Parasha & Halacha Shiur Summary by Rabbi Yehoshua Sova The Midrash Rabba in Rut says that Hashem has mercy over someone who must be afflicted with Tzara’at, and therefore the Tzara’at first appears on the house, then on the clothing, and finally on his own body. We see the importance of clothing, which stand between a person and affliction, as the Gemara refers to … [Read more...]

An Overview of a Shiur by Rav Yosef Greenwald for Parashat Tazria/HaHodesh (החודש הזה לכם ראש חדשים (שמות יב:א Where is the Date Line located according to halacha? Three basic approaches are offered. Hazon Ish: 6 hours (90 degrees) ahead of Yerushalayim, which runs through Siberia, part of China, and part of Australia (though continuous land masses are not divided … [Read more...]

Parasha and Halacha Shiur Summary on P. Shemini, by Dayan Shlomo Cohen The Jewish method of slaughter has been under attack for many years in Europe. In Switzerland it is forbidden, and the EU has a recommendation that animals be pre-stunned (which is a Halachic issue, as we shall see). So is Shehita, the Jewish ritual slaughter, humane? Firstly, we must note that everyone … [Read more...]

Adapted from a Parasha & Halacha Shiur by Rav Yosef Greenwald on Parashat Tzav The Halacha is that forbidden food that is absorbed in a mixture forbids the entire mixture (within a set of rules and limitations). This rule is known as “Ta’am K’Ikar” – a taste is like the entity itself. Maran (Y.D. 98) follows many Rishonim who hold that this rule is MiD’Oraita. Rashi … [Read more...]

Eating Bread in the Se’udat Purim A Parasha & Halacha Shiur Summary, Parashat Vayikra by Rabbi Ariel Ovadia The Rambam writes that the obligation of “Mishte” – a feast – on Purim is to eat meat and prepare a “proper Se’uda (meal)” according to what one can afford and drink wine etc. The expression “A proper Se’uda” would seem to imply that one must eat bread as in … [Read more...]