Dose of Halacha

Question: When should we light our menora before and after Shabbos? Answer: The Shulchan Aruch (OC 679:1) writes that as one accepts Shabbos by lighting the Shabbos candles, one must light the Chanuka candles first. The Magen Avraham (679:1) and Mishna Berura (679:1), however, point out that this isn’t necessarily the case with men who light Shabbos candles. The Rema adds that even though this means that they are lighting the menora before shekia , one still recites the berachos. While the Magen Avraham (679:1) and Mishna Berura (679:2) write one can light the menora from plag hamincha, one and a quarter halachic hours before nacht, R’ Moshe Sternbuch (Moadim Uzemanim 2:152) writes that one should not light more than half an hour before shekia (See Igros Moshe OC 4:62). The Mishna Berura (ibid.; Biur Halacha 672:1) writes that one must fill one’s menora with enough oil or large enough candles to last for half an hour after   tzeis, nightfall. The Mishna Berura (...

Much has been written about the significance of the four letters on the Dreidel, from ש מונה נ רות, ה לל ג מור (‘8 lights, complete Hallel’ - the Mitzvos of Chanuka) to it referring to the four exiles and their being the same Gematria as משיח . The Bnei Yissachar ( R’ Tzvi Elimelech of Dinov 1783-1841) points out that while the Purim Gragger is spun from the bottom, the dreidel is spun from the top. While the Purim events were orchestrated by Esther and Mordechai ‘down below’ (Hashem was hidden ), the Chanuka story clearly came from above. We spin the dreidel to remind us that the miracles of winning the war and the oil lasting for eight days were clearly orchestrated by Hashem above.   Many of us are familiar with the legend of the dreidel. Jewish students had a dreidel prepared in case they were approached by the Greeks whilst learning Torah. Long before any Jewish reference to the dreidel (first published in Minhagei Yeshurun, 1890), however, the Germans played teetotum,...

Question: I see that some local Kashrus authorities don’t sell mezonos bread. Why is this? Answer: The Gemara (Berachos 42a) writes that one recites mezonos before eating pas haba b’kisnin. It isn’t clear, however, what this includes. The Shulchan Aruch (OC 168:7) writes that one recites mezonos on bread that is baked with honey, milk or fruit juice providing that one can taste the difference between normal bread. The Rema writes that one would only recite mezonos on such bread if it also contains a significant amount of juice or spices (see Taz 168:7; Darchei Moshe 20). The Mishna Berura (168:33) paskens that this liquid needs to be the primary ingredient and one would have to be able to taste the difference in the bread. Accordingly, one would have to wash and recite hamotzi on regular mezonos bread which tastes similar to regular bread (See The Laws of B’rachos p254). Many quote the Da’as Torah (168:7) as allowing one to recite mezonos (and not having to wash and bentsch...

Question: I am invited to a Shabbos Sheva Brachos in an area where there is an Eruv. Can I bring a gift on Shabbos? Answer: When one gives a present, the item transfers ownership which is akin to a transaction. Therefore, one is generally forbidden to give others presents on Shabbos (Mishna Berura 306:33). One may give a present that may be used on Shabbos, such as food. One who receives a bottle of wine, for example, is not obligated to open it that day. The Shulchan Aruch (OC 323:7; Mishna Berura 323:34) allows one to give a new dish that requires tevila to a gentile on Shabbos and subsequently borrow it off him, thus permitting the dish for use. Likewise, the Beis Yosef (OC 527) allows one to give a gift on Shabbos if it will be used for mitzva purposes. This is the basis for allowing one to give their lulav and esrog to another as a gift on the first day (or 2) of Sukkos. The Magen Avraham (OC 306:15) question the practice of giving presents to a chassan who delivers ...

Question: What’s the best way to wash one’s hands before eating bread when travelling? Answer: The Shulchan Aruch (OC 159:7) writes that one must actually pour the water over one’s hands, koach gavra. Just holding one’s hands under a running tap would not suffice (See Mishna Berura 159:60). R’ Eliezer Waldenberg (Tzitz Eliezer 8:7) writes that if one doesn’t have access to a cup, one can open and close the tap a few times, as bedieved this counts as koach gavra (See Mishna Berura 160: 64).   R' Yitzchak Yaakov  Weiss (Minchas Yitzchak 4:21) disagrees, as the pipe cannot act as a keli. R’ Moshe Feinstein (Igros Moshe EH 1:114) writes that one should not wash one’s hands in a toilet room, though  R’ Yitzchak Yaakov  Weiss (Minchas Yitzchak 1:60) writes that when that is the only water available, one should wash his hands there, though they should come out before drying them. If possible, one should fill up the cup and take it outside the room. One can...