Dose of Halacha

Question: As Tisha B’Av falls on Thursday this year, are the restrictions of the Nine Days lifted before chatzos on Friday? Answer: The Gemara (Taanis 29a) records that although the Beis Hamikdash was set alight towards the end of the ninth of Av, it continued burning throughout the tenth. Nevertheless, the fast remains on the ninth because the beginning of the calamity is considered the defining moment. The Yerushalmi (Taanis 4:6) records that some Amoraim fasted on both the ninth and tenth of Av. Based on this, the Tur (OC 558:1) records the minhag not to eat meat or drink wine on the tenth of Av. Accordingly, the Shulchan Aruch (OC 558:1) prohibits meat and wine throughout the tenth, while the Rema limits this until chatzos . The Maharshal (92) extends the restriction to bathing, haircuts and laundry, and the Mishna Berura (558:3) records this as the accepted Ashkenazi practice. R’ Ovadia Yosef (Yechave Daas 5:41) rules that Sefardim follow the Shulchan Aruch and restrict only...

Question: A local non-Jewish charity shop is selling an old pair of tefillin . At a quick glance, I can see that they are no longer Kosher. Am I obligated to buy them to prevent them from potentially being desecrated? Answer: The Mishna (Gittin 45a) teaches that one should not purchase Sifrei Torah, tefillin or mezuzos from non-Jews for more than their market value, because of tikkun olam . Rashi explains that this is either to avoid burdening the community or, more commonly, to avoid encouraging theft in expectation of inflated prices. Accordingly, the Shulchan Aruch (OC 39:7) rules that one may not pay significantly above market value, lest this encourage theft. However, the Magen Avraham (39:10) writes that a small premium may be paid when necessary, in order to prevent them from being treated disrespectfully. The Gemara (Gittin 45b) permits this modest increase, as it will not encourage theft. The Rosh (Gittin 4:46) and Tur (YD 281:1) add that this applies proportionately:...

Question: I'm left-handed and accidentally picked up my brother’s tefillin . Do I need to remove the retzua from the shel yad and reinsert it the other way so that the kesher faces inwards? Answer: The Terumas Hadeshen (49) writes that there were once two accepted customs regarding the regarding the orientation of the tefillin shel yad . The communities of Rhineland positioned the maavarta , the passage through which the retzua passes, towards the shoulder, with the bayis towards the hand. The communities of Austria followed the opposite practice. The Beis Yosef (OC 27:1) notes that, in his time, the universal custom had become that of the Rhineland communities. He therefore rules in the Shulchan Aruch (OC 27:3) that the maavarta should be towards the shoulder and the bayis towards the hand. The Chayei Adam (1:14:13) writes that if a left-handed person is wearing the tefillin shel yad of a right-handed person, he should ideally remove the strap and reinsert it from ...