by Rabbi Dov Linzer
Posted on October 17, 2018
QUESTION: I am the father of a newborn beautiful baby boy. The bris is coming up in a few days. Since I have a mitzvah to give my son a bris, and the mohel is just an agent, is it better that I do the bris myself (after the mohel sets everything up, of course)?…
Rabbi Avram Schwartz (Posted on September 21, 2018)
From the Lindenbaum Center for Halakhic Studies
Translation by Rabbi Avi Schwartz, introduction by Rabbi Dov Linzer
Rabbi Avraham Bornsztain (1838-1910) was the first Sochatchover Rebbe. He was a leading posek of the 19th century. His responsa, Sheilot U’teshuvot Avnei Nezer cover all 4 sections of Shulhan Arukh.…
Rabbi Avram Schwartz (Posted on September 17, 2018)
From the Lindenbaum Center for Halakhic Studies
Translation by Rabbi Avi Schwartz, introduction by Rabbi Dov Linzer
Rabbi Asher Weiss(1953- ) is the current Rosh Kollel of Machon Minchas Asher L’Torah V’Horaah in Israel. Rav Asher was born to a Sens-Klausenburg Hassidic family and grew up in Borough Park, Brooklyn.…
Rabbi Avram Schwartz (Posted on September 7, 2018)
From the Lindenbaum Center for Halakhic Studies
HaRav Ben-Zion Meir Hai Uziel (1880-1953) served as Sepharadi chief rabbi of Tel Aviv-Jaffa (earlier Jaffa) during the period of the British Mandate, for a time alongside Rav Kook. In 1939, he was appointed Rishon LeTzion, Sephardi chief rabbi of the Land of Israel, and served in that position until his death in 1953.…
by Rabbi Dov Linzer
Posted on August 2, 2018
Sefat Emet teaches that those who were to enter the Land of Israel would be the beginning of the Oral Torah – the taking of the Divine word and interpreting it and applying it to the lived reality of their lives. …
by Rabbi Dov Linzer
Posted on July 26, 2018
The Ten Commandments open with the declaration “I am the Lord your God who brought you out of land of Egypt.” This is often understood to be a mitzvah of belief. Is there such a mitzvah? And what do we mean by belief anyway?…
Rabbi Dov Linzer (Posted on July 19, 2018)
From the Lindenbaum Center for Halakhic Studies
Shulkhan Arukh (OH 554:5) states simply that pregnant and nursing women must fast on Tishah b’Av. Is this indeed the case? What if she is concerned about her health, or the health of the baby? Is it permitted only if she is first feeling weak?…
Rabbi Dov Linzer (Posted on July 11, 2018)
From the Lindenbaum Center for Halakhic Studies
On the Season 3 Finale we interview a Jewish woman who made the decision to be a surrogate and carry a child for someone else, with the support of her husband and their three young children. Carrie and Jamie Bornstein share personally and poignantly about what it means to help another couple become parents, and how their kids and their community dealt with this new reality.…
Rabbi Aryeh Klapper (Posted on June 18, 2018)
From the Lindenbaum Center for Halakhic Studies
Introduction
“Halakhic infertility” occurs when observance of hilkhot niddah results in a woman ovulating only during the days that wife and husband are forbidden to be physically intimate. These situations result from post-biblical stringencies that lengthen the time of prohibition.
This article discusses whether a couple may cease observing one such stringency, the humra di’R.…
Rabbi David Fried (Posted on May 23, 2018)
From the Lindenbaum Center for Halakhic Studies
Introduction
The mishnah in Shabbat 145b states: “Anything that has been prepared in hot water prior to Shabbat, may be immersed in hot water on Shabbat.” From here we learn the principle of ein bishul ahar bishul (one does not violate the Biblical prohibition of cooking when reheating food that has already been cooked).…
Rabbi Avram Schwartz (Posted on May 16, 2018)
From the Lindenbaum Center for Halakhic Studies
This weekend, we will celebrate another marathon holiday – Shabbat followed by Shavuot. Shavuot, occurring later in spring, presents its own challenges of time: each day of the holiday, as with all yamim tovim, does not begin until dark, but as preparing for one day of the holiday on the previous one (or on Shabbat for Yom Tov) is forbidden, any preparations not done before the holiday may not begin until very late in the evening.…
by Rabbi Dov Linzer
Posted on May 3, 2018
QUESTION: Can I shave with an electric shaver and are all models permissible?
ANSWER: In two separate verses, the Torah prohibits men to shave their beards. In parashat Kedoshim, the Torah states: “You shall not destroy (tashchit) the corners of your beards,” (Vayikra 19:27). …
