Dose of Halacha

Question: Am I allowed to travel to Eretz Yisrael during the nine days ? Answer: The Mishna (Taanis 26b) writes that from when the month of Av begins until after Tisha B’av, we reduce in our enjoyment. The Shulchan Aruch (OC 551:2) lists a few restrictions that must be observed during these nine days . The Noda Biyehuda (OC 2:105), however, writes that one should also avoid other activities that one enjoys during this time.  Thus. R’ Shmuel Wosner (Shevet Halevi 10:26) and R’ Ephraim Greenblatt (Rivevos Ephraim 1:374) write that one should avoid going on outings during the nine days. The Shulchan Aruch (OC 551:18) writes that one should also avoid doing anything potentially dangerous during the three weeks . Following this, R’ Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (Halichos Shlomo, Bein Hametzarim 14:24) writes that one should avoid flying during the nine days. While flying is considered a safe means of transport, one still says the beracha of hagomel afterwards due to its potential dang...

Question: I have a coin collection including ancient coins and coins from different countries. Some of it has been organized into albums. Are these coins muktze? Answer: Rambam (Shabbos 25:6) writes that as coins cannot be used on Shabbos, they are muktze just like raw wood and stones that have not been fashioned into anything . The Mishna Berura (310:24) writes that they are muktze machmas gufo , inherently muktze. While the Shulchan Aruch (OC 308:21) writes that rocks are usually muktze , this is only when they do not have a specific use. If one prepares a rock for a specific permitted use before Shabbos such as to keep a door open or to crack nuts, it would no longer be muktze . Thus, the Mishna Berura (303:74) writes that if one set a coin aside for a particular purpose it is considered to be non- muktze. This only applies when one does so in a permanent manner, such as creating jewellery out of a coin, but not if one sets it aside for just one Shabbos (See Shemiras Shabbo...

Question: I accidentally forgot to adjust our time switch before Shabbos so our hotplate switched off earlier than expected. Was I allowed to transfer the food onto our neighbour’s hotplate? Answer: The Shulchan Aruch (OC 253:2) writes that one may return a hot pot of cooked food to a flame providing that the flame is covered. The Rema adds that one should not put the pot down elsewhere before returning it to another heat source ( chazara ), and they must have intended to return it when removing it. The Biur Halacha discusses whether one needs all of these conditions in order to replace food (See Shemiras Shabbos Kehilchasa 1:18) . R’ Moshe Feinstein (Igros Moshe OC 4:74 Bishul 38) writes that one may move hot food from one blech to another even if the fire went out, just as one may move food from one flame to another, providing that one didn’t plan on the flame going out. If one purposely set one’s timer to go off at a certain time, however, they have demonstrated that they did ...

Question: We weren’t expecting the weather to be so hot over Shabbos and forgot to switch the heating off. Were we allowed to turn the radiators off by closing the valve to stop the hot water coming in? Answer: Rashi (Shabbos 42a; 134a) writes that the melacha mideoraisa of kibui, extinguishing, is specifically when one puts the fire out in order to create something constructive such as charcoal. Otherwise, extinguishing a flame is assur miderabanan. The Gemara (Shabbos 120b) teaches that it is assur to do a permitted action which will inevitably cause a melacha to be transgressed. This prohibition is known as pesik reisha . Thus, Rambam (Shabbos 5:17) writes that one mustn’t open a door near a candle as the breeze will inevitably extinguish or fan the flame (See Mishna Berura 277:9). The Gemara (ibid.) writes that one hasn’t transgressed a melacha mideoraisa unless one does so in a direct action. While one cannot usually perform such an action, a gerama , on Shabbos, it is ...