Sefarim by Rabbi Chaim Cohen: Mekor Chaim ↗ בס״ד

ArchiveShowing posts from December, 2013

  1. Eating Before Kiddush on Shabbos Morning

    Question: I find it difficult to wait until after shul to hear kiddush. Can I eat before davening ? Answer: Rambam (Shabbos 29:10) and Shulchan Aruch (OC 289:1) write that one is not allowed to eat anything before kiddush…

  2. Tovelling Toasters

    Question: Do I need to tovel my new toaster? Answer: There is a machlokes as to whether electrical items require tevila altogether. R’ Moshe Sternbuch (Teshuvos Vehanhagos 1:450) quotes a view (see Chelkas Yaakov 1:126) …

  3. Kiddush on Whisky

    Question: Is it okay to make kiddush on whisky or beer? Answer: Certainly on Friday night, when  kiddush  is d’oraisa , one must make kiddush on wine (or grape juice). If one has no wine, one must recite  kiddush  over his c…

  4. Babysitting on Shabbos

    Question: How can I pay my babysitter for working on Shabbos? Answer:  The Mishna Berura (306:16) writes that chazal forbade one from getting paid for services performed on Shabbos as they were worried that people would in…

  5. Scrabble on Shabbos

    Question: May one play Scrabble on Shabbos? Answer: There are a few potential issues with playing Scrabble on Shabbos. The first is whether forming the letters into words is considered kesiva, writing (and mechika, erasin…

  6. Time to Light

    Question:  I see different people lighting their menora at different times. What is the optimum time? Answer:  The Gemara (Shabbos 21b) writes that the proper time for lighting the Chanuka light is at shekia, the setting o…