Dose of Halacha

Question: I was most surprised when my wife told me that I shouldn’t have left half an onion in the fridge overnight. What are the criteria of this halacha and what should I do with the onion? Answer: The Gemara (Nidda 17a) writes that it is dangerous to leave peeled garlic, onion or egg overnight due to ruach ra’ah, evil spirit. This halacha only applies if the entire onion, garlic or egg is peeled. However, if part of it remains unpeeled, or if it has already been mixed with any other food, it may be eaten (Kaf Hachaim OC 504:1; YD 116:92). Some, therefore, add salt to remove this prohibition (See Tzitz Eliezer 18:46; Minchas Yitzchak 6:75). There is a machlokes as to whether cooking it helps. The Darkei Teshuva (116:74) and R’ Shmuel Wosner (Shevet Halevi 3:169) write that it doesn’t apply once it’s been cooked, though other poskim hold that it is only a problem when cooked (See Minchas Yitzchak 4:108). There is a further machlokes as to whether commercial cooks and ...

Question:  After giving birth, should I go to shul to listen to my husband get an aliya or bentch gomel myself? Answer:  The Gemara (Berachos 54b) teaches that in the times of the beis hamikdash , one brought a  korban   toda  upon surviving a potentially life-threatening situation, including crossing a desert or a sea, imprisonment or serious illness. Nowadays, we substitute this offering with a public blessing, known as  hagomel . While women would also bring  korbanei toda , the acharonim suggest different reasons for why many women do not say the  beracha. The Magen Avraham (Introduction to 219) suggests that some people believe that the beracha is optional ( reshus ). Therefore, he writes (219:4) that her husband should recite it on her behalf. The Pri Megadim (Eshel Avraham, Introduction to OC 219) challenges this, as none of the poskim consider it to be optional. The Aruch Hashulchan (OC 219:6) suggests that this custom may have deve...

Question: What do I need to do between eating fish and meat? Answer: While the Gemara (Pesachim 76b) only warns against the dangers of eating meat that has been cooked together with fish, the Shulchan Aruch (YD 116:2) extends this prohibition to eating fish with meat or chicken (Pischei Teshuvah YD 116:2) together. As this danger seems to conflict with contemporary medical knowledge, the poskim debate as to whether this applies nowadays. The Mishna Berura (173:3) and Aruch Hashulchan (YD 116:10) quote the Magen Avraham (OC 173:1) who writes that this is one of many natural phenomena mentioned in the Gemara that no longer apply. The Chasam Sofer (YD 101) suggests that this may be why there is no mention of this in Rambam. Nonetheless, the Chasam Sofer concedes with the majority of poskim (Chochmas Adam 68:1; Maharam Shick YD 244; Kaf Hachaim OC 173:9), who write that this prohibition still applies even if we don’t understand the danger (See Yad Ephraim 116:3). The Tur (YD ...

Question: I inadvertently bought some yellow peppers that are from Israel. What should I do with them? Answer: There is a machlokes in the Gemara (Moed Katan 2b) as to whether the observance of shemitta nowadays is mideoraisa or miderabanan . According to the Ramban (Sefer Hazechus, Gittin 36) and the Raavad (Shemitta Veyovel 1:11) shemitta nowadays is mideoraisa, while according to the Baal Hamaor (Sefer Haterumos 45) it is only a midas chassidus (pious act). Most rishonim (Rashi; Tosafos, Gittin 36a) though, understand shemitta nowadays to be miderabanan (See Gra YD 331:6) . Regardless, during the shemitta year, we are forbidden to do business with shemitta produce (Avoda Zara 62a), to destroy it (Pesachim 52b) and to remove it from Israel (See Igros Moshe OC 1:186). As opposed to fruit, even though most of the vegetable growth may have been before shemitta, the determining stage for vegetables is the time it was picked. Thus, as the peppers you bought were picked...

Question: I’ve always waited three hours after eating meat before eating milky foods though was recently told that this custom has no basis and I must wait 6 hours. Do I need to change? Answer: The Gemara (Chulin 105a) relates that Mar Ukva would wait between eating a meat meal and a milky one. The poskim debate how long the interval between meals is. The Shulchan Aruch (YD 89:1) writes that this is six hours while Rambam (Maachalos Asuros 9:28) writes that this is about six hours. According to many poskim (Chochmas Adam 40:13, Pischei Teshuva 87:4, and Aruch Hashulchan 89:7) this means six complete hours, while others (Ohr Yitzchak YD 4) write that it means over five and a half hours. Dutch Jews follow the Rema (YD 89:1) and wait just one hour or seventy two minutes ( Kreisi Upleisi 89:3). M any Jews, especially in the UK, follow the German custom of waiting three hours, though there is a debate as to the origin of this view. Indeed, many of the German poskim themselves...