity to those who cannot afford to pay for a "Fleishig" Bris, recommends inviting fewer people but not compromising on the menu.

Disclaimer: We try to convey the Tshuva to the best of our ability. We admit that our understanding may not be accurate. Please also understand that this Tshuva may not be the final word on this topic. One should consult a Rav before drawing any conclusions.

The Shuchan Aruch (YD 286:22) says that if you rent or borrow an apartment you are obligated to put on a Mezuza after 30 days if it is located in Chutz LaAretz. If the apartment is in Eretz Yisroel you are obligated to put up a mezuzah immediately. Your office, says the Shevet HeKehosi (4:263), is loaned to you and therefore in principal you are required to put up a mezuzah on the door.

However, he adds, you are not the sole interest in your office and the owner of the business is a "Shutaf" in it as well. Therefore if it is a Jewish owned office you need to put up a mezuzah. However if the owner is not Jewish you are patur since "Shutfus" of a Goy exempts you from the obligation of putting up a Mezuza according to the Rema (YD 286:1) and most poskim (although some argue).

Disclaimer: We try to convey the Tshuva to the best of our ability. We admit that our understanding may not be accurate. Please also understand that this Tshuva may not be the final word on this topic. One should consult a Rav before drawing any conclusions.

The Mishna Brura brings the Pri Chadash who holds that if there is no one who is more qualified to be Chazan than the person with the speech impediment can be the Chazan.  However this is only a temporary solution.  Such a person cannot be appointed as the official Chazan.  The Pnei Moshe disagrees and says such a person may not be Chazan even occasionally.

From here the Shevet HaKehosi (5:30) concludes that if someone needs to be yotzei with a bracha he should try to find someone who speaks clearly.  Only if they cannot should they rely on listening to a bracha not pronounced clearly.

Disclaimer: We try to convey the Tshuva to the best of our ability. We admit that our understanding may not be accurate. Please also understand that this Tshuva may not be the final word on this topic. One should consult a Rav before drawing any conclusions.

The Chelkas Yaakov (OC 2) explains that washing your hands after using the facilities which is because of cleanliness.  Therefore it is assur to say a Bracha until you have washed your hands.  However the reason for washing hands for merely being physically present in a bathroom is because of a Ruach Ra'a.  Although you must wash Netilas Yadayim to rid yourself of this Ruach Ra'a it is permissible to make a Bracha even if you haven't done so.

Therefore if you are in a situation where the only place to wash your hands is inside the bathroom you are permitted to use the facilities, wash your hands inside, and then make brachos and even daven afterward.  When you have an opportunity to wash outside of the bathroom you must do so to rid yourself of the Ruach Ra'a.

Disclaimer: We try to convey the Tshuva to the best of our ability. We admit that our understanding may not be accurate. Please also understand that this Tshuva may not be the final word on this topic. One should consult a Rav before drawing any conclusions.

He says in the name of the Arizal that you should not write a K'meiya for a woman to speed childbirth because it can alter the baby's mazal and cause it a life of poverty, pain and early death.

He quotes an Igros Moshe (YD 2:74) that says that all child birth is life threatening.  Although bringing yourself into a life threatening situation is not permitted, since it is the nature of the world, a woman is permitted to get pregnant.  However, to induce labor before the natural time is tampering with nature and it is prohibited to put yourself in this  dangerous predicament.

If the doctor says that it is dangerous to the mother or the baby to wait then it is certainly permitted to take the baby out by any means.

Disclaimer: We try to convey the Tshuva to the best of our ability. We admit that our understanding may not be accurate. Please also understand that this Tshuva may not be the final word on this topic. One should consult a Rav before drawing any conclusions.

What happens if you take a coat to Shul and when you come out your coat is not there but a another coat just like it is?  Are you allowed to take that coat or not?

Rav Yisroel Yaakov Fisher (Even Yisroel 8:96) says that you may take the other coat for two reasons.  Firstly, if you are not sure it is yours because it does not have a Siman, there is halachic grounds to assume that it is yours because you left one there just like.  Secondly he says, even if you know it is not yours, you may still take it because the real owner, who took your coat by accident, wants to let you use it so that you will let him use yours.

Hebrings a Raya from the Mishna in Succah that says that when the firstday of Succos came out on Shabbos everyone would bring their Lulavim on Erev Shabbos to Har Habayis.  The next morning the Gaba'im would throw them to the crowd.  Everybody would grab a Lulav and each person was mochel the person who took theirs, granting their lulav to him B'Matana.  This way they are yotzei with a Lulav that halachicly belongs to them.

The Raavad and others asks on the Rambam and say that if the parent needs someone to watch over them because of their condition, it is critical that the children care for their parent since they can care for them better than anyone else.  With regard to the problem that the child cannot fulfill every request, the Bach explains that it is not a problem since the parent is not of sound mind the child is not obligated to fulfill every request anyway.  The only obligation is to give the parent basic care and keep them out of harm's way.

The Tzitz Eliezer (12:59) explains that there is no Machlokes.  The Rambam paskens that the child should run away only if the care that the parent needs is something that the child is forbidden to administer.  For example a child may not tie down a parent who has gone mad nor may the child exert any physical force.  If this kind of care is required the child must hire someone else to do it.  Otherwise no matter how difficult it is to deal with the parent and no matter what kind of the demands the parent makes, if the parent needs to be watched, the child is the most appropriate candidate for giving the best possible care to the parent and should not leave them in someone else's hands even according to the Rambam.

 Disclaimer: We try to convey the Tshuva to the best of our ability. We admit that our understanding may not be accurate. Please also understand that this Tshuva may not be the final word on this topic. One should consult a Rav before drawing any conclusions.