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Last question received: 17 Aug 2017

Questions answered to date: 1989

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Showing Questions in 'Halacha (General Jewish Law)'

Question No.	2118
Category	Halacha (General Jewish Law)
Date Posted	10 Sep 2014
The Question	B'Kavod Ha'Rav, Is it better to commit spiritual suicide and become fry or actual death while still frum? —Anonymous, USA
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	2117
Category	Halacha (General Jewish Law)
Date Posted	7 Sep 2014
The Question	Is it muttar as a married individual to converse with single jewish women who are in my graduate program class? How can one maintain congeniality and prevent coming across as rude or cold if small talk is completely assur. I understand the mishna says "al tarbeh sicha im haisha" which seems to be mashma that only a "ribuy" of dibur is assur whereas a moderate amount is acceptable or even expected in certain situations to live up to "hevay mekabel es kol haadam pbsever panim yafos/v'asisa hayashar v'hatov". —Oren Sabag, Potomac, Maryland
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	2111
Category	Halacha (General Jewish Law)
Date Posted	21 Aug 2014
The Question	In question #602 Rabbi Leff spoke about watching movies, and how ones that are even so-to-speak "kosher" are not really "kosher." My question is about TV. There are some shows that seem to be OK, like cooking or home improvement/design shows. Are those OK to watch? Is there any show that one could say is OKto watch? Many thanks to the Rav for this site. —Anonymous, Michigan
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	2108
Category	Halacha (General Jewish Law)
Date Posted	17 Aug 2014
The Question	Dear Rabbi, How do I repent to HaShem for witchcraft? Can one ask HaShem to break a spell one cast? —Lauren, San Clemente, CA, United States
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	2106
Category	Halacha (General Jewish Law)
Date Posted	14 Aug 2014
The Question	Dear R. Leff. I believe you have said in response to other questions that one cannot break Shabbat to save the life of a non-Jew, or any Biblical prohibition for that matter. If this is the case, please could you kindly cite the relevant sources and what is says there. Many thanks, —Alex, London
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	2105
Category	Halacha (General Jewish Law)
Date Posted	13 Aug 2014
The Question	Shalom Rabbi Leff, if a Jewish person is chas veshalom put in a situation where an Arab threatens him to convert to Islam or be killed, is there a mitzva of "yehareg veal yaavor" (letting oneself be killed) just like avodah zara? Or do we say that the mitzva of "yehareg veal yaavor" is specifically in situations of avoda zarah whereas Islam believes in one G-d, just in a very distorted way, so there isn't a mitzva to let oneself get killed? Obviously it is completely assur for a Jew to practise Islam and leave Torah and mitzvos, my question is specifically in that moment of being threatened. —RDG, London
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	2097
Category	Halacha (General Jewish Law)
Date Posted	12 Jan 2014
The Question	Is it accurate or inaccurate to say that being shomer negiah is part of giluy arayos? —Chana, NY, NY
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	2085
Category	Halacha (General Jewish Law)
Date Posted	24 Dec 2013
The Question	Is it permitted to greet or answer a non-Jew with "merry christmas" during the season? - Yosef, Israel
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	2078
Category	Halacha (General Jewish Law)
Date Posted	28 Nov 2013
The Question	Is it not permitted for a Jew to be an organ donor and why? —Anonymous, lakewood, nj
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	2077
Category	Halacha (General Jewish Law)
Date Posted	26 Nov 2013
The Question	A person who has already converted to Judaism, can he become a Rabbi (Yoreh Yoreh)? A person who has already converted to Judaism, can he become a Dayan (Yadin Yadin)? A person who has already converted to Judaism, can he teach the Torah to other people who are in the process of conversion to Judaism (Taalich Giur? Thank you. Mordechay Hirsch, Italy
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	2070
Category	Halacha (General Jewish Law)
Date Posted	5 Nov 2013
The Question	Shalom U'Bracha. In the morning shortly after waking a person uses the bathroom (gedolim) and knows that always a 1/2 - hour later they will need to go again to the bathroom(gedolim). Should they make an Asher Yatzar the first time. Thank you —Anonymous, New Jersey
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	2069
Category	Halacha (General Jewish Law)
Date Posted	3 Nov 2013
The Question	Unfortunately this year I became an avel and subsequently I daven from the amud. I daven nusach Askenaz. In my work place I daven as shaliach tzibur for Mincha. My issue in my work place (so no Minhagh hamakom asuch) most of the minyan daven nusach sefard/ edot hamizrach and in Tachanun say Vidui. Some of the people davenning with the work Minyan don't like the fact that I don't say vidui (as we don't have it in our nusach). Would I be allowed to say vidui in Mincha without having to change my nusach (which I would find hard to do)? Or should I not daven as shaliach tzibur. Or just ignore the people in the work? —Anonymous, London
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	2064
Category	Halacha (General Jewish Law)
Date Posted	29 Aug 2013
The Question	Dear Rabbi Leff, I have been learning gemorah for many years - both b'kius and b'iyun. I have tried to get into gemorah but I really struggle to connect to it. I have tried different Yeshivas and different Rabbaim but nothing has really worked. 1. Am I required to learn gemorah if these are my feelings? What does the gemorah in Avoda Zara mean when it says that a person should learn "ma shelibo chafetz - what their heart desires?" 2. Does learning halacha in depth e.g. shulchan aruch, mishna brura etc fulfil the same purpose as learning the gemorah, giving you a deep understanding of Hashem's ratzon in a particular sugya? Thank you for your time. Shana Tova! —Avraham, Jerusalem
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	2051
Category	Halacha (General Jewish Law)
Date Posted	24 Jul 2013
The Question	Why is a spouse only mourned for 30 days, while a parent is mourned for a year? —Anonymous, Monsey, NY
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	2041
Category	Halacha (General Jewish Law)
Date Posted	5 Apr 2013
The Question	Firstly thank you for providing this service. I became aware by someone of a Jewish custom that I would like to check the validity of. The custom is, when faced with a dilemma, one opens the chumash and proceeds in life according To the connotation of the passage he came upon. Ie if a person wanted To know if he is right in accepting a new job, he would open the chumash and if ...say... the passage of Avraham being blessed appeared, he would know it is in good fortune and he should proceed. Is this valid and halachic? —Alon, LA
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	2038
Category	Halacha (General Jewish Law)
Date Posted	28 Mar 2013
The Question	Dear Rabbi Leff, is it permitted to follow the psak of different Rabbonim and poskim in various areas of halacha? More specifically, is it mutar to be lenient in many areas of halacha by following different reputable poskim and always following the lenient opinion? Since we see that modern day poskim don't always follow one posek or rishon through and through? Thank you —Anonymous, UK
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	2034
Category	Halacha (General Jewish Law)
Date Posted	18 Mar 2013
The Question	1. Does one have to keep bathroom doors closed (when they're not being used, of course) 2. A bathroom in my house has two doors and can be used as a corridor to get from one part of the house to another. Is there a problem walking through like this carrying a plate of food? Thank you. —Hal Berman, Pennsylvania
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	2031
Category	Halacha (General Jewish Law)
Date Posted	16 Mar 2013
The Question	Dear Rav Leff Shlita, What effect would genetics have on a Jews yichus? For example, we hear stories of families who through DNA testing, find out they aren't biologically related. Would this affect them halachicly? Similarly, what effect would modern science have on ascertaining the guilt or innocence of a person? Can we act on secular evidence if there is no halachic evidence? Thank you very much. —Zvi Nulman, Monsey
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	2030
Category	Halacha (General Jewish Law)
Date Posted	14 Mar 2013
The Question	Why is it forbidden for a single boy/man to waste seed if the seed will get replenished? If the seed won't procreate a human anyway, why is it "wasting"? —Anonymous, Lakewood
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	2029
Category	Halacha (General Jewish Law)
Date Posted	13 Mar 2013
The Question	Perhaps it is possible to establish a Takanath HaKahal and prohibit access to the Talmud Torah to Jewish children, children of a Jewish mother and father not jew to counteract mixed marriages? —Mordechay, Italy
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

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