By Rav Yehonatan Sasportas In this week’s Parasha, we read about the prohibition of lending and borrowing with interest – “Ribbit”. The Torah writes that this prohibition applies only to Jews. In the following article we will discuss the various details of this Halacha. There are various approaches among the Rishonim regarding taking Ribbit from a non-Jew. The … [Read more...]
Parashat Behar-Behukotai
All Day Every Day: The Parameters of Mitzvat Talmud Torah By: Rav Yosef Greenwald … [Read more...]
Parashat Emor
Worth the Trip: Traveling and Preparing for a Mitzvah By: Dayan Yosef Greenwald … [Read more...]
Humane Society
Tza’ar Ba’ale Hayim – Causing Distress or Pain to an Animal Dayan Yonatan D. Hool The Halacha forbids one from causing any unnecessary pain or distress to an animal. There is a debate whether this prohibition, known as “Tza’ar Ba’ale Hayim”, is a Torah prohibition or a rabbinic prohibition. The Tana’im, cited in the Gemara Bava Metzia[1] argue about this point: … [Read more...]
Lag Ba’Omer Q&A
Rav Moshe Pinchasi Q: Do we say Tahanun on Minha before Lag Ba’Omer? A: No. Although the early Poskim [1] only mention omitting Tahanun on the morning of Lag Ba’Omer, and some later Poskim also underdstood that from the Shulhan Aruch and Rama [2], still, the custom is not to say Tahanun on Minha preceding Lag Ba’Omer [3]. Q: What do we celebrate on Lag Ba’Omer? A: Maharam … [Read more...]