The Halachic method for identifying a real Etrog By Rav Mordechai Lebhar, Posek for the SHC, Rosh Kollel LINK Los Angeles, and author of Magen Avot If you haven’t done so yet, chances are that you are searching for a proper set of Arba’at HaMinim for the upcoming holiday of Sukkot. Surely, you seek out a beautiful Etrog with which to fulfill this precious Mitzvah. You look at … [Read more...]

The Prohibition of Hadash and its Practical Applications Adapted from a Shiur by Rav Mordechai Lebhar שליט"א, Rosh Kollel LINK, Los Angeles and Posek for the SHC In and Out of Eretz Yisrael The Pasuk says[1] “Thou shall not eat bread, roasted grain, and fresh kernels until you bring the sacrifice of Hashem on this very day [the sixteenth of Nissan] ”. This means, that one is … [Read more...]

The obligation to recite Kiddush where one will eat their Shabbat meal By Rabbi Moshe Pinchasi A Problematic Custom The Gemara in Pesahim[1] discusses the custom that was prevalent in the times of the Talmud, to recite Kiddush in the Bet HaKenesset after Arvit on Friday night. The Gemara cites a debate between Rav and Shemuel. According to Rav, those present can rely on that … [Read more...]

Buying kosher fish in a non-kosher store and other fish Kashrut issues By Rabbi Yitzchak Benjio, Kollel Etz Haim and Kashrut Supervisor for the KCL, Lakewood Fish have been a staple in Jewish cuisine throughout the world for many generations, and are currently experiencing a tremendous wave of popularity in the kosher kitchen and the modern food scene. The infinite ways to … [Read more...]

By Rabbi Tzvi Frank, Halachic writer at the BHHC Recently, eating olives at our Shabbat table became quite a subject of debate. One of my sons, back from Yeshiva, cited the Gemara that counts olives as a food that is "Kashe L'Shikha" – may cause memory loss. I distinctly recalled that there was some way out of this but for the life of me I couldn't remember what it was! Was my … [Read more...]