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...]
Catch of the Day
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...]
Mind Your Olives
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...]
Tish’a B’Av FAQ’s
By Rabbi Moshe Pinchasi Torah study on Shabbat afternoon, Erev Tish’a B’Av Q: Must one refrain from general Torah-study on the Shabbat afternoon of Erev Tish’a B’Av? A: The Sephardic custom is to study Torah on Erev Tish’a B’Av after midday, even when it is on a weekday, and especially when it occurs on Shabbat. The Rama in Darche Moshe[1] cites the opinion of the … [Read more...]
Eating Meat During the Nine Days
By Rabbi Moshe Pinchasi While the Mishna[1] only mentions that one should not eat meat on Tish’a B’Av eve, the Tur and Shulhan Aruch write that there are various customs to refrain from eating meat on the days leading up to Tish’a B’Av[2]. Some do not eat meat during the entire three weeks, others only refrain during the week of Tish’a B’Av, while the accepted custom is not to … [Read more...]