Dose of Halacha

Question: I have heard that some people eat matza on pesach sheni . Should I do so? Answer: Rambam (Korban Pesach 5:1) writes that anyone who didn’t manage to bring the korban pesach on Pesach either because they were tamei or because they were too far away from the beis hamikdash could do so on the 14 th of Iyar. While this doesn’t apply nowadays, R’ Yaakov Emden (Siddur Beis Yaakov, Shaar Hayesod 21) writes that there is a minhag to eat matza on pesach sheni . According to the Piskei Teshuvos (492:n11) and Nitei Gavriel (Pesach 57:9), many chassidim do so together with maror and a cooked egg. Others do so on the following night, instead. Unfortunately, some people have a tendency to confuse such minhagim with performing the actual mitzva. Thus, R’ Yisrael Weltz (Divrei Yisrael 1:130) suggests that the reason why many who eat matza on pesach sheni do so specifically during the day and not at night is to avoid any issue of bal tosif , adding onto mitzvos. Likewise,...

Question: Is it really necessary to check lettuce for bugs? Answer: The Gemara (Pesachim 24a; Makkos 16b) writes that one who eats an insect transgresses multiple aveiros . While mideoraisa certain prohibited foods in a mixture would be battul berov, annulled against the majority, Tosafos (Chullin 95a) writes that this wouldn’t apply when the forbidden item can be clearly seen. Additionally, the Shulchan Aruch (YD 100:1) writes that a beriya , whole creature, is not even battul in a ratio against one thousand kosher parts (See Gemara Chullin 99b). The Rema (YD 84:8) quotes the Rashba (Toras Habayis 3:3; Teshuvos 274) who writes that one only needs to check dates if there is a miut hamatzuy, reasonable chance, that they are infested. There is a machlokes , however, as to what constitutes a miut hamatzuy. R’ Yaakov Bruchin (Mishkenos Yaakov YD:17) writes that it refers to a 10% chance. There is a further debate as to how to calculate this (See Minchas Shlomo 2:61). R’ Shmue...

I feature on this clip for Yom Ha'aztamaut. What has Israel got to be proud of? Where is it going? What does that mean for us?

Question: I don’t really need a new suit, but there is a sale on. Can I buy one during the omer ? Answer: The Shulchan Aruch (OC 493:1) writes that because the students of R’ Akiva died during the omer period, one shouldn’t get married or have haircuts during this time. R’ Ovadia Yosef (Yabia Omer 3:26; Yechave Daas 1:24) writes that many people confuse this time period with the three weeks leading up to Tisha B’Av. Unlike the three weeks which is a time of mourning for the churban , the omer is primarily a time of growth leading up to Shavuos. Thus, while the Shulchan Aruch (OC 551:17) writes that one should ideally not say shehecheyanu during the three weeks on new clothes or a new fruit, the Mishna Berura (493:2) writes that one may say shehecheyanu during the omer. R’ Eliezer Waldenberg (Tzitz Eliezer 18:41) notes that there were some communities that had the minhag to avoid saying shehecheyanu, though even they would allow it on Shabbos. Unless, one has such a minha...

Question: I am visiting Eretz Yisrael for Pesach. Can I ask Israelis to perform melacha on my behalf on my second day Yom Tov? Answer: The Mishna Berura (496:13) writes that one visiting Eretz Yisrael who observes two days Yom Tov mustn’t perform any melacha and must daven the Yom Tov davening as if they were in chutz la’aretz. There is a machlokes among the poskim, however, as to whether they may ask local people to perform melacha on their behalf. R’ Ovadia Yosef (Yabia Omer 9:OC:49) and R’ Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (Minchas Shlomo 1:19:3) write that especially as the second day is miderabanan and there is a machlokes about its status for one visiting, one may ask others to perform melacha if necessary. The Shulchan Aruch (OC 263:17) writes that one who has accepted Shabbos early may ask someone else who hasn’t yet accepted Shabbos to do a melacha on their behalf. The Magen Avraham (OC 263:30) explains that this hetter applies as they could have chosen to take Shabbos ...

Question: I found a bottle of whisky among my wine on chol hamoed Pesach. What should I do? Answer: The Shulchan Aruch (OC 446:1) writes that one who finds chametz in their home on chol hamoed must remove it from their house and burn it immediately (See Mishna Berura 445:6). The Taz (OC 446:1) explains that it isn’t good enough to just remove it from one’s house as one can still own something that isn’t in their property. It is important that it is removed immediately to prevent anyone from eating it (See Mishna Berura 446:1). Providing that one annulled their chametz by saying kol chamira on erev Pesach , there is no issur mideoraisa of owning chametz. Nonetheless, the Magen Avraham (OC 446:1) and Baer Heitev (OC 446:2) write that one should still say the beracha, ‘al biur chametz’ when burning it as this chametz wouldn’t have been included and miderabanan there is still an issur in owning such chametz . The Kitzur Shulchan Aruch (111:17) writes that th is would only...