Dose of Halacha

Question: I don’t have easy access to hand towels at work. Can I dry my hands for hamotzi by using an electric hand-dryer? Answer: The Gemara (Sotah 4b) teaches the importance of drying one’s hands properly after washing them, before eating bread. One who eats bread while his hands are still wet is considered to have eaten tamei bread. Rashi (158:45) explains that the habit of handling bread with wet hands is so bad that it is considered to be tamei (See Mishna Berura 158:45) . The Shulchan Aruch Harav (OC 158:17) writes that ideally one should dry one’s hands properly with a towel rather than allowing them to dry by themselves. R’ Binyamin Zilber (Az Nidberu 8:52; 9:64) writes that one can use a hand-dryer, especially as people nowadays use so much water when washing their hands, washing off any tamei water. He argues that the action of moving your hands to the dryer is not considered to be allowing them to dry by themselves. R’ Moshe Stern (Baer Moshe, Kuntres Electric 7...

Question: My brother-in-law brought me a box back from Eretz Yisrael to place my menora in so I can light outdoors. Is that preferable? Answer:  The Gemara (Shabbos 21b) teaches that originally, the menora was lit outside one’s front door. However, due to periods of danger, it became permissible to light it inside on one’s table. Rashi explains that this change was prompted by Persian authorities who forbade lighting on their festivals (see Shulchan Aruch OC 671:5). The Ohr Zarua (2:323) questions why, in places where there is no danger or prohibition, people do not resume the practice of lighting outdoors. R’ Yaakov Emden (Sheilas Yaavetz 1:149) and R’ Ovadia Yosef (Yalkut Yosef, Chanuka 671:25) argue that nowadays, with the absence of such dangers, it is preferable to light outdoors. If available, using a glass box is recommended to protect the flames from wind and other elements (see Az Nidberu 10:26). However, other poskim offer reasons why the prevailing practice in...

Question: I heard in a shiur that one must not eat before lighting the menora . My husband does not come home from work until about seven o’clock. Can I not eat at all that night before he lights? Answer: The Magen Avraham (672:5) writes that one should light their menora with their family members present, and ideally before eating. He adds, quoting the Maharshal, that when it is time to light, one should not even sit down to learn Torah, but should perform the mitzva as soon as one can (See Mishna Berura 672:10). The Shulchan Aruch (OC 235:2) writes that one must not begin eating half an hour before the time of maariv . However, the Mishna Berura (235:18) writes that if one asked another person to remind them to daven then one may eat. This even applies if it is already nacht and one could say shema already. R’ Betzalel Stern (Betzel Hachachma 4:58) writes that while women are obligated to light the menorah , they should be allowed to eat while waiting for their husban...

Question: My son came back from Yeshiva claiming that he learned that one may talk in shul while the haftara is being read. Is he right? Answer: Rabbeinu Yerucham (Toldos Adam Vechava 2:3) writes that as the haftara is read for everybody in shul , one must not speak while it is being read. The Shulchan Aruch (OC 146:3) writes that one must not talk until the haftara has finished being read, just like kerias hatorah. The Avudraham suggests a few reasons as to how the haftara got its name. One suggestion is that it was used to exempt ( pattur ) the community from kerias hatorah during times of persecution when they were prohibited to read from the Torah. Alternatively, he writes, quoting Rabbeinu Tam, that one is forbidden to speak at all during kerias hatorah, even in halachic matters. Once the Torah has been wrapped back up and they have begun reading the haftara, they are allowed to open their mouths and speak again ( peter means to open). The Levush (OC 284:1) challen...

Question: A non-Jewish work colleague asked me if I could buy a mezuza for her as she believes it is a good luck charm. I explained to her that we are not supposed to. Can I give her one that is passul instead? Answer: The Gemara Yerushalmi (Peah 1:1) teaches that R’ Yehuda Hanasi gave Artaban a mezuza in return for a precious stone. Nonetheless, the poskim write that this does not mean that we can just give mezuzos away to anyone. The Rema ( Darkei Moshe YD 291:2) relates that a particular ruler once promised to act favourably towards his Jewish subjects providing that they gave him a mezuza . If they did not, he promised there would be reprisals. The Maharil ruled that they must not send it. R’ Yaakov Emden (She’elas Yaavetz 2:121) challenges the Maharil from this Gemara Yerushalmi, writing that one may certainly give a mezuza to a non-Jewish person who has promised to protect it. However, the Rema (ibid; YD 291:2) writes that one should avoid giving a mezuza to a non-...

Question: We are hiring a carer to look after our mother. As she is not Jewish, do we need to place a mezuza on her door? Answer: The Rema (YD 286:1) writes that one who shares a house with a non-Jewish roommate is not obligated to affix a mezuza to their door. The Gemara (Yoma 11a) teaches that the city gates of Mechuza did not have mezuzos . As the non-Jewish inhabitants may have suspected the Jewish residents of witchcraft, it was deemed dangerous. The Bach (YD 286) and Taz (YD 286:2) explain that this is why modern city gates don’t have mezuzos . Additionally, we are concerned that the mezuza may get mistreated (See Shach YD 286:6). The Shulchan Aruch (YD 291:2) writes that the obligation to affix a mezuza is on the one living in a home rather than the owner. Therefore, one renting a house to a non-Jewish person should not affix mezuzos on that house. The Aruch Hashulchan (YD 286:3) writes that one who employs a non-Jewish person who lives in their house is obligated...

Question: We were decorating our daughter’s bedroom and removed the mezuza case only to find to that it was empty. We have ordered a new mezuza . Can she sleep there without a mezuza until it arrives? Answer: The Shulchan Aruch (OC 38:12) writes that if one cannot afford to buy oneself both tefillin and a mezuza and needs to choose one over the other, they should buy a pair of tefillin. The Rema (YD 285:1) explains that this is because tefillin is a mitzva that pertains to the individual, as opposed to mezuza which belongs to the house. However, the Magen Avraham (38:15) writes that as we no longer wear tefillin all day, one should rather buy a mezuza and borrow someone else’s tefillin . The Pri Megadim (Eshel Avraham 38:15) adds that while tefillin are considered holier than mezuzos, the mitzva of mezuza applies on Shabbos and Yom Tov. Therefore, one must move out of a room without a mezuza on Shabbos or Yom Tov if they have another room available. The Pischei Teshu...