6
votes
2answers
191 views

May a woman look at a man for pleasure?

It's ossur for a man to look at a woman for pleasure. Even to look at her small finger with the intention of having pleasure from it (See EH"E Siman 21 Sif 1.) Is there any prohibition for a woman to ...
4
votes
1answer
25 views

Southern Birkas Ha'ilanos

I've seen Saying Mashiv HaRuach in the Southern Hemisphere. Similarly, is Birkas Ha'ilanos (ברכת האילנות) said in Tishrei in the southern hemisphere? That's when the trees bloom.
2
votes
0answers
38 views

Continuing to eat in a place that is visible from the initial eating place

The Shulchan Aruch Harav brings in Orach Chaim 178:1 א) היה אוכל בחדר זה ונטל המאכל בידו והלך לחדר אחר לאכול צריך לחזור ולברך שכיון שעמד והלך למקום אחר עמידתו זו היא גמר אכילתו וזו אכילה אחרת ...
3
votes
1answer
72 views

If I want to keep a bentcher in my pocket wrapped, can I use a clear sandwich bag?

I carry a mincha/maariv bentcher in my pocket, and I keep it wrapped in a paper covering in case I walk into the bathroom. (I know that some hold that bathrooms today don't need a double covering, but ...
6
votes
2answers
116 views

Orla and Decorative Kumquat Trees

We all know that fruits of a new tree are prohibited to enjoy from, during first 3 years. Is enjoying the fruits must be physical like: eating or burning (as "השורף קליפי עורלה") or also not physical ...
8
votes
2answers
180 views

How seriously do we take the finger-inspection in Havdala?

After saying the blessing over fire during Havdala, we do something (customs vary) involving looking at our fingers by the light of the Havdala candle. I'm wondering how seriously we take this part of ...
15
votes
3answers
190 views

Glasses and Shema

The Shulhan Aruch records the custom of placing one's hand over his eyes in Shema in order to increase concentration. What about someone who wears glasses? Must he move them or remove them?
11
votes
1answer
181 views

Rainbow in water spray

You can often see a rainbow in a spray of water such as from sprinkler irrigation. Is the brocha for a rainbow applicable in that case? Also, does a rainbow that comes from a prism get a brocha too?
11
votes
2answers
416 views

Am I allowed to view a Kotel Cam on Shabbos?

If there is a camera in Israel that is operating on Shabbos, am I (a person living in America, where Shabbos only starts 6 or 7 hours later) allowed to view such a camera? I suppose the same could be ...
3
votes
1answer
170 views

Rainbow: Making a Bracha on a bad Omen

As discussed in some earlier questions Rainbows are a bad Omen yet we are Halachicly commanded to make a Bracha on it. The Gemara in Chagigah (16A) says you may not gaze at one so how do you make the ...
7
votes
2answers
138 views

Can a Sukkah have all-glass walls?

Would a Sukkah that has walls that are completely transparent be kosher for use?
8
votes
3answers
165 views

Saying Tanach by Heart

מִזְמוֹרֵי תְהִלִּים וְכֵן שְׁאָר פָּרָשִׁיּוֹת מִתּוֹרָה נְבִיאִים וּכְתוּבִים שֶׁאֵינָם שְׁגוּרִים בְּפִי הַכֹּל, אָסוּר לְאָמְרָם בְּעַל פֶּה. אֲפִלּוּ מִי שֶׁהוּא יוֹדֵעַ לְאָמְרָם בְּעַל פֶּה, יֶשׁ לוֹ לִזָּהֵר ...
7
votes
1answer
150 views

Blind and Marriage

The Gemara tells us that a man may not marry a woman without first seeing her because if she turns out to be displeasing to him then he will transgress the mitzvah of "Ve'ahavtah lerei'acha ...
8
votes
1answer
711 views

Can a live video feed remove the prohibition of Yichud?

I was wondering if and how a public videostream could affect a potential yichud situation. For example, may a single guy and girl be secluded if they set up a continuously broadcasting camera and ...
1
vote
1answer
57 views

Burden of proof for birkas “she'Asa nisim”?

The הלכה is brought down in Shulchan Aruch et al. that one who sees lit Chanuka lights and has not lit his own should say the ברכה of שעשה נסים לאבותנו. Could he say this ברכה on a נר that was lit ...
4
votes
3answers
98 views

Blindness and Lighting Menorah

Are the Blind responsible to light the Menorah on Chanukah?
5
votes
1answer
72 views

Minor tying tzitzis

Some poskim say that a minor may tie tzitzis even for an adult (see Artzos HaChayim cited by Mishnah Berurah 14:4), as long as he is being supervised by an adult (gadol omed al gabav). Does this mean ...
4
votes
1answer
193 views

Is live video a halachic substitute for physical presence?

If you are in a room with cameras in it, is it like the people looking through those cameras are in the room?