Buying From A Yiddisha Store vs A Goy There is a mitzvah for a yid to help his fellow Jew in supporting him. Included in this is buying from a yiddish owned store versus a goyish owned one. If the yid charges a lot more money for his products there is no obligation for one to [...]

Berochos In summer camps the following foods are often offered for sale, therefore, it is noteworthy to mention them. Regular knishes – regular knishes that have a thick potato filling surrounded by a thin covering requires two berachos. However, Mom’s knishes which have a much thinner potato filling and are completely surrounded by a thick covering [...]

Calling Women By Their First Name One should not call other peoples wife’s by their first name. For relatives one can be lenient. Many people are not careful with this and it has to be corrected. Tznius is something that has to be learned. The best way is to promote an elevated level of tzinus in [...]

Who Serves “I”dols?  “Lest you act corruptly and make for yourselves a carved image.” (4:16) Sefer Devarim is replete with warnings against idolatry, but perhaps the parashah in which the repetitiveness is most obvious is Parashas Va’eschanan. Dozens of pesukim — including nearly one third of the pesukim in the second rendering of the Ten Commandments [...]

The Music Ban in Yerushalayim In 1865 a general ban was issued in Yerushalayim against playing music at weddings, and only one instrument was permitted to play. Many poskim discuss if recorded music or electric synthesizers may be used at a wedding in Yerushalayim. The consensus is to be stringent. A chosson and kallah who [...]

Listening to Tapes of Jewish Music Today the custom is to be lenient and listen to music for the following reasons: 1. Musical instruments are only forbidden if accompanied by wine. 2. One who is down and out may use the music to lift his spirits. 3. Perhaps the issur never applied to recorded music. [...]

The following is meant as a convenient review of Halachos pertaining to Tisha BeAv. The Piskei Din for the most part are based purely on the Sugyos, Shulchan Aruch and Ramah, and the Mishna Berura, unless stated otherwise. They are based on my understanding of the aforementioned texts through the teachings of my Rebeim. As [...]

Music and Zecher L’churban  Many people listen to music on a regular basis. However, as will be discussed below, one of the gezeiras that were made because of zecher l’churban was regarding listening to music.   The Mishnah in Sotah says that from the time the Sanhedrin stopped functioning, song was prohibited from meals that served wine. [...]

Crowns A chosson does not wear a crown by the chasana, and the kallah does not wear a crown of gold, silver, or precious stone because of zecher l’churban. The Aruch Ha’shulchan says he is not sure what crowns this is referring to.   Wearing Less Jewelry  Women who get dressed up should not put on all of [...]

Wedding T’nayim The minhag is to break a plate at the t’nayim as a zecher l’churban. The breaking should be done by any of the machatanim (usually the women). The minhag is to break a complete plate. Ashes on the Forehead Before going to the chupah, ashes are placed on the chosson’s forehead in the place where the [...]