Dose of Halacha

Question: It’s difficult for me to get to shul with my kids to hear Parshas Zachor. Should my husband daven earlier, or should I go out later to a reading for women? Answer: There is a mitzva deoraisa to remember what Amalek did to the Bnei Yisrael when they left Egypt (Devarim 25:17-19). The Aruch Hashulchan (OC 685:5) notes that during Mordechai and Esther's time, reading Parshas Zachor on the Shabbos before Purim was instituted, as Amalek was Haman's ancestor. Tosafos (Megilla 17b), the Magen Avraham (685:1), and others hold that one must read from a sefer Torah to fulfil the mitzva. However, the Minchas Chinuch (603) and others consider this a rabbinic requirement like other Torah readings. The Terumas Hadeshen holds that mideoraisa one needs a minyan, though the Mishna Berura (Shaar Hatzion 685:5) challenges this source. The Shaarei Ephraim (8:85) and Kaf Hachaim (OC 685:35) state that one who missed Parshas Zachor in shul can read it from a chumash. The Sefer Ha...

Question: Is it important to say Shema before going to bed or is it sufficient just to say it during maariv ? Is it better to skip saying hamapil if I know I am likely to talk? Answer: The Shulchan Aruch (OC 239:1) writes that one should say the first paragraph of Shema, various pesukim and the beracha of hamapil before going to bed (see Gemara Berachos 60b). The Mishna Berura (239:1) writes that it is ideal to say all three paragraphs. Certainly, one who davened maariv before nacht must repeat all three paragraphs now. While minhag ashkenaz is to recite the Shema before hamapil, sefardim say hamapil first (See Yalkut Yosef 239:1). The Rema (OC 239:1) writes that one should not talk or eat afterwards. R’ Ovadia Yosef (Yechave Daas 4:21; Yalkut Yosef 239:1) allows one to say asher yatzar , shehakol on a drink, quieten a child or respond to one’s parents after hamapil (See Mishna Berura 239:4; Piskei Teshuvos 239:3; Tefilla Kehilchasa p352, n29). R’ Eliezer Walden...

Question: What beracha should I say before eating sushi? Answer: The Shulchan Aruch (OC 212:1) is clear that one says a beracha on the ikar , primary ingredient, and not on the tafel, secondary ingredient . One would only say one beracha on cheesecake, for example. There are many different opinions as to how many, and which berachos should be said. Some feel that we treat it as a mixture of two equal items, and say the beracha on the largest ingredient. As there’s usually more rice than fish, etc. one would say mezonos . Others suggest that the ikar is clearly the raw fish. The rice is somewhat like a thin base of a cheesecake . Although most people say mezonos on rice, it is actually a source of much debate (Mishna Brura 208:25).   Thus, according to this view, one should only recite shehakol . R’ Moshe Heinmann holds that sushi is not a clear mixture, as the rice and fish are prepared separately and remain distinct. As they are both primary ingredients, one sho...

Question: I usually daven nusach ashkenaz , though sometimes daven in a nusach sefard shul , and am confused what I should do when the davening is different.  Answer: There are a few minor differences between different nuschaos . While it is important that one follows the nusach of one’s father or community, the Gemara ( Yevamos 13b) writes that the prohibition of lo sisgodedu (Devarim 14:1) applies to practicing different customs to each other. Whether this applies here is a matter of debate. The Netziv (Meshiv Davar 1:17:7) and R’ Yitzchak Yaakov Weiss (Minchas Yitzchak 7:5) write that when davening the silent amida , one should daven according to one’s own nusach. When davening anything out loud, however, one should adapt to the shul’s nusach. Unlike the amida that one can daven alone, one can only say kedusha, for example, with a minyan. Thus, in a sefard shul one should say nakdishach and kesser in kedusha rather than nekadesh and naritzach , etc. R’ O...

Question: How long and thick must my sideburns be? Answer: The Shulchan Aruch (YD 181:9) writes that the area of peyos is across from the hair of the forehead, until below the ear where the lower jaw extends. The acharonim debate these exact parameters. R’ Yaakov Kaminetzky (quoted by R’ Yisroel Belsky, Shulchan Halevi p122) explains that the upper limit of the peyos begins at the highest point of the hairline as it arches over the ear and extends in a slightly curved line across to where the hairline of the forehead turns sharply downwards towards the sideburns. All the hair from the imaginary line that connect these two points and below comprises the peyos (See Leshichno Sidrashu p269). While many let their sideburns grow until the bottom of their ear, R’ Aryeh Lebowitz (YUTorah.org, Halachos of Peyos Harosh ) writes that many poskim understand the Shulchan Aruch to be referring to below the ear canal (See Az Nidberu 3:45:7). Thus one should leave them to at least the bone...