The Halachot of Shaving Adapted by Rabbi Ariel Ovadia[1] Q: I know I can't shave my entire face with a razor, but are there any spots on my face that may be shaved with a razor? A: Shaving the five corners of one's face with a razor is a Biblical prohibition based on the verse: "V'lo tash'hit et pe'at zekanecha" - “and thou shall not destroy the corner of your beard" … [Read more...]

The Halachot of Proper Dining Adapted by Rabbi Ariel Ovadia[1] I am sitting at the table with my mother. Should I wait for her to take from the main dish first, or am I permitted to serve myself, and then serve her? Maran writes in Shulhan Aruch (O.H. 170:12) that one must allow the more important person present to serve himself or herself first. This even applies when each … [Read more...]

The Laws of Birkat HaGomel By Rav Mordechai Lebhar[1]  Nine or Ten? As mentioned previously, Birkat HaGomel must be recited in the presence of a Minyan. There are differing opinions as to whether or not the person reciting it counts as part of the ten or if there need to be at least ten men in addition to the person reciting it. Practically speaking, the one reciting Birkat … [Read more...]

The Laws of Birkat HaGomel / Part 1 By Rav Mordechai Lebhar (Adapted by Rabbi Emile Amzallag)  The Shulhan Aruch (Orah Haim 219:1) writes that there are four situations which warrant reciting Birkat HaGomel, based on the Passuk in Tehillim (Ch. 107). The four situations are summarized in the word "חיים": Havush (ח) – someone who was imprisoned; Yisurim (י)– someone who was … [Read more...]

Waiting Between Milk & Meat By Rabbi Ariel Ovadia In our last article, we discussed the Halachot of waiting after eating meat before eating dairy. In this article, we will discuss the Halachot of waiting after eating dairy before eating meat. This can be a common issue on Shavu’ot when some people eat a small dairy meal before the main meat meal, or, in general, when one … [Read more...]