Search results for: ""Shabbat""

Shalom Bayit: Non-Observant Parents and In-Laws

Ba'alei teshuva often have problems with issues of kashrut in their parents' homes. Pots, dishes, and utensils might not be kosher or toveled. Consult a rabbi. Questions of bishul akum (cooking that was done by a non-Jew) might apply to non-shomer Shabbat parents, but the custom is to be lenient.

If the parent's kitchen is known to be non-kosher, food must be prepared with care (see How To Use a Non-Kosher Kitchen). If the parents do not lie to their children, they may be trusted as to the source of food and its kosher status.

Since we may not eat from dishes or utensils that have not been toveled (immersed in a mikva), you may  want to consider toveling your parents' dishes or utensils, or using disposable goods. In such cases, it is OK to use china that has not been toveled.

Jewish Festivals: Adjusting Air Conditioner Temperatures
On Jewish festivals, you may:
  • Lower the temperature when an air conditioner compressor is running, and
  • Raise the temperature when the compressor is off.
Note You may do so ONLY with an analog control; not with a digital control. 
Reason Grama is permissible on Jewish festivals (but not on Shabbat).
Sukka: Eating: Uncomfortable Weather
Except for first night of Sukkot (and also the second night outside of Eretz Yisrael), there is no need to be discomforted at all by rain, cold, or heat. You may eat even bread outside of the sukka without waiting to see if the conditions will become more comfortable. This includes on  Shabbat.
Jewish Man or Woman Making Kiddush
As on Jewish festivals, any adult Jew, male or female, may say kiddush for him/herself and also include any other Jews of any age or gender.
Reason Any person who may fulfill the mitzva of kiddush may say it for another person.
Note Women are obligated to say (or have said for them) Shabbat morning kiddush.
Three Main Categories of Blessings
There are three main categories of blessings:
  1. Enjoyment (birchot nehenin), such as on foods and scents.
  2. Praise and Thanks to God (shevach v'hoda'a), such as when saying she'hecheyanu, on seeing mountains and the sea, or when good happens to us.
  3. Commandments/Mitzvot (birchot mitzva), such as reading the Torah, using the lulav, or lighting Shabbat candles.
Jewish Festivals: Folding Clothes on New Crease
You may fold clothes on Jewish festivals by making a new crease, but only if there is already an existing one on the garment. If there is not a crease from before you used the garment, you may not make one.
Reason This avoids smoothing out clothing (a forbidden action on Jewish festivals and Shabbat).
 
Blessings: For Someone Else: Mitzva/Birchot Mitzva
You may say any blessing on a mitzva—such as kiddush, hallel, Torah—for another person, even if you have already fulfilled the mitzva for yourself, as long as that other person is required to do that mitzva.
Example Girls (12 years old and more) and women must fulfill all of the positive commandments of Shabbat including kiddush.  So even after they have already said kiddush for themselves, they may say kiddush for other Jews, including adult men.
Exception You may not say birkat ha'mazon for someone else.
Mourners Leading a Minyan

The dead person benefits if his/her son or sons lead public prayer services, whether during shloshim or the entire year (11 or 12 months). However, if the mourner is uncomfortable leading the minyan or is not a good reader or will be embarrassed, he should not feel obligated to do so.

 

A mourner does not lead a minyan on:

  • Shabbat;

  • Jewish Festivals (including chol ha'moed);

  • Purim;

  • Rosh Chodesh.

Opinions differ concerning Chanuka, so follow your local custom.

Introduction to Weddings and Marriage
The purpose of the rabbi at a wedding is to ensure that the extremely detailed wedding halachot, as set out by the Shulchan Aruch, are followed correctly. If not, the wedding might not be kosher.
 
A Jewish marriage includes: a written document (ketuba); a financial transaction (ring) in front of two kosher witnesses; and physical intimacy. 
 
Witnesses
 
  • The witnesses must be shomer Shabbat Jewish men.
  • The bride and groom should confirm verbally that these are the two (and the only two) witnesses that they want.  
 
Ring
  • The groom must confirm that he acquired and owns the ring.
  • The groom must say Harei at mekudeshet li ...  to the bride and place the ring on her (index) finger.
 
Ketuba
  • The ketuba must be kosher.
  • Before the chuppa, someone (anyone, including women) must fill in (no safrut is required for this):  the Hebrew names of the bride and groom; the date the wedding is taking place; the wedding location (city, etc.); and that a kinyan was made.
  • The ketuba must be signed by two kosher witnesses.
Baruch HaMavdil... and Birkat HaMazon at Third Meal

Situation You washed your hands, said ha'motzi, were eating your meal (this could be se'uda shlishit or even a fourth meal) and it is now dark. You want to do melacha.

What To Do If you have not yet finished se'uda shlishit, saying Baruch ha'mavdil bein kodesh l'chol after dark on Saturday night does not affect the Shabbat additions you will then say in birkat ha'mazon.  So, you may say Baruch ha'mavdil bein kodesh l'chol and do melacha, and then continue to eat your meal or say birkat ha'mazon INCLUDING the two Shabbat additions of retzei and ha'rachaman hu yanchileinu yom she'kulo Shabbat u'menucha l'chayei ha'olamim.


 
Saving a Life (Pikuach Nefesh)
Human life is valued in Judaism, unlike in some other religions. The Talmud says that if someone saves one human life (pikuach nefesh), it is as if he or she saved an entire universe. Almost all halachot may be overridden in order to save a life; the main exceptions are for Adultery, Murder, and Idol Worship—see Adultery, Murder, Idol Worship .
ExampleYou may drive a car on Shabbat or even Yom Kippur in order to take a seriously injured or ill person to the hospital. This includes pregnant women who are about to give birth.
When To Say Psalm 27/L'David Adonai Ori V'Yish'i
Begin saying L'David Adonai ori v'yish'i (Psalm 27) on the first day (at night) of Elul, not the first day of Rosh Chodesh Elul (the 30th of Av). The last day to say this Psalm is 22nd of Tishrei (Shmini Atzeret). This Psalm is recited twice daily, in shacharit after shir shel yom and in ma'ariv after alenu, including on Shabbat and Jewish festivals.
When To Separate Challa (Hafrashat Challa)
You must separate a small portion of dough for the cohanim/priests whenever you make bread, rolls, or pizza of the Five Grains in certain quantities. This separated portion is called “challa.”
Note Since there is no Temple at present, we burn the portion of dough.
The requirement to separate challa applies to dough baked at home or commercially (such as a pizza shop), whether for eating on weekdays or for Shabbat/Jewish festivals. For more details, see Challa.
 
Seventeenth of Tamuz to Tish'a B'Av: Three Stages of Mourning
Before Tish'a b'Av we are in a type of mourning so the laws are similar to mourning for a parent. There are three stages:
The “Three Weeks”: The least severe stage starts three weeks preceding the Ninth of Av
The “Nine Days”:  The next-most severe stage begins on Rosh Chodesh Av.
“Week” of Tish'a b'Av:  The most severe mourning is during the “week” of Tish'a b'Av (beginning after Shabbat preceding Tish'a b'Av).
Sabbath-Mode Ovens
Sabbath-mode ovens have a switch that:
  • Keeps the light on or off (according to the way you have set it), regardless of whether the oven door is open or closed,
  • Makes a forced delay in the heating elements' turning on after the door is opened so that the heating element never goes on while the door is open, and
  • Shuts off the timer and digital display.
Sabbath-mode ovens do not permit any normally forbidden cooking-related actions on Shabbat. You may not ever cook food on Shabbat, even in such an oven (or any other way)!