By Rabbi Berach Steinfeld

By Rabbi Berach Steinfeld
In Shmos 28:30 the Torah tells us that the Urim VeTumim were placed in the Choshen. The Targum Yonasan ben Uziel says that the Urim VeTumim served as a vehicle to ask anything in learning from Hashem. It would seem from the Targum that they would ask dinim in the Torah. We see the same concept brought in Bamidbar 27:21 that they would ask from Elazar the Kohen while wearing the Urim. The Targum uses the language “Lemeidan dina” to pasken Shailos.

By Rabbi Berach Steinfeld
In Shmos 25:2 the Torah tells us that we should take (give) for me teruma. Rashi explains the word for me is that it has to be leshem shomayim. The question is that we know the Gemara in Pesachim 50b says that a person should learn Torah even if it is shelolishmo as the shelo lishma brings the person to do it lishma. Why would the mitzva of teruma be different?

By Rabbi Berach Steinfeld

By Rabbi Berach Steinfeld

Recently, after a revelation of horrific events involving Chaim Walder, frum Jewry is faced with many shailohs regarding the proper way to handle it. In this episode of Headlines, Dovid Lichtenstein delves deeply into the topic with leading psychologists and Poskim, answering questions such as:
-Do the rules change when a public figure and role model is involved in a scandal?
-How much evidence do you need before you publish accusations, especially when there is a danger to the community?
-Does the community owe a responsibility to hold the perpetrator responsible to ensure that the victims have justice and to deter such conduct by others?

On Erev Shabbos, if a woman is running late to light Shabbos candles on time, she is permitted to light the Shabbos candles immediately, once her husband has lit even one of the lights on the Chanukah menorah, and she will be yotzeh with her husband’s lighting.
(Rama end of 671:7, Halichos Yosef 679:1, Ben Ish Chai 1:Vayeishev:Chanukah:20)
The Mishnah Brurah brings in the name of the Pri Migadim and Shaarei Teshuva that on Erev Shabbos, lechatchila, one should daven Minchah before lighting Chanukah licht (if possible). Nevertheless, most communities are not makpid on this and daven after lighting.

At Maariv tomorrow night, Motzoei Shabbos, December 4th, residents of chutz la’aretz begin to say Vesein Tal Umatar during the Shemonah Esrei in the bracha of Boreich Aleinu. Residents of Eretz Yisroel already began saying Vesein Tal Umatar on the 7th of Cheshvan.
If one became aware after completing the bracha of Mevareich Hashanim that one omitted Vesein Tal Umatar, one should wait to insert it right before “Ki atah shomeiah” in Shema Koleinu.

By Rabbi Avrohom Dovid Waxman
The Rambam in Hilchos Chanukah (Perek 3, halacha 14) discusses the dinim of Hallel and writes that women cannot be motzi men in Krias Hallel. It appears that the Rambam maintains that women are not mechuyav in Hallel and are therefore unable to be motzi men who are mechuyav.

Q: What is your opinion about celebrating the holiday of Thanksgiving tonight with a turkey dinner?
A:
Thanksgiving is a holiday that was manufactured by gentiles for the purpose of going to church. That’s what the original purpose was. And therefore it’s avoda zara and Jews are forbidden to participate in such a thing. If you eat turkey especially for Thanksgiving, you’re an oveid avoda zara. That’s my opinion.