Dose of Halacha

Question: I was recently invited to a friend’s home on Shabbos and saw them folding serviettes at the table into different designs. Is this permissible? Answer: The Shulchan Aruch (OC 302:3) writes that one should not fold regular clothes on Shabbos. While different reasons are offered for this prohibition, Rambam (Shabbos 22:22) writes that folding is being  mesaken , fixing the garment (See Aruch Hashulchan OC 302:12).   Thus, R’ Yehoshua Neuwirth (Shemiras Shabbos Kehilchasa 16:19) quoting R’ Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, writes that one can’t fold paper into hats and boats or create origami shapes on Shabbos. Nonetheless, he writes (ibid. 11:40) that there is no prohibition of tikkun mana , finishing products, with disposable paper products. Thus, one may fold a serviette into a simple shape. Making fancier shapes is prohibited, though, as it is comparable to boneh , assembling something. R’ Ephraim Greenblatt (Rivevos Efraim 1:223:8), however, writes that R’ Moshe Fe...

Question: I forgot to silence my phone before I went into shul and it beeped while I was davening the amida . Was I allowed to switch it onto silent so as not to disturb others? Answer: The Gemara (Berachos 23b) writes that one shouldn’t hold one’s tefillin or money while davening . As one will be concerned not to drop them, they won’t be able to concentrate properly (See Shulchan Aruch OC 96:1). The Pri Megadim (96:1) writes that this halacha applies to other parts of davening to, even pesukei dezimra. Thus, one shouldn’t hold one’s phone at all while davening. The Magen Avraham (OC 96:3) writes that if one’s siddur falls onto the floor while they are davening , they can pick it up in between the berachos if it is disturbing them. Nonetheless, R’ Nosson Gestetner (Lehoros Nosson   15:5) writes that switching one’s phone off is considered to be a  tzorech mitzva, necessary for the davening, and so permissible. Unlike speaking which is considered to be a hefs...

Question: I recently drove to Belgium and back via the Channel Tunnel. Should I have bentched gomel as I crossed the English Channel? Answer: The Gemara (Berachos 54b) writes 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 (Shulchan Aruch OC 219:2). R’ Moshe Feinstein (Igros Moshe OC 2:59) explains that while boats nowadays are safer than ever before, the dangers of being in the sea remain. This is the reason why one benches gomel also after flying over water even though doing so is a safe means of transport (See Minchas Yitzchak 4:11:5). The Shulchan Aruch (OC 219:7) writes that one doesn’t need to bench gomel when travelling from one city to another in Europe which doesn’t carry the same potential dangers as crossing a dese...

Question: We bought two new plates to replace ones which had smashed from our set. We accidentally put them in the cupboard with the others before tovelling them and don’t know which ones they are. What should we do? Answer: The Shulchan Aruch (YD 109:1; 122:8) writes that if a forbidden item such as a dish gets mixed into a pile of similar items that are permitted, then it is battul berov, annulled against the majority, and thus, permissible. Nonetheless, R’ Chaim Falagi (Ruach Chaim YD 122:1) and R’ Tzvi Pesach Frank (Har Tzvi YD 93) write that this rule doesn’t apply to our scenario. The Shulchan Aruch (YD 102:1) writes that something that can be rectified ( davar sheyesh lo mattirin ) isn’t even battul if mixed into a thousand parts. However, this only applies to something that will either inevitably become muttar with the passage of time or if it doesn’t involve a big expense. Thus, a treif pot that got mixed into a pile of similar pots will be okay to use as it is co...