Literally "the way of the land," in this case, "Derech Eretz" refers to good manners.
4
votes
0answers
45 views
The silence of the Rabbis — Should they have defended Bar Kamtza?
In Gittin 55b-56a, we read that a fellow named Bar Kamtza was humiliated by a host of a party in public view of all, including the rabbis. Bar Kamtza received an invitation to the party by mistake, ...
3
votes
3answers
95 views
Saying Rishonim or Achronim were “wrong”
Pepole are very careful (and rightfully so) to say when they don't understand the words of the Achronim or Rishonim to not say they are/were "wrong". But rather to say "I don't understand what he ...
1
vote
0answers
74 views
Eating whole foods — like sandwiches and pizza
Where does it say that one shouldn't eat foods like sandwiches or pizza and hold the food in one's hand and bring it towards there face, but should rather eat in smaller bites or with a knife and ...
6
votes
4answers
246 views
Can you pick your nose?
Is it a violation of halakah to pick your nose (unrefined act, possibly a violation of being a holy nation)? Would there be a difference in halakah if it were the sabbath (possible violation of ...
3
votes
0answers
38 views
Best practices for long-distance Nihum Aveilim and Kavod HaMeith
What are some best practices for people who learn from afar of the passing of an individual (not immediate family) and who want show their respects to the deceased and the surviving family?
If they ...
3
votes
1answer
68 views
Tefilin and clothes
Is there is any "dress code" or limitation regarding what to wear (I mean at the minimum) when the time comes to put on the tefelin?
I see many people putting them on wearing pajamas for example... I ...
6
votes
0answers
99 views
Why call so many olim “moreinu”?
I davened in a couple of different Chassidish shuls over the past few days, and in two different places (Tenka and Munkacs), I noticed that nearly all men who were called up for an aliya were ...
3
votes
1answer
73 views
How may one respond to someone who habitually posts off-topic on a mailing list?
A long-time member of a mailing list posts many off-topic messages, ranging from a couple a month to several a week, and rarely posts on-topic. This behavior frustrates some members of the list ...
4
votes
2answers
58 views
May I publish correspendence received from a corporation?
I understand that there are ethical and possibly halachic issues with publishing a letter or piece of email that I receive from another person without explicit permission. What are the considerations ...
20
votes
5answers
362 views
How can we get people to stop talking (much, loudly) during minyan?
I know that lots of minyanim have the talking problem; has anybody solved it?
I daven with a weekday shacharit minyan that has a noise problem. A couple of people are the main sources of the problem ...
14
votes
2answers
152 views
Insults in the gemarah
Why do tanaim and amoraim use disparaging terms (bavlai tipshai, for instance) or insults when talking with one another. If there is something positive to be learned from this behavior why is it no ...
23
votes
3answers
2k views
Should one ask a non-Jew attending synagogue to wear a yarmulke?
It says in Divrei HaRav (by R. Hershel Schachter, p143) that when they asked R. Aharon Kotler whether a non-Jewish secular studies teacher in a yeshiva should be asked to wear a yarmulke, he said he ...
16
votes
2answers
303 views
How does a son call up his father for an Aliyah?
Suppose a son is the Gabbai in a Shul and needs to call up his father for an aliyah (or his brother who is the son of his father). Does the son say his father's name? Does he say something else ...
5
votes
1answer
76 views
What are the parameters of kavod ha'brios?
When I was younger I was told that in extenuating circumstances one can rip toilet paper on shabbos (preferably not on the perforations) due to kavod ha'brios. This concept is applied in other places ...
7
votes
1answer
84 views
Boshes damages for a מלבין פני חברו ברבים
Asked by my kid (albeit less fleshed-out than the way I'm presenting it here):
One should rather submit himself to be burned alive than cause another to blanch in shame in public, according to Sota ...
11
votes
2answers
142 views
Is there a model of reconciliation in the Tanach?
Monica asked an excellent question about how to correct someone who posts something objectionable on a public forum. I was struck by the suggestion that the usual course of action was "to take the ...
9
votes
2answers
180 views
Halachot of Lashon Naki (clean speech)
What is the halachik source, if any, for lashon naki (clean speech)? Is there a portion of Talmud that deals with the specifics? On the surface, it seems to be employed inconsistently, by which I mean ...
17
votes
5answers
567 views
How to respond to “but he does”
I mentioned to my coworker that I can't eat Domino's pizza, not even without meat, as it's not kosher. He pointed out in response that a fellow coworker of ours, whom I'll call Josh, and who is ...
16
votes
1answer
513 views
How should we respond to objectionable content in a public forum?
The blessing and curse of sites like StackExchange is that everything happens in public. Sometimes someone will post something objectionable and it isn't possible to take the person aside for a ...
9
votes
1answer
92 views
Greetings during Prayer
In light of YDK's answer here, Halacha permits one to greet and sometimes return greetings to other people at different times during prayer when other interruptions would otherwise be prohibited. (See ...
7
votes
1answer
191 views
Should you greet a non-jew after washing netilat yadayim?
If you wash netilat yadayim and then a non-Jew says "hello" to you, should you:
say "hello" back and wash again?
try to acknowledge him without actually talking?
or ignore him (doesn't seem right)?
...
11
votes
4answers
3k views
Would a non-Jew wearing the Star of David together with a cross be offensive?
I am not Jewish, although I come from a Jewish heritage. My great-grandmother was Jewish. I have, since childhood, found the religion fascinating, even though my belief in Jesus has firmly placed me ...
8
votes
1answer
192 views
“Don't say 'lehavdil' between one Jew and another.”
In today's Parashat Hashavu'a Chat, I used the qualification "lehavdil" (*) to apply to a pun that jokingly and innocuously related the actions of Datan and Aviram to those of a community member here.
...
7
votes
2answers
205 views
What do you do if your Shabbos host serves chocolate chip challah?
Based on this shiur from R. Sobolofsky, chocolate chip challah is no different from chocolate babka or other cake and thus has the bracha of mezonos.
...
2
votes
1answer
85 views
Mourning Greetings
The Shulchan Aruch in Yoreh Deah Siman 385 outlines the prohibition regarding "Sheilat Shalom" (greeting with peace) to a mourner. Does this prohibition include such terms as "Hello" "Good morning" ...
8
votes
2answers
264 views
How can I determine if someone is Shomer Negiah?
I am not Shomer Negiah. However, I have been in mixed social situations where I was unsure if the person I was meeting was Shomer Negiah. I don't want to offend anyone, so I'm wondering if there is a ...
8
votes
1answer
194 views
May one chew gum in the bathroom?
As per this post - Food in bathroom - one may not eat in the bathroom. May one chew gum in the bathroom? Is it considered eating? Connected to this post - Can you walk and chew gum at the same time?
14
votes
2answers
159 views
Can you walk and chew gum at the same time?
Rambam (Hil. Edus 11:4) writes (translation from here):
...base people are disqualified as witnesses by Rabbinic decree. This refers to people who walk through the marketplace eating in the ...
7
votes
2answers
81 views
Which commentators commend Yosef for noticing his fellow prisoners' sadness?
Toward the end of Parashat Vayeishev, Yosef is imprisoned along with two of Par'oh's chief servants. Starting in Gen. 40:6, the Torah tells us that he notices that they look sad, asks why, and ...
7
votes
3answers
245 views
Are You Obligated to Vote a Question You Answer?
If a question provokes your answer, it's at least Derekh Eretz (good manners) and Hakarat HaTov (gratitude) to vote on the original question. Does any halachic reason obligate you to upvote (or ...
8
votes
3answers
116 views
Drinking on the street
Recently it has become common to see ladies walking around the Haredi neighborhoods, specifically the shopping streets of Geula, sipping from an iced coffee in a paper cup. It certainly looks ...
4
votes
1answer
104 views
Answering others' sh'elos
Would it be surprisingly improper for the author of a legal responsum to publish his own answer to a question asked, answered, and published by another such author because he believed he had a better ...
2
votes
1answer
101 views
Can't remember the name of a mussar sefer [closed]
I'm trying to remember the name of a sefer that I learnt with someone a couple of times a while ago. It was written by a chasidic rebbe, but isn't just popular amongst chasidim. We were learning a ...
3
votes
2answers
151 views
Welcoming someone back after a visit to Israel
Is it proper to say "Welcome back" after someone visits Israel because of the lower level of Kedussah between Israel and Chutz LaEretz?
8
votes
3answers
127 views
Identifying a chasid
Say you meet a stranger who is a member of a particular community of chasidus. What is the most polite and direct way to ask the person of which community they are a member? I.e. a question whose ...
4
votes
3answers
293 views
Is there any problem with thanking a non-Jew by saying “God bless you?”
If your neighbor/coworker/etc. is a religious non-Jew and they do you a favor, is there a problem to say "thank you, God bless you?", assuming you think they'd appreciate hearing that?
6
votes
1answer
247 views
Is it proper for a man to hold open a door for a woman?
Is it proper for a man to hold open a door for a woman? (Does it matter if it's his wife, or any other woman?)
The American-manners, don't-dare-be-or-look-like-a-misogynist part of me says "always, ...
5
votes
4answers
117 views
Is it required to knock on doors before entering?
Do we have to knock on people's doors before entering?
2
votes
3answers
146 views
Do you have to close the window if someone's cold?
The LinkedIn FrumNetwork user that I recently corresponded with about the wisdom of the crowd brought up an interesting bit of conventional wisdom that she claims is at least partly apocryphal:
...
8
votes
4answers
230 views
December greeting responses
How do you respond when greeted, during the Winter "holiday season" by a non-Jewish acquaintance with each of the following?
Happy Chanuka (in proximity to Chanuka)
Happy Chanuka (not in proximity ...
