Dose of Halacha

Question: We moved into a rented flat and removed the mezuzos to get them checked and put them back up the same day. They were all kosher. Should we have said a new beracha ? Answer: The Shulchan Aruch (OC 8:14) writes that if one removed their tallis , they recite a new beracha when putting it back on, even if they intended on doing so when they removed it. The Rema disagrees, writing that if one had the intention to put it back on, one does not recite a new beracha when they do so. The Aruch Hashulchan (YD 289:4) compares removing mezuzos to be checked, to a tallis. If one replaces them the same day, one would not recite a new beracha. Only if one replaced a non-kosher mezuza with a new one would one need to recite a new beracha . The Chida (Birkei Yosef YD 286:10) and Kitzur Shulchan Aruch (11:7) write that there is a safek (doubt) as to whether one who removes a mezuza to check it would need to recite a new beracha when reaffixing it. The Pischei Teshuva (YD 2...

Question: We recently bought a new house and are affixing our mezuzos. There are some old mezuzos on the doorposts which have been painted over multiple times and are likely not kosher. Instead of removing them, can we just affix our new ones next to them? Answer: The Sifrei (Devarim 82) writes that one who adds on a fifth corner to one’s tzitzis or a fifth species to the arba minim has transgressed bal tosif , the prohibition against adding to the Torah. Likewise, Tosafos (Rosh Hashana 28b) writes that if one added a fifth parsha to a pair of tefillin , they would have transgressed this prohibition. R’ Avraham Dovid Wahrman (Daas Kedoshim 286:25) applies this to the mitzva of mezuza , too, writing that one mustn’t affix multiple mezuzos to one doorpost (See Minchas Yitzchak 1:9). The Pischei Teshuva (YD 291:2) quotes the Chamudei Daniel (YD 291:1) who adds that one must remove the old mezuza before affixing a second, and one must be meticulous not to ruin the old mezuz...

Question: I tried buying a passul set of arba minim for my children, but the shop wouldn’t sell them to me, claiming that they could only use a kosher set. If they can’t tell the difference, does it really matter? Answer: The Mishna (Sukka 42a) teaches that children are obligated to shake lulav and esrog when they are old enough to do so. Therefore, the Shulchan Aruch (OC 657:1) writes that parents must buy a lulav and esrog for their child when they are old enough to shake them properly. The Mishna Berura (128:123) explains that this age varies between different children and mitzvos. The Biur Halacha (657:1) stresses that children must only be given a kosher set that is fit for an adult to use. The Shulchan Aruch (OC 658:6) writes that one should not give their arba minim to a child on the first day before fulfilling one’s own obligation, as while the child has the ability to receive a gift, they cannot gift it back. The Magen Avraham (658:8) writes that the child would n...