Dose of Halacha

Question: I have just been prescribed a new pill for my asthma. It comes in a capsule made from gelatine. Is that a problem? Answer: While gelatine, unless certified as kosher , comes from non-kosher animals (or animals not shechted ) there is a machlokes as to whether it is kosher or not. R’ Chaim Ozer Grodzinski (Achiezer 2:11; 3:33:5), R’ Yechezkel Abramsky (brought in intro to Tzitz Eliezer 4), R’ Eliezer Waldenberg (Tzitz Eliezer 6:16; 10:25:20:2) and R’ Ovadia Yosef (Yabia Omer 8:YD 11) all write that one may eat gelatine even from a non-kosher source (See Shearim Metzuyanim Behalacha 47:5). However, R’ Aharon Kotler (Mishnas R’ Aharon 1:16), the Chazon Ish (YD 12:7), R’ Yitzchak Yaakov Weiss (Minchas Yitzchak 1:52; 3:147; 5:5), and R’ Moshe Sternbuch (Teshuvos Vehanhagos 2:381) all write that one can only eat gelatine from a kosher source. R’ Moshe Feinstein (Igros Moshe YD 1:37, 2:23, 2:27, 2:32) writes that because of the doubt, one should not be lenient and eat ...

Question: I have heard conflicting things about women saying havdala. As a single woman, what should I do? Answer: The Rema (OC 296:8) writes that as the Shulchan Aruch brings two opinions as to whether women are obligated to say havdala or not, they should not recite it themselves, but should listen to a man saying it instead. The Mishna Berura (296:34) explains that women are obviously obligated to keep all laws of Shabbos. The difference of opinion lies in whether havdala is treated as a part of Shabbos, or as a regular time-bound mitzva (such as tefillin which women are exempt from). The Taz (OC 296:7) points out, however, that women must say hamavdil bein kodesh lechol before doing any melacha. The Biur Halacha writes that women may make havdala , though should omit the beracha of meoiray haeish on the candle. The Aruch Hashulchan (OC 296:5), R’ Moshe Feinstein (CM 2:47) and R’ Ephraim Greenblatt (Rivevos Ephraim 1:273; 6:172), however, write that women may say this...

Question: If I stay up all night learning on Shavuos, what should I do about birchos hatorah ? Answer: The Magen Avraham (494:1) quotes the midrash that relates how the bnei Yisrael slept in on the morning of kabbalas hatorah and had to be woken up. To rectify this, we stay up each Shavuos night, learning Torah, preparing ourselves to receive the Torah anew. The Mishna Berura (47:28) addresses the issue of whether one who has not slept may recite birchos hatorah . Given the machlokes on this matter, one should either listen to someone else (who has slept) recite the berachos or have the intention to fulfil the beracha while saying ahava rabba , and then learn immediately after shacharis . R' Akiva Eiger maintained that one who had slept in bed during the day for at least half an hour is considered to have slept and may recite all the berachos as usual. Many Sefardim follow the rulings of the Kaf Hachaim (OC 46:49) and R’ Ovadia Yosef (Yabia Omer OC 5:6; Yechave Daas ...

Question: Do I need to say a beracha on medicine? What about if I need a drink in order to swallow a pill? Answer: The Gemara (Berachos 38a) writes that one only recites a beracha on food that one eats for medical reasons if they will enjoy eating it. Likewise, the Shulchan Aruch (OC 204:7) writes that one only says a beracha before (and after) drinking water if they are doing so to quench their thirst. Thus, the Mishna Berura (204:42) writes that if one drank some water just to enable them to swallow a pill, they should not recite a beracha. However, if one drinks any other beverage, one would be required to recite a beracha. R’ Moshe Feinstein (Igros Moshe OC 1:82) writes that if the medication itself tastes nice, then one should recite a beracha. Likewise, R’ Yosef Shalom Elyashiv (quoted in Rivevos Ephraim 4:54:39) maintained that if one mixed the medicine into something that tastes good, one would need to recite a beracha on it. There is a machlokes as to whether o...

Question:  I leave my hotplate on a (manual) time-switch on Shabbos. Can I adjust it on Shabbos if I want it to come on or go off earlier or later? Answer: Rambam (Shabbos 3:1) and the Shulchan Aruch (OC 252:1) write that one can begin a melacha on Friday even though the action will continue running into Shabbos. Thus, R’ Yaakov Breisch (Chelkas Yaakov OC 71), R’ Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (Minchas Shlomo 1:13), R' Eliezer Waldenberg (Tzitz Eliezer 1:20:9), R’ Yehoshua Neuwirth (Shemiras Shabbos Kehilchasa 13:26) and R’ Ovadia Yosef (Yabia Omer OC 3:17) write that one may set timers before Shabbos. R’ Moshe Feinstein (Igros Moshe OC 4:60), however, disagrees, writing that one may only use timers for one’s lights. Firstly, timers are akin to instructing a non-Jew to perform a melacha on one’s behalf which is prohibited. While the Gemara does allow certain actions to be set up beforehand to run on Shabbos, that only applies when the action process began before Shabbo...

Question: A friend just gave me a glass dish filled with sweets as a gift. Who was supposed to tovel it, me or her? Answer: R’ Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (Minchas Shlomo 2:66:20) held that one shouldn’t tovel a gift before giving it as they may want to return it. If they do, it wouldn’t yet be considered something used for food, and therefore doesn’t require tevila . Likewise, R’ Yitzchak Yaakov Weiss (Minchas Yitzchak 1:44; 7:43:2; 8:70) and R’ Moshe Sternbuch (Teshuvos Vehanhagos 1:452) write that one selling dishes shouldn’t tovel them before selling them as until they have been bought, they serve as merchandise, rather than eating utensils. If one bought a dish that the shopkeeper had tovelled , they would still need to tovel it again (See Tevilas Kelim 8:6). R’ Asher Weiss (Minchas Asher, Matos 68:4) writes that if one tovelled a gift before giving it, it would not need tovelling again, Nonetheless, one shouldn’t do so, unless one is tovelling other things that requir...