Dose of Halacha

Question: I have just moved into a new home and need to kasher the kitchen. What is the halacha regarding the formica countertops? Is it the same for plastic utensils? Answer: There is a machlokes among the rishonim as to how to treat materials that aren’t mentioned in the Torah. Thus, for example, while most rishonim including the Shulchan Aruch (OC 451:26) hold that as glass is non-absorbent, it does not need to be kashered , the Rema follows the Mordechai (Pesachim 374) who writes that glasses can’t be kashered for Pesach because they are made from sand and therefore similar to earthenware. R’ Yechiel Yaakov Weinberg (Seridei Aish 1:46) writes that the acharonim are lenient regarding plastic and such utensils may be kashered through hagalah (placing in boiling water). R’ Eliezer Waldenberg (Tzitz Eliezer 4:6:3) compares plastic utensils to stone ones and permits kashering through hagalah. R’ Yitzchak Yaakov Weiss (Minchas Yitzchak 1:86; 3:67) writes that while on...

While the mitzva to light the Menora only applies at home, the Shulchan Aruch (OC 671:7) writes that the minhag is to also light in shul. The Rivash (Shut Harivash 111) writes that although one doesn’t fulfil the mitzva by lighting in shul, one should still recite the berachos when lighting, comparing it to the minhag of reciting hallel on Rosh Chodesh (see Shut Chacham Tzvi 88; Yabia Omer 7 OC 57:4). He explains that this minhag developed when it became forbidden to light the Menora outdoors. Lighting in shul ensured that the miracles of Chanuka were publicly commemorated ( pirsumei nisa ) . While the Rema (OC 671:7) follows the Rivash that one can’t fulfil one’s obligation to light through the shul’s menora, the Kolbo (44) writes that one reason for this minhag is on behalf of those who don’t light at home . The Beis Yosef (OC 671:7) writes similarly that visitors can fulfil their obligation through the shul’s Menora. The Shibolei Haleket (185) writes that as visito...

Question: I live within an eruv . Can I carry my tallis home after Shul even though I won’t be using it before next Shabbos? Answer: The Mishna (Shabbos 113a) teaches that one mustn’t prepare one’s bed on Shabbos for after Shabbos as it is a prohibition of hachana, preparing. Thus, the Shulchan Aruch (OC 323:6) allows one to wash dishes that they will use again on Shabbos, but not for use after Shabbos. Accordingly, one would not be able to take one’s tallis home on Shabbos because he wants to take it to a different shul the following day. The Mishna Berura (290:4) writes that one shouldn’t say that they’re sleeping on Shabbos in order that they will be able to work after Shabbos. This applies to all forms of hachana if it is clear that one is doing so in order to prepare for after Shabbos. R’ Yehoshua Neuwirth (Shemiras Shabbos Kehilchasa 28:77) writes that this even applies to mitzvos . Thus, one may not prepare for havdala while it is still Shabbos. R’ Shlomo Zalman ...