On Teshuva
On how to do Teshuva.
Category: ASK THE RABBI
Up All Night
By Rabbi Chaim Hillel Raskin Do I have to wash negel vasser after being up all night? There are three reasons given for why we wash negel vasser in the morning: (1) Cleanliness: In preparation for davening since one may have...
Undesired Surveillance
By Rabbi Chaim Hillel Raskin A tenant installed a surveillance camera for security, and is asking for reimbursement. Am I required to pay for something that I did not request? Halacha discusses a situation...
Unsolicited Tutoring
By Rabbi Chaim Hillel Raskin An expert Gemara tutor came to a cheder to help struggling students whose parents asked for the service. One of the parents didn’t ask for the service but their child used the...
Tzitzis on Blankets
By Rabbi Chaim Hillel Raskin Does my woolen blanket require tziztis? From the posuk “ur’isem oso,” lit – and you should see them, Chazal learn that one is not obligated to wear tzitzis at night. The exact implication...
Opening a Can on Shabbos
By Rabbi Chaim Hillel Raskin There are three possible melachos involved in opening a can: (1-2) Binyan, Stira: Chazal say that in some instances the melachos of building and destroying apply to vessels.1 Some rishonim limit this to stable vessels made...
Lost and Found
By Rabbi Chaim Hillel Raskin I found a pair of tefillin in an airport. Am I allowed to use it? A lost object that belonged to a Jew can be acquired by the finder if the object...
Pressure for a Shidduch
By Chaim Hillel Raskin Can I try to persuade a family to consider my daughter as a shidduch for their son? Background: There are two potential Torah prohibitions involved in purchasing a friend’s personal items that...
Driving After Candle-Lighting
By Chaim Hillel Raskin I would like to travel by car to shul after lighting Shabbos candles. Is that allowed? Although the halacha is that lighting Shabbos candles doesn’t automatically cause Shabbos to begin,1 nonetheless the...
Verbal Harassment
By Rabbi Chaim Hillel Raskin The Torah says, “A man should not wrong his fellow.”1 Chazal explain that one must be sincere in social interactions just as in business, and one may not harass...
