Chometz Found Over Pesach

The Gemorah in Psachim 111b tells us that one who hangs his bread up in the air – it is considered kasheh l’anius, it causes one to become poor. How then does the Shulchan Aruch (OC 436:1) write that if one finds chometz over Pesach, one covers it with a pot or vessel or one…

Read More

Passing Inappropriately Dressed People

Trips When there are Inappropriately Dressed People. Even HaEzer What are the parameters of “alternative routes” regarding inappropriately dressed people? There is a Tosfos in in Avodah Zarah 48b that discusses the parameters of what is considered dracha acharina – an alternative path in which one would not be confronted with someone inappropriately dressed.  The…

Read More

Giving Tzedakah With a Smile

In Yore De’ah 249:3, the Mechaber cites the halacha that one must give tzedakah, charity, with a smile, with joy and good-heartedly.  When there is a poor person, one should empathize with him in his struggles and one should speak to him with words of consolation and comfort.  If he gave the tzedakah in a…

Read More

9 Things to Know About Maariv from Maran Rav Chaim zt”l

By Rabbi Yair Hoffman The following are 9 things to know about Maariv from Rav Chaim Kanievsky zt”l. The minhag is to recite, “vehu rachum” before maariv. In some places they they recite shir hamaalos hinei borchu etc, (Shoneh Halachos 236:1). After one recites, “Borchu”, it is considered equivalent to being in the middle of…

Read More