Dose of Halacha

Question: How should I dispose of my old sechach , lulav and esrog ? Answer: The Gemara (Megilla 26b) teaches that items that are inherently holy, such as old tefillin , mezuzos and sefer torah and tefillin covers must be treated as sheimos and buried. However, items that were used for a mitzva such as a sukka, lulav, shofar or tzitzis may be discarded after use. Nonetheless, the Rema (OC 21:6) writes that such items must not be treated in a disrespectful manner. Therefore, one should not throw one’s arba minim and sechach into a regular bin after Sukkos. The Mishna Berura (21:6; 638:24; Shaar Hatziyun 664:20) writes that one should be careful not to leave one’s sechach or arba minim around on the floor after Sukkos where others may trample on them. Rather, one should recycle them with other branches, etc. or wrap them before disposing of them. Ideally, one should even treat the sukkah walls respectfully. Likewise, the Aruch Hashulchan (OC 638:12) writes that one sh...

Question: May one adjust the flame on a gas stove on Yom Tov? Answer: While one mustn’t ignite a new flame on Yom Tov (Shulchan Aruch OC 502:1), one is allowed to light a new flame from an existing one or turn a flame up. This only applies to a gas flame - not to an electric stove - and may only be done for cooking purposes, etc. R’ Moshe Feinstein (Igros Moshe OC 1:93; 1:115; 4:103) writes that one may turn the flame down to prevent food from burning though shouldn’t do so just to save money or to cool the kitchen down, etc. R’ Avrohom Blumenkrantz (Chasdei Avrohom 31) explains the rationale behind this. While one can’t turn down a wick or remove oil from a lit lamp on Yom Tov, turning down a gas flame is akin to not adding more fuel to a fire. R’ Yehoshua Neuwirth (Shemiras Shabbos Kehilchasa 13:10) writes that one shouldn’t turn the flame down unless there is no other flame, though R’ Moshe allowed one to do so even if one could light another smaller flame. The Shearim Met...

Question: I asked my Rabbi what beracha I should say upon smelling my esrog and hadassim but he said that one does not say the berachos throughout Sukkos. Why is this? Answer: The Gemara (Sukkah 37b) teaches that one may not smell the hadassim on Sukkos as it is designated for a mitzva (see Rashi) . Hadassim are primarily used for fragrance and so are muktza to smell. Esrogim , primarily used for food, are muktza to eat. This applies throughout Sukkos, even on chol hamoed. Rambam (Shofar Sukka Velulav 7:26) writes that while one may not eat the esrog over Sukkos, one may smell it. However, the Tur writes that there is a machlokes as to whether one recites the beracha upon smelling the esrog, too. Therefore, the Shulchan Aruch (OC 653:1) writes that one should avoid smelling the esrog while it is being used for a mitzva . The Kaf Hachaim (OC 653:5) explains that as there is a machlokes , one smelling it would either be making a beracha levatala or benefitting withou...

Question: Why do some shuls  give out paper before we bow to the floor on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. Do we really need it? Answer:  There is a Torah prohibition to prostrate oneself on a stone floor (Vayikra 26:1). The Rishonim offer different reasons for this averah: According to Rambam ( Avodah Zarah 6:6), the Torah forbids this simply because that is how idolaters practice their Avodah Zarah. The Sefer Hachinuch (349) adds that while we don’t suspect one who’s bowing to have such intentions, nonetheless we are worried that others watching him do so may get the wrong impression. The Kesef Mishna (in his pirush on that Rambam), however, explains that bowing on stone floor was restricted to the avoda  in the Beis Hamikdash. As with other forms of avoda , it may not be performed elsewhere (See Megilla 22b). Although mideoraisa it is only forbidden to prostrate with one’s hands and feet stretched out on a stone floor, the Rabbis extended this prohibition to in...

The Shulchan Aruch (OC 624:3) writes that one does not use besamim for havdala following Yom Kippur even when Yom Kippur falls on a Shabbos. The Mishna Berura (624:5) explains that we usually smell besamim to console us over the loss of our neshama yeseira , extra soul, that departed at the conclusion of Shabbos. As we are fasting on Yom Kippur, we don’t have this neshama yeseira and so don’t need the besamim. The Mishna Berura (297:2) points out, however, that if one were fasting on another Shabbos, one would still use besamim. The Magen Avraham (OC 624:1) and Taz (OC 624:2) disagree writing that as one benefits from the pleasant aroma, it can’t be considered a bracha l’vatala. Similarly, other poskim write that there is always a neshama yeseira present on Shabbos and so one should use besamim (See Aruch Hashulchan OC 624:1). The Kaf Hachaim (OC 624:9) suggests that one should rather recite the bracha of besamim after havdala. We light a candle in havdala followi...

The minhag of tashlich dates back to at least the 14 th century. The Maharil (Minhagei Rosh Hashanah 9) writes about going to rivers that contain fish in order to throw our sins into the depths of the sea (Micha 7:19). The Rema (OC 583:2) records this minhag . The basic text is the final 3 Pesukim of Micha (7:18-20) which parallel the Thirteen Midos, Divine Attributes of Hashem. Many add more tefillos, composed primarily by the Chida. While not all observe this minhag, R’ Ovadia Yosef (Yechave Daas 1:54) writes that this is the minhag of Sefardim too, following the Arizal. Different reasons have been offered for this minhag : The Maharil refers to the famous Midrash (Yalkut Shimoni, Bereishis 99). The satan tried various tactics to dissuade Avraham from carrying out the akedah including creating a river. This explains why it took them 3 days to reach Har Hamoriah. The water of tashlich serves to remind us of Avraham’s self-sacrifice (See Gra in his notes to the Rema O...

Question: Can I apply creams on Shabbos? Answer: The Gemara (Shabbos 146) writes that it is forbidden miderabanan to spread oil, as it is similar to the act of memarayach , which is forbidden mideoraisa (See Rambam, Shabbos 23:11). R’ Ribiat (The 39 Melochos p919) writes that this applies to hand creams such as Nivea and Vaseline, etc. One may, however, use a liquid hand lotion (which can be poured). R’ Dr. Avraham Avraham writes (Nishmat Avraham 1 OC 328:22b) that both R’ Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (quoted in Shemiras Shabbos Kehilchasa 33:n58) and R’ Eliezer Waldenberg (Tzitz Eliezer 7:30:2) held that while spreading an ointment evenly on one’s skin is forbidden mideoraisa, this is only if it remains on the surface. One may, however, rub cream into the skin if it gets properly absorbed (See Daas Torah 328:26; Minchas Yitzchak 7:20). As one shouldn’t take medicine on Shabbos, this doesn’t apply to medicinal creams, though a bedridden patient ( choleh shein bo sakanah...