By Rabbi Yehuda Faguet, Rav of JLIC, Santa Monica, CA Unless you are a wine connoisseur, you are most likely to seek out “Yayin Mevushal” – “cooked wine” – to use for Kiddush and Havdala. This is because unlike uncooked wine, which can easily be subject to the prohibition of S’tam Yeinam by coming in contact with a non-Jew, cooked wine is not subject to this issue. It is … [Read more...]

When and how is it permitted to move a Kever to another location? By Rabbi Ariel Ovadia In the turbulent world we live in, many countries which were considered somewhat stable just a few years ago, are now engulfed in civil war or other volatile situations. Fortunately, Jewish communities in places such as Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and many other such countries have been … [Read more...]

How do “Yissachar-Zevulun” partnerships actually work? By Rav Eliezer Cohen, Rosh Kollel Ner Mizrach, Atlanta GA Introduction Most people do not have sufficient time and financial resources to learn Torah as a full-time occupation. Of course, they certainly have a personal obligation to study Torah for at least a portion of each day. However, they may wish to go beyond the … [Read more...]

Adapted by Rabbi Ariel Ovadia[1] Why is honey kosher? The Gemara in Bechorot[2] poses the following problem: if the general rule is that what emanates from what is non-kosher is non-kosher (i.e. camel milk is not kosher), why then is honey kosher? After all, honey emanates from non-kosher bees. The Gemara cites two opinions as to why bee’s honey is permitted.  According to … [Read more...]

A practical guide to Hilchot Tefillat HaDerech By Rabbi Moshe Pinchasi Whether it is a family trip, camping trip, heading upstate or even touring Eretz Yisra'el, many of us plan to hit the road this summer. A recent AAA survey found that nearly 56 percent of U.S. drivers are planning a road trip this summer, taking advantage of the lowest gas prices since 2005. However, the … [Read more...]