08 Aug CAN YOU CALL A RABBI BY HIS NAME?
I. Respecting Your Torah Teacher Calling a Torah scholar by his title is a matter of showing honor to the Torah. You must show respect to your mentor, your rebbe, by, for example, rising when he enters a...
01 Aug THE FINER THINGS IN LIFE
Is it proper to enjoy good food or should we avoid worldly pleasures and focus on spiritual success? The Talmud contains a plethora of seemingly contradictory indications on whether it is morally proper for a Torah scholar, someone striving...
24 Jul HOW LONG IS THE NINE DAYS?
During a brief period leading up to Tisha B’Av, Jews observe additional mourning practices. For Ashkenazim, the initial period begins with 17 Tammuz and the intense period begins with Rosh Chodesh Av, the first day of the month whose mourning...
18 Jul THE WOMEN’S SECTION
In many Orthodox shuls, women’s sections are poorly maintained. Whether it’s the lighting, the cleanliness, the availability of siddurim and tissues, air conditioning, or any other number of small and large issues. What are the halachic implications of the...
04 Jul EXPELLING A MEMBER FROM SHUL
It is both a privilege and an obligation to at- tend shul. However, sometimes a commu- nity finds it necessary to expel a member. Under what conditions is it per- missible to tell someone he is no longer...
27 Jun IS AN AI POSEK KOSHER?
I. AI as a Posek Everyone is talking about the implications of artificial intelligence (AI). While the current version of AI frequently gives laughably incorrect answers, it offers us a realistic idea of the possibility of a coherent technology...
20 Jun THE SHAVING OF A BA’AL TESHUVAH
During many eras in Jewish history, Jews converted to other religions, whether due to physical, financial or social pressure or otherwise. Many of these wayward Jews returned to the Jewish community, sometimes after escaping the country. While a Jew who...
13 Jun IS SEFARIA KOSHER?
I. Sefaria Controversy A minor controversy brewed recently when some people noticed that Sefaria provides readers a non-Orthodox Bible translation. This offers us an opportunity to have a long overdue discussion about what Sefaria is and is not, and how...
06 Jun IS “JEWISH MATCHMAKING” KOSHER?
I. Shadchan for the Masses There is a recent Netflix series about a real shadchan, matchmaker, who sets people up to date for marriage. This raises an interesting question about matchmaking ethics and halachah. I have not seen the show...
30 May WHEN TO SAY MALEI
I. Days Without Malei The Mishnah (Mo’ed Katan 27a) discusses when we eulogize someone before burial and when refrain from doing so. On days of communal happiness, a sad eulogy evokes feelings contrary to spirit of the day. Among those...