Dose of Halacha

Question: I walked through some muddy grass on Shabbos. Can I wipe the mud off my shoes before going back inside? Answer: There are a few potential issues with scraping off mud from one’s shoes on Shabbos: The Gemara (Shabbos 124b) relates that Rava’s shoes got muddy one Shabbos and he used a piece of earthenware to clean them off. The Gemara (ibid 141a) discusses whether one may use the back of a knife, and whether this applies equally to old and new shoes. The Gemara discusses whether one may scrape one’s shoes on the ground or wall as doing so may be fixing a small crack, an issue of boneh, building . According to the Mishna Berura (302:28) this wouldn’t normally be so problematic, especially when rubbing them against a wall (See Shevet Halevi 5:37). The Shulchan Aruch (OC 302:7) writes that one mustn’t remove mud that has properly dried up as scraping the shoe would cause the soil to crumble which would be considered tochen, grinding. A third concern that the poskim ...

Question: It is too late for my daughter to hear havdala on motzaei Shabbos. Should she say it on Sunday? Answer:  Parents have a mitzva derabanan of chinuch, to train their children to observe mitzvos. Thus, the Mishna Berura (343:3) writes that when a child is old enough to appreciate what is permitted and forbidden on Shabbos, they should listen to kiddush and havdala. The Shulchan Aruch (OC 299:6) writes that if one didn’t hear havdala on motzaei Shabbos , then one can do so until Tuesday. One saying havdala late should omit the berachos on ner and besamim. While the Tur (OC 299) writes that one should recite havdala before eating anything (See Rema OC 299:6), the Mishna Berura (269:1) writes that we shouldn’t keep children waiting until after Kiddush to eat. Likewise, they may eat even before hearing havdala. R’ Yehoshua Neuwirth (Chinuch Habanim Lemitzvos 24) writes that when Shabbos ends too late for children to stay up to hear havdala , they should re...

Question: In the shul that I used to attend, they were adamant not to decorate the shul with flowers on Shavuos, yet the shul I daven in now does decorate the shul . Which is right? Answer: The Rema (OC 494:3) writes that many have the minhag to place herbs in shuls and their homes over Shavuos to commemorate the giving of the Torah. The Mishna Berura (494:10) explains that there was grass or herbs on Har Sinai (See Kaf Hachaim OC 494:53) . The Magen Avraham (494:5) extends this minhag to trees, writing that as we are judged on Shavuos over the fruit, the trees should remind us to pray for a good produce (See Shulchan Aruch Harav 494:15). R’ Ovadia Yosef (Yechave Daas 4:33) quotes midrashim to explain why people place flowers. The poskim (Chayei Adam 2:131:13, Mishna Berura 494:10; Igros Moshe YD 4:11:5) quote the Vilna Gaon who decried the practice of placing trees in shuls as it has become the practice of idolaters. Thus, some shuls do not place any plants in th...

Question: I came late to shul during the week and went to the ezras nashim to daven as no ladies come then. Was I included in the minyan ? Answer: The Shulchan Aruch (OC 55:13) writes that the ten men who make up the minyan need to all be present in the same room as the chazzan . The Mishna Berura (55:48) adds that it does not matter if they cannot all see each other providing that they are in the same room. The Shulchan Aruch (OC 55:14) writes that one who is outside a shul can join in through an open window. Elsewhere, the Shulchan Aruch (OC 195:1) writes that a group of people who are split between two separate rooms can join together to recite the zimun if some of them can see each other through an open window. Nonetheless, the Mishna Berura (55:52; Shaar Hatziyun 55:53) questions whether davening in a minyan can be compared to zimun . He writes that while one can join a minyan from another room, it is best to go into the shul to daven. The Aruch Hashulchan (OC 55:20) wr...

Question:  I was the chazzan for shacharis at a different shul to which I usually attend, and the Rabbi told me that I should not have ended the beracha go’al yisrael before amida quietly. Why is this? Answer: The Gemara (Berachos 4b; 9b; 42a) writes that one should ensure to make no interruption between the berachos after shema and the amida, especially during shacharis (Rashi Berachos 4b) . One who is particular to do so will be protected that day from harm. The Shulchan Aruch (OC 66:7; 111:1; 236:2) writes that one should not make any hefsek , unnecessary interruption between go’al yisrael and the amida. Therefore, one must not answer amen. However, the Rema quotes the Tur (OC 66) who does not consider it to be a hefsek and writes that one should answer amen to the chazzan’s beracha. The Aruch Hashulchan (OC 66:14) writes that the minhag is to follow the Shulchan Aruch and avoid saying amen . In order to avoid this safek, the Aruch Hashulchan (OC 66:15) and M...

Question: We were invited to friends out of town for Shabbos, though our hosts told us that we weren’t allowed to travel on Friday afternoon. Is that right? Answer: Rambam (Shabbos 30:11) writes that one mustn’t travel more than 3 parsa (approximately 7.5 miles) on Friday as their hosts (or own family) may not have had enough time to prepare for them. The Shulchan Aruch (OC 249:1) writes that if one is expected and no further preparations are needed, however, then they may travel further. The Shulchan Aruch Harav (OC 249:3) and R’ Ovadia Yosef ( Yabia Omer 2 OC 14:6) write that this limit applies to one walking. One travelling by other means has as long as it takes to walk this distance, or 3 hours and 36 minutes (See Shulchan Aruch OC 459:2). The Mishna Berura (249:3) writes that while many aren’t as concerned about this halacha nowadays, we need to ensure not to arrive too close to Shabbos. Likewise, R’ Yehoshua Neuwirth (Shemiras Shabbos Kehilchasa 42:24) writes that as...

Question: I see that many people say leshem yichud before counting the omer yet we didn’t do so in yeshiva. Should I begin saying it? Answer: Many have a minhag to say the kabbalistic prayer, leshem yichud, before performing certain mitzvos, expressing one’s intentions to fulfil the mitzva to serve Hashem properly in order to properly focus and prepare themselves in advance. Thus, the Chida (Moreh Baetzba 1) and Yesod Veshoresh Ha’avoda (9:8) stress the importance of this mitzva , and write that one must channel their thoughts and emotions to prepare themselves for this mitzva by saying leshem yichud ( See Minhag Yisrael Torah  8:1). Nonetheless, this practice, while printed in most siddurim, is a most controversial one. R’ Yechezkel Landau (Noda Biyehuda YD 93) wrote very strongly against saying leshem yichud, trying to get it removed from the siddur. This debate aside, other poskim point to particular textual issues within the leshem yichud preceding the ...