By Rabbi Yishai Natan: Q: Should I make a Mezonot on cake served for dessert during a meal, before Birkat Hamazon? A: Maran, in Shulhan Aruch (OH 177:1), rules that foods normally eaten as part of a bread meal do not require a new berachah, since they are covered by Birkat Hamotzi. However, foods normally served for dessert require their own berachah rishonah, such as … [Read more...]

Rabbi Yishai Natan: Q: Can a Sephardi borrow an Ashkenazi’s tefillin? A: Many people have heard that a Sephardi should not use Ashkenazi tefillin. Some assume the issue is the ketav, the shape of the letters. Ashkenazim generally use what is known as Bet Yosef ketav, while Sephardim use Velish writing, based on their tradition. Although the letters look somewhat … [Read more...]

Rabbi Yishai Natan - Q: May I cook pareve noodles in a meat pot if I plan on eating them afterward with cheese? A: The Gemara (Hullin 111b) rules that fish that absorbed meat flavor from a meat dish may still be eaten with dairy. This is called noten ta’am bar noten ta’am dehetera — the meat gave flavor into the utensil, and the utensil then gave that secondary flavor … [Read more...]

Rabbi Yishai Natan - Q: Does the hazzan have to wait until nine people have finished Shemoneh Esreh before starting Hazarat HaShatz, or can he may begin once six have finished and the other four are still praying? A: Maran writes in Shulhan Aruch (O.H. 124:4) that if there are not nine people paying attention to the blessings of the hazzan, his blessings are “close to … [Read more...]