Dose of Halacha

Question:   I was travelling and, due to losing a few hours, was unable to daven shacharis on time. What should I do now? Answer: The Shulchan Aruch ( OC 89:1) states that one should daven shacharis within four hours of alos hashachar (dawn). However, the Rema adds that if necessary, one may daven shacharis up until chatzos (midday). The Gemara (Berachos 26a) teaches that if someone inadvertently misses shacharis , mincha or maariv they can compensate by reciting a tefilla tashlumin , an additional amida in the next tefilla . The Shulchan Aruch (OC 108:1) rules that the regular amida must always be said first, followed by the tashlumin (see Aruch Hashulchan OC 108:9). The Shulchan Aruch (OC 108:7) and Mishna Berura (108:1; 22) clarify that one who deliberately misses a tefilla forfeits the opportunity for tashlumin . As this tashlumin should follow immediately after the regular amida, the Mishna Berura (108:11) advises against any interruptions, even for Tor...

Question: We were invited to a family member’s house who does not keep kashrus properly but have gone out of their way to buy us kosher food. They have even bought us new plates to eat from, though they haven’t tovelled them. What can we do? Answer: While there are some rishonim that allow one to use dishes that have not yet been tovelled (See Raavya, Pesachim 464; Hagaos Maimonos, Maacholos Assuros 17:6), the Rema (YD 120:8) and other rishonim (Issur Vehetter 58:85; Rokeach 481) write that one mustn’t use such dishes. Nonetheless, the Yeshuos Yaakov (120:1) and Mishna Berura (Biur Halacha 323:7) write that this prohibition is miderabanan . The Rema (YD 120:16) writes that the lack of tevila does not render the food forbidden to eat. The food should be transferred to another dish before eating, though. The Shulchan Aruch (YD 120:8) writes that if one borrowed a dish that hadn’t been tovelled from another Jewish person, they are obligated to tovel it, unless they bought...

Question: I see some men cover themselves with a tallis during duchaning , while others turn around so as not face the kohanim . What are we supposed to do? Answer: The Gemara (Sotah 38a) stipulates that the kohanim must face the community while duchaning . Consequently, the Shulchan Aruch (OC 128:23) advises that everyone should face the kohanim without staring and focus on the beracha . R’ Moshe Feinstein (Igros Moshe OC 5:20:23) notes that one can adjust their position during the amida to face the kohanim . The Gemara (Chagiga 16a) forbids looking at the kohanim in the Beis Hamikdash as the shechina rested upon their hands while pronouncing the shem hameforash , which could cause a person's eyes to grow dim. However, the Magen Avraham (128:35) and Mishna Berura (128:89) note this reason no longer applies. Instead, Rambam (Tefilla Ubirchas Kohanim 14:7) and Tosafos (Chagiga 16a) explain that watching the kohanim can be distracting. Accordingly, the Magen Avraham and Mishna ...

Question: I was invited to a friend’s sukka and I noticed that his sechach was tied down with plastic cable ties. Was his sukka kosher? Answer: The Gemara (Sukka 21b) discusses whether the materials used to support the sechach ( maamid ) need to be fit for sechach themselves. There is a machlokes rishonim as to what the halacha is. While the Ramban (Milchemes Hashem, Sukka 10a) and Ran (Sukka 10a ) write that one can’t use a maamid that wouldn’t be kosher for sechach , the Shulchan Aruch (OC 630:13) paskens that one may (See Beis Yosef OC 630:26). Thus, the Magen Avraham (OC 629:9) and Mishna Berura ( 629: 22) write that while it isn’t ideal to use a non-kosher maamid, if one did use such material to support their sechach , it would be kosher bedieved. The Shulchan Aruch (OC 629:7) questions whether one may use a wooden ladder as sechach. The Rema writes, therefore, that one shouldn’t even place it on top of their sechach to keep it in place. The Taz (OC 629:10), h...

Question: I recently got married and don’t have a specific minhag about wearing a kittel . Should I wear one on Yom Kippur? Answer: The Gemara Yerushalmi (Rosh Hashana 1:3) records the minhag for people to wear white clothes on Yom Kippur. The Rema (OC 610:4) writes that there is a minhag to wear a kittel . He explains that on Yom Kippur we are comparable to malachim (angels) . Secondly, the clean white represents the innocent state we are aiming for. Lastly, as it is worn with shrouds, it urges people to do teshuva. There are different minhagim as to whether a man should wear a kittel in his first year of marriage. The Maharam Shik (OC 28) writes that in some communities, the custom is for men not to wear one until after their first year of marriage. He notes, though, that this primarily applies to chassanim who get married before they are twenty. He writes, though, that there is no mekor for this custom and that one shouldn’t prevent newlywed men from wearing one (S...