June 24, 2008

June 17, 2008

This week's class considered a question from Bologna, Italy, with respect to the status of an individual who converted to Judaism while a minor and now is less than strenuous in his observance of Torah and mitzvot. Rabbi Kermaier chose the teshuva because of the recent controversy arising from a ruling purporting to annul en masse 40,000 conversions effected by the State of Israel’s official conversion courts and the dismissal of Rabbi Haim Druckman as head of the official conversion courts. Rabbi Kermaier reiterated his view that the wholesale annulment of conversions, without regard to the facts of each case or even of the batei din that effected those conversions, is itself an illegitimate act, and he lamented that the damage done by such a ruling — throwing doubt on the Jewish status of thousands of Israelis — is immediate and irreversible.

May 27, 2008

This morning, we studied the Piskei Teshuvot’s analysis of two Shavuot customs: putting up greenery in the synagogue and eating dairy.

May 20, 2008

May 13, 2008

April 29, 2008

Pre-Pesach Sale of Chametz by Merchants Who Transact Business in Chametz on Pesach

April 15, 2008

This morning, we studied the Piskei Teshuvot on the question of how to eat the three se’udot (meals) on Erev Pesach that falls on Shabbat. The Shulchan Aruch tells us to leave enough chametz for two meals on Shabbat (i.e., Friday night and early on Shabbat morning, before the prohibition on eating chametz takes effect at the fourth hour) and the Mishna Berura says we should guard this chametz in a safe place, away from the food that will be used on Pesach. The Piskei Teshuvot addressed circumstances where it is difficult to do this and be assured that the chametz will be removed properly, either because we are dealing with a public place such a hospital or hotel, or because there are small children in the house. As we know, based on a Yerushalmi, one may not eat matzah on the day before the seder. The Piskei Teshuvot offers four possible solutions to the problem.

April 8, 2008

This morning, we studied halachot related to Kiddush at the Seder, as summarized in Hamo’adim B’Halacha, a work by Rav Shlomo Yosef Zevin (1886-1978), founder of Encyclopedia Talmudit.

March 25, 2008

Today’s question came from Prague and concerned the prohibition on Pesach of eating kitniyot (legumes), which applies throughout the Ashkenazic community and in some Sephardic communities (e.g., Moroccan Jews). The rabbinic decree against eating kitniyot stems from the fear that these legumes, when ground into flour, look like flour of the five grains (wheat, spelt, barley, oats, and rye) and thus could lead a person into mistakenly eating chametz on Pesach. In the United States, major kashrut organizations will not certify for Pesach products that contain legumes. In Israel and elsewhere, however, reputable kashrut organizations will certify such products, because of the substantial population groups that eat kitniyot on Pesach.

March 11, 2008

Purpose of Mishloach Manot and Halachic Ramifications

March 4, 2008

Making Noise at Haman's Name; Women and Minors in Minyan for Megillah

February 26, 2008

Today we reviewed a compendium in the Piskei Teshuvot concerning listening to Megillah reading via loudspeaker, telephone, or hearing aid.

February 19, 2008

Today’s question to Kollel Eretz Hemdah came from Perth, Western Australia. Rabbi Kermaier chose it based upon a recent experience of attending a carnival for the local Oneg Shabbos group, which raises money to help the impoverished keep Shabbat. One of activities at the carnival was face-painting, which led parents to question whether that activity was permissible, and to a further discussion of whether temporary tattoos that children enjoy playing with are permissible. (As we shall see, temporary tattoos are not subject to the Torah’s prohibition of tattoos, but Rabbi Kermaier suggested that parents think about what kind of educational message they send to children.)

February  12, 2008

This morning, as we are in the first Adar of 5768, we considered the question of how Yahrzeits are affected by leap years, which fall seven out of every nineteen years on the Jewish calendar. Our text was the P’nei Baruch, by R. Chaim Binyamin Goldberg, which has become a successor to R. Yechiel Tucazinsky’s Gesher Hachaim as a guide to the laws of mourning.

February 5, 2008

This morning’s teshuva came from Rav Nachum Rabinovich’s work Melumadei Milchama, which is directed at religious issues faced by soldiers in the IDF.

A soldier who obviously had the custom to wait six hours after eating meat before eating dairy asked whether it is permissible to be lenient and wait just five hours and a bit.

Before turning to the teshuva, Rabbi Kermaier noted that many people have the custom to wait only 5+ hours, while German Jews wait 3 hours and Dutch Jews wait 1. The standard Ashkenazic custom, however, is 6 hours.

Janurary 22, 2008

In honor of Tu B’Shevat, Rabbi Kermaier taught two a teshuva from Rav Nachum Rabinovich’s work Melumadei Milchama, which is directed at religious issues faced by soldiers in the IDF.

January 15, 2008

Rabbi Kermaier, having been in Israel last week for a funeral and burial, was present when security was very tight in Jerusalem for President Bush’s visit. The experience led him to choose this morning’s teshuva, which responded to a question from Madrid.

December 18, 2007

Because tomorrow is Asara B’Tevet, Rabbi Kermaier taught two teshuvot from Rav Nachum Rabinovich’s work Melumadei Milchama, which is directed at religious issues faced by soldiers in the IDF. The fast commemorates the start of the Babylonian siege of the first Temple, as well as two events that occurred on adjoining days: the deaths of Ezra and Nechemia (9 Tevet) and the order to produce the Septuagint (8 Tevet). Offering a view that was not ultimately accepted as halacha, the Abudraham said that the Tenth of Tevet is like Yom Kippur, in that it would not be pushed off by Shabbat. This view is based on the use, in Ezekiel 24:2, of the phrase etzem hayom hazeh, which is also used for Yom Kippur (Vayikra 23:29).

November 27, 2007

This morning, in lieu of a specific teshuva, we studied a page on various topics related to Chanukah appearing in Hamo’adim B’Halacha, by Rav Shlomo Yosef Zevin, author of the Encyclopedia Talmudit.

November 6, 2007

This morning’s question, dealing with artificial insemination, came from Nimes, France, the founding city of denim.

October 16, 2007

Today’s question dealt with the text of the Sefer Torah and its fidelity to the original version handed down from G-d to Moshe on Har Sinai.

Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Now that Tisha B’Av is behind us, Rabbi Kermaier chose a teshuva relevant to post-Tisha B’Av activity. The question came from Montreal: May one use an electric shaver, and why?

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

This morning’s class focused on excerpts from a work by Rav Hershel Schachter concerning the practices of Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik, the Rav. In particular, we covered the Rav’s views with respect to the Three Weeks, the Nine Days, and Tisha B’Av.

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Our most recent shiur discussed the practice of avoiding the b’racha of Shecheyanu during the Three Weeks. Today, we studied the Piskei Teshuvot for a survey of the responsa literature on the question of when consumption of a new fruit, vegetable, or legume warrants a Shecheyanu.

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Today’s question for Kollel Eretz Hemdah came from Buenos Aires. As we know, the period between Shiva Asar B’Tammuz and Tisha B’Av, known as the “Three Weeks,” is the season of calamity, not only with respect to the destruction of the First and Second Temples, but throughout Jewish history. Therefore, there are no weddings or haircuts during this period, and there is a discussion regarding whether one may shave. The question today was whether one may buy new clothing during the Three Weeks.

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Rabbi Kermaier chose today’s question, which came from Montreal, in light of the recent publicity concerning the southward expansion of our eruv: May a Sepharadi carry on Shabbat in reliance upon an eruv that has been constructed in accordance with Ashkenazic standards?

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

This morning’s teshuva came from the Sridei Aish, Rav Yechiel Yaakov Weinberg. Rabbi Kermaier chose it for its relevance to recent disputes in Israel concerning conversion, particularly the failure of a proposed agreement on the subject between the Rabbinical Council of America and the Chief Rabbinate of Israel.

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

This morning’s question came from Cali, Colombia, and consisted of two parts: (1) What are the “lifnei iver” implications of holding classes, prayer services, and youth programs on Shabbat when the vast majority of participants travel to the synagogue by train? Is it desirable to plan further activities of this nature? (2) When may one be lenient about asking a gentile to perform work on Shabbat for the sake of a communal mitzvah?

 Encouragement of Synagogue Attendance When it Is Likely to Entail Travel on Shabbat

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

This morning’s class is a follow-up on last night’s meeting of the Ritual Committee, where it was discussed whether there is a problem with the Synagogue hosting events on Shabbat, such as Friday night dinners, when it can fairly be surmised that participants will be traveling by car on Shabbat. The issue arises in many contexts. For instance, Rabbi Kermaier noted, what if parents from a small town need to make a brit on Shabbat? If the mohel is in another town, he will typically require the parents to make arrangements to stay for the entire Shabbat within walking distance of his location. Thus, the Rabbanut in Israel has ruled that a brit may not be held on Shabbat if it will involve transporting the baby on Shabbat, but the brit may go forward if the risk of chilul Shabbat is incidental (e.g., guests traveling on Shabbat).

Tuesday, May 1, 2007

This morning’s class dealt with the problem of crossing the International Date Line (“IDL”) during the period of Sefirah. The issue has been much discussed in halacha. Complicating matters is the unsurprising absence of the IDL in the Talmud. As such, there are three or four different views of what the halachic IDL should be. Some follow the secular IDL, 180 degrees from Greenwich. Others work from Jerusalem rather than Greenwich as the center of the world. Some have the IDL slicing through Australia. Japan and parts of New Zealand could be on either side of the halachic IDL, depending on which view one accepts. Still other poskim redraw the IDL to skirt Japan and New Zealand, on the grounds that the IDL should not divide a continuous land mass. A summary of the relevant views appears here.

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

This morning’s question appears in Melumdei Milchama by Rav Nachum L. Rabinovitch of Maale Adumim: May one enter a synagogue with a weapon? By way of background, Rabbi Kermaier noted the debate prior to the formation of the State of Israel whether it would be a good or bad thing for there to be a spirit. Thinkers such as Martin Buber worried that power would pervert the Jewish spirit. The debate was largely mooted by the Holocaust, but the issue still presents itself in questions such as the one under consideration today.

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

This morning's two-part question was addressed to Rav Nachum Rabinovitch (http://www.birkatmoshe.org.il/ftpeng/English_Site/ed/ed.html), who answered in his sefer Melumdei Milchama. Both questions dealt with Purim in the context of military service, but the answers are relevant to civilians, too.

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

This morning's question came from Haifa: (a) What are the boundaries of the Biblical commandment to give a poor person "dei machsoro" (what he is lacking)? (b) What are our charitable obligations vis-à-vis someone who declines to work?

Tuesday, February 2, 2007

This morning's class focused on a way in which kashrut differs from other mitzvot. In general, we seek guidance from one rabbi or follow the standards of one community, thus expressing a variety of chumrot (stringencies) and kulot (leniencies). With respect to kashrut, however, we tend to accept various hashgachot (forms of supervision), and they do not agree on every principle. Thus, in practice, we end up accepting all the kulot.

Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Today's question came from Colorado. Why is it forbidden to use an umbrella on Shabbat? After all, the umbrella does not have walls, so it is not a true ohel (tent). Alternatively, what is the problem if the umbrella is opened before Shabbat begins? All this is assuming, of course, that there is an eruv to obviate the carrying issue.

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Today's question came from New York and is recorded in Volume 5 of Bemar'ei Habazak. We also discussed a related question that appears in Volume 6.

The question addressed a Sheva Brachot meal that met the requirements for recitation of Sheva Brachot: the presence of a minyan and of "panim chadashot" (new faces). (Rabbi Kermaier noted that panim chadashot are not required when the meal is on Shabbat.) The question observed that women are obligated to participate in a zimun (the invitation to participate in the grace after meals) and that the poskim (decisors) conclude that they are also obligated in Birchat Chatanim (the groom's blessings, i.e., the Sheva Brachot). Against that background, may women recite the Sheva Brachot? The question further noted that the Rambam (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maimonides) excluded slaves and minors from reciting Sheva Brachot, but said nothing about women. Finally, the question asked whether the answer differs between a "public" meal and a private family Sheva Brachot.

Tuesday, January 9, 2007

This morning's class focused on a topic covered in Rabbi Kermaier's sermon this past Shabbat: burial in Israel of people who lived in the Diaspora. The question came up when it was proposed to move the remains of Sir Moses Montefiore (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moses_Montefiore) and his wife to Israel. Sir Moses, who lived to be 101, was buried in Ramsgate, outside London (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Montefioretomb.jpg).

Tuesday, December 26, 2006

This morning's question came from Caracas, Venezuela. 

Two unmarried couples, one of which had had a civil marriage ceremony, came to a rabbi. In both cases, the relationship had dissolved and the children were with the mother. Because of circumstances, local law would not obligate the fathers to pay child support. The fathers, however, agreed to accept the rabbinic ruling as binding. The questioner inquired both as to the opinion of the Eretz Hemdah Institute and the practice in Israel. He further asked whether the civil marriage that existed in one of the cases made a difference and noted that one of the fathers (presumably the one who did not have a civil marriage) made support payments contingent on his remaining anonymous as the father.

Tuesday, December 5, 2006

Rabbi Kermaier introduced this morning's teshuva by quoting Rav Yaakov Kaminetsky's (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yaakov_Kaminetsky) aphorism that, if he could, he'd remake all mitzvot as minhagim (customs), because then he could be assured that they would be observed. People place great importance on minhagim, but how are they established?

Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Rav Mordechai Halperin on Cosmetic Surgery
 
Today’s question, obtained from the Moreshet Web site, concerned the permissibility of cosmetic surgery in general, and breast reduction surgery in particular, where the procedure is not being done for health reasons.

Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Today's question was directed to Beit Hora'ah, a collection of senior poskim (decisors) in Israel under the leadership of Rav Zalman Nechemia Goldberg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zalman_Nechemia_Goldberg). If a person pledged money to one school and changed his mind and wanted to shift the contribution to another, may he do so?

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

For this morning's class, Rabbi Kermaier picked up two recent teshuvot by Rav Yuval Sherlo of Petach Tikvah on the Moreshet Web site (http://www.moreshet.co.il/web/shut/shut.asp).

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Tuesday, September 12, 2006

This morning's teshuva is by Rav Yaakov Ariel, the Chief Rabbi of Ramat Gan. Rabbi Kermaier chose it for its relevance to the anniversary of 9/11.

Tuesday, September 26, 2006

This morning, Rabbi Kermaier studied two teshuvot from Rav Shlomo Aviner of Beit El.
 
The first raised a question of teshuva (repentance). We know from the Rambam that teshuva is effective only with respect to violations bein adam laMakom (between man and G-d). For violations bein adam l'chaveiro (between man and man), one must first obtain forgiveness from the wronged party before asking G-d for forgiveness.
 
But what if the act of seeking forgiveness from one's fellow can lead to another violation? The question addressed by Rav Aviner is the case of one who spoke lashon hara (slander), but the victim is unaware. Is it better to tell the victim or to remain silent and simply do teshuva?

Today's class, in preparation for Shavuot, reviewed Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach's views on the b'rachot for two dairy foods.

Today's question came from Lima, Peru. The questioner had been hired to build a mikvah for the community in the method approved by Chabad. He asked how he should proceed.

Today's question came from New York City. The rabbi who sent in the question was approached by a former student whose adoptive father was terminally ill. The son, who was converted by his adoptive father, was concerned that he could not mourn like a biological son.

Today's two-fold question came from Rav Nachum Rabinovich's Melumdei Milchama.

I. Defining the Crisis

Conversion is both a personal and national crisis, in that it has impacts on individuals and on the Jewish people as a whole.

Tuesday, April 11 06

Today’s shiur did not deal with a teshuva but rather covered Rav Yitzhak Mirsky’s analysis of the mitzvah of seeing oneself as having left Egypt.