Dose of Halacha

Question: I opened my tallis bag and accidentally removed my tefillin before my tallis . Should I have put the tefillin on first, or still put on the tallis first? Answer: The Gemara (Yoma 33a) teaches that the kohen must remove the ashes from the inner mizbeach before clearing out the ash from the menora . The principle derived from this, ein ma’avirin al hamitzvos , means that one should not skip a mitzva ; the kohen must address each mitzva in the order he encounters it. The Shulchan Aruch (OC 25:1) advises that one should take care not to place the tefillin bag closer to the opening of the bag than the tallis . Normally, one puts on the tallis first, but if the tefillin are encountered first, one would need to put them on first, following the same principle. The Biur Halacha (25:1) notes that the Pri Megadim (Mishbetzos Zahav OC 25:5) implies that this rule is mideoraisa , while the Kaf Hachaim (OC 25:9) and others hold that it is miderabanan . The Magen Avraham ...

Question: I have broken my right arm and shoulder and cannot put tefillin on myself. Can my wife help me put them on? Answer: The Gemara (Avoda Zara 39a; Bechoros 30b) records a case in which a woman married to a talmid chacham tied tefillin for her sick husband. Tosafos (Gittin 24a) discusses a machlokes regarding whether women may perform preparatory acts for mitzvos from which they are exempt, such as tying tzitzis or binding the lulav . Rabbeinu Tam rules that since women are not obligated in tzitzis or lulav , they should not tie the strings of the tzitzis or assemble the lulav . The Shulchan Aruch (OC 14:1), however, rules that women may tie tzitzis , although the Rema adds that it is preferable for men to do so. The Hagahos Maimonis (Tzitzis 1:12) explains Rabbeinu Tam’s position regarding the Gemara’s story in two ways. One approach is that the woman did not actually tie the tefillin but merely assisted her husband. Alternatively, since the tying itself is not t...

Question: I have been invited to stay overnight with relatives who are not religious and who do not have mezuzos affixed to their home. May I stay there overnight? Answer: The Sefer Hachinuch (423) writes that one who is obligated in mezuza and does not affix one transgresses a mitzva . The mitzva remains in force for as long as one lives in the house (see Minchas Chinuch). The Pri Megadim (Eshel Avraham OC 38:15), followed by the Pischei Teshuva (YD 285:1) and Aruch Hashulchan (YD 285:5), maintains that although one must affix a mezuza immediately upon discovering its absence, where this is temporarily impossible and no alternative dwelling is available, one may remain in the house. According to this approach, the issur relates to failing to affix a mezuza , not to the act of dwelling itself. However, the Avnei Nezer (YD 381), citing Sefer Haeshkol, rejects this premise. He argues that a mezuza must be affixed immediately upon completion of the house, prior to residence, ...