Halacha Line

A dairy dishwasher that is used regularly for dairy dishes can be kashered and then used for pareve dishes. You should kasher the dishwasher by running a single dishwashing cycle and inspecting the dishwasher to ensure that it is clean inside. A meat dishwasher can be kashered in the same way and then used for pareve dishes. One should not use the same dishwasher for meat and dairy, even in separate cycles.

Tefilin shel yad are put on the weaker hand such that a “righty” puts his tefilin on his left hand while a “lefty” puts his tefilin on his right hand. A bar-mitzvah boy who uses both hands equally (ambidextrous) puts his tefilin on his left hand like a righty. Regarding a boy, such as your son, who writes with one hand and does everything else with the other, the answer depends on how the weaker hand is used. You must observe your son and note which hand he uses for functions such as throwing a ball, opening a door, dialing a phone, etc. If he genuinely does all these functions only with his left hand and he is uncomfortable using his right hand except for writing, then the left hand is considered dominant and tefilin should be put on his right hand as if he was a lefty. If he can comfortably use his right hand for those functions, and does so sometimes, yet he prefers to use his left, then he is considered a righty and he puts tefilin on his left hand.

If you regret making a neder then you have an option of being matir neder – annulling the neder. You should approach your rov and ask him to help you be
Matir neder for you, to nullify your vow. If you require, we can assist you with this.

One can be matir neder and essentially annul the original piece of challah so that it loses its status of challah. Again, you should approach your rov and ask him to help you be matir neder. At that point, challah must be re-taken but the bracha is not recited. The reason that a bracha is not recited is because it is questionable whether separating challah was required in the first place. This is because the dough was made in mind to divide up between the children and each child’s piece is not a large enough piece to require separating challah. Since the requirement to take challah is questionable, a bracha should not be recited.

This is permitted since it is not apparent from the action that it is being done for the second day. Taking something out of the freezer to defrost is also permitted as long as it is taken out early enough to be eaten on the first day of Yom Tov, unless defrosting it changes its state such as a solid mass that melts into a liquid.

You would not need to wash your hands nor would you recite hamotzee on the second slice of pizza since an additional slice is also not large enough to be considered a meal. After the meal is complete, birkas hamazone is recited since altogether you ate enough to consider it a meal. (It is noteworthy to mention that some hold that hamotzee is required even for one slice of pizza assuming that the dough is made with water and not apple juice.)

You may tell him that if he does not pay you will call his insurance company directly and inform them of the accident. If you do not wish to do so, then you may call the bais din and issue a hazmana – a summons. Alternatively, if both parties are agreeable, you may engage H.I.T’s alternative dispute resolution center to settle the dispute in an amicable fashion. H.I.T.’s rabbonim are certified mediators, have experience mediating disputes, and are readily available to the community for this purpose.

Havdalah is made by reciting the brachos of borei pri hagofen and hamavdil but leaving out the brachos of besomim and ner. One should not eat before reciting havdalah.

Since foil pans are integrally disposable, tevila is not required. This is true no matter how many times they are used.

You do not have to wait 6 hours since you didn’t eat meat. Even if you are unsure whether or not your BBQ was clean before you placed the corn on the grates, you can assume that any remnants of meat were burned during the preheating. (One should be careful to ensure that corn on the cob is properly washed for insects before consuming it.)

The right thing to do is to put a small amount of gas into the car to compensate for your usage. Alternatively, you can return it as is and then it would be up to the rental car company to charge you. The company does not obligate you to fill the car yourself but rather to pay for the gas usage. If they send you a bill you will have to pay for the usage at their rate.

You may give them the merchandise on Yom Tov as long as you make no mention of pay or cost. They can pay for the merchandise after Yom Tov.

This is an interesting question since it is clear that it was her misunderstanding that led her to deem the object as useless and hefker. As such, this should be considered hefker b’ta’us – and should be returned.

Chap stick is similar to lipstick which does not require a hechsher even though it is flavoured and small amounts may be ingested accidentally. This is permitted since chap stick is not food and possible ingestion is unintentional (ayno miskaven) and abnormal (she’lo k’derech achila). For Pesach, it is advised to be stringent and to ensure that chap stick does not contain chometz.

As an avel after shiva, you are permitted to send a gift as long as it is not sent for the sole purpose of enhancing the feeling of simcha. A fruit platter or any other food item serves a functional purpose as it will be served to the guests at the simcha. Accordingly, it is classified as a “functional gift” and can be given.

Performing an ultrasound is halachically permitted. That said, halachic questions will arise should, heaven forbid, an issue be detected that arouses concern. In that case, a competent halachic authority should be consulted with immediately.

You do not have to leave your home. Rather, you should open the front door at least to the point that it is visibly ajar to a neighbour who passes by.

It is permitted to kasher a non-kosher dishwasher. You must clean it thoroughly taking special care to clean the filters well. Any area that cannot be removed such as a panel should be cleaned with a bad tasting chemical or cleanser. It must be left dormant for 24 hours and then it may be kashered by running three consecutive full cycles. While this method of kashering is sufficient to kasher a non-kosher dishwasher, it is not recommended for Pesach.

You may keep it. It would be considered praiseworthy or “lifnim m’shuras hadin” to ask your colleagues if they lost money or to put up a sign indicating that you found some money.

You do not have to toyvel it again. This is because the sticker is covering a very small area and is located on the bottom of the dish in a place that you do not really care to remove it. While it is best to remove all chatzitzos prior to toyvelling, since you have already toyvelled it, you need not redo it.

You may serve them since it is permitted to break the letters while biting into them. It is proper not to break them with your hand prior to eating them.

You should do some testing before yom tov begins. If the element goes on immediately as soon as the hot water tap is pulled then it may not be used on yom tov. If the element does not turn on immediately then it may be used.

You may not tell the gentile to turn off the element but you may hint in an indirect way. For example, you may say “it is getting very hot near the stove” or “we don’t need to cook anymore”, but you may not say “I wish I could turn off the stove” or even wave your hand in an “off” motion as this is understood as a direct instruction to turn off the stove.

It is preferable to make challah every second week and recite a bracha.

H.I.T has checked with a prominent producer of Jewish music who told us that while he would not take issue with someone who wanted to copy his music from a CD to a computer or iPod for personal use, he would take issue with someone who wants to borrow a friend’s CD to copy onto his own personal device; even if his CD became scratched. He reasoned that just as someone who buys a new suit can only use it until it is worn or becomes ruined, similarly a CD can only be used until it is worn or becomes ruined. It would appear that producers would take issue with the practice in question and therefore we do not recommend it.

This is not a simple question since you can easily access the downstairs at any time. If you have no other option, you should find a way to lock the door to the basement while they are there such that you would not be able to enter the basement through the house. If that doesn’t work, you can allow them to stay upstairs while you go down to the basement. They would then lock the door to the basement so that the upstairs cannot be accessed.

A pasta machine should be toyvelled without reciting a bracha.

The use of porcine or bovine enamel is allowed in this manner as there is no prohibition to derive benefit from them. The use of human bone particles for tooth regeneration is likewise allowed. While deriving benefit from human remains is prohibited, we can assume that the particles are the remains of a gentile which may not be subject to this prohibition. Furthermore, once the enamel is implanted in the patient, it becomes part of a living person and is therefore further not subject to this prohibition. Should this question be relevant to a kohen, he should consult with a halachic authority.

The recital of kaddish concludes eleven months after the burial which is the first time that kaddish was recited. Since it is a leap year, the last day for kaddish is the 13th of Elul. The mourning period concludes twelve months after the burial which is the day that mourning began. Since it is a leap year, the last day of mourning is the 13th of Tishrei. The yahrtzeit is scheduled on the date of passing. Therefore, the yahrtzeit is on the 13th of Cheshvon.

His bedroom door requires a mezuzah which should be put up with a bracha. The shared rooms should also have a mezuzah but no bracha is recited when they are put up. It would be ideal to put up all of the mezuzos at one time and the bracha recited on the bedroom mezuzah which is put up first.

You may not ask a gentile to record a class for you on Yom Tov nor may you ask him to take notes for you. You may ask the gentile to record it for the purpose of selling it to you after Yom Tov. That way, he benefits from recording it as the melacha was performed for his own benefit. You may also copy the notes of a fellow student that attended the class as long as you do not ask him to take notes for you.

Clearly, when attempting to parallel-park, one must proceed with extreme caution and carefully determine the position of the cars in front and behind to protect against hitting one of them. You were not careful and are clearly liable for the damage that resulted. That said, the amount due is not as clear. Damage is typically measured by the depreciation in the value due to the incident. In this case, the value of depreciation might be minimal, probably less than the $500 that it would cost to repair, since his car is used and has other scratches on it. But if the scratch is truly an eye sore or if it might cause the car to rust, then it must be repaired, and you are liable to pay for the full cost of repair. If it is not a scratch that must be repaired then you are not responsible to pay for the full cost of repair, even if he decides to repair it. Determining how much you owe requires further assessment and should be brought in front of qualified dayanim.

Since it is not usual to place hot food down on a baby high chair tray, it is unlikely that hot non-kosher food came into contact with this tray. Even if it did, it would either have the status of a kli sheini– whose ability to render the tray treif is the subject of halachic debate or perhaps the status of davar gush whose ability to render the tray treif is a chumrah. Therefore, kashering is not required al pi din. Notwithstanding since the tray can easily be kashered by pouring boiling water over its entire surface, it is worthwhile to do so.

Most authentic parmesan cheeses are aged for six months and fall into the category of gevina kasha whose consumption necessitates waiting the appropriate halachic waiting period — six-hours according to most customs — prior to consuming meat. Some are of the opinion that this requirement applies only if the parmesan cheese is b’ayn – independently identifiable. If, however, it is melted into a dish, the dish is called a tavshil d’gevina, upon which, this opinion requires only a one-hour waiting period. Others do not differentiate and are of the opinion that six hours is required even after tavshil d’gevina. In summary, you must wait six hours after consuming salad sprinkled with parmesan and it is recommended that you wait six hours even after consuming either ravioli or lasagna that includes melted parmesan which is not independently identifiable. In cases of necessity, you may be lenient and wait only one-hour after consuming ravioli or lasagna that includes aged parmesan. It is worthwhile to note that some establishments sprinkle parmesan on lasagna after it comes out of the oven before serving it. In that case, the full waiting period is required.

We are not aware of such a problem. There is a practice not have two people dressing someone, a child or otherwise, as this is similar to how a tahara is performed. There is also a halacha which prohibits putting on two articles of clothing together at the same time although shoes and rubber overshoes may be put on at the same time.

The famous last testament of Rebbe Yehuda HaChassid states that one should not marry a girl who has the same name as his mother. While many halachic authorities consider this testament to be halachically binding, others are lenient for individuals who are not makpid. If she has two names, one of which is not the same as yours, then there is no problem, even if she is called by the name that is the same as yours. Some suggest that you ask your son to call her by both names or by her other name or even by a nickname, especially in your presence so that it should not sound like he is calling you, his mother, by your first name.

First and foremost, it is forbidden to put another Jew into a situation such that he would be desecrating Shabbos or Yom Tov by working for you. You have an obligation to tell your Jewish employees, in no uncertain terms, that they must not do any work related to your clients on Shabbos and Yom Tov. Regarding your gentile employees, there is a prohibition against hiring employees that are paid by the hour to perform activities that are forbidden on Shabbos and Yom Tov on your behalf. This is true even if you are not telling them to do the work specifically on Shabbos and Yom Tov and even when they have an option to do the same work during the week. That said your case may be an exception. While it is not permitted to hire a gentile to work by the hour on Shabbos and Yom Tov, it is permitted to hire a contractor, a kablan, who is paid a set amount for the job, even if he will perform melachos on Shabbos and Yom Tov. This is because the work that he performs on Shabbos and Yom Tov is of his own volition and for his own benefit since as far as you are concerned he could do the same work after Shabbos and Yom Tov. In your situation, it appears that you are paying an hourly wage in order to determine how long the job will take but that you are essentially hiring the employee to perform and complete a job and therefore he has the status of a kablan. We might better understand this exception by using an example of a lawyer who is hired to provide a legal opinion. The lawyer is paid by the hour for his work but is hired to provide an opinion, in writing, on a legal matter. Let’s say that the lawyer spent several hours researching the matter and then informed you that he would not be able complete the opinion for personal reasons. It would not be acceptable for him to bill for the time that he spent researching the issue since; in the end he did not complete the work. He is, therefore, a kablan even though he is paid by the hour. Similarly, in your case, if your employee is only paid on the condition that the job is completed, then you can consider him a kablan and it is permitted to allow him or her to work on Shabbos and Yom Tov if they choose to do so. But you must be very careful not to fall into a situation where they must work on Shabbos and Yom Tov in order to complete their work by an imposed deadline.

A woman who wishes to daven shachris should ideally do so before the sof zman tefila (four sha’os zmaniyos after sunrise). Please consult www.Myzmanim.Com for more details. If she cannot do so, then she may daven until chatzos hayom. Birkas kriyas shema (the brachos that are recited after yishtabach that preceed shema) are not recited after sof zman tefila unless the reason for missing the deadline was an ones and was beyond the control of the woman.

Neither toothpaste nor mouthwash requires a hechsher. Both fall into the category of shelo k’derech achilah which may be put in your mouth if you are going to spit them out. On Pesach, it is advisable to be stringent with regard to products that are used orally and it is recommended to use only toothpastes and mouthwash that do not contain chametz. Some are careful all year round and use only toothpaste and mouthwash that do not contain glycerin. Listerine strips are edible products that are ingested and require a hechsher all year round to ensure that they do not contain non-kosher ingredients.

One may not create, or even commission a gentile to create, a sculpture or a graven image that depicts a – צורת אדם – the form of a person. This includes dolls and toys that demonstrate the full features of a human being. When idol worship was more common, there was even a prohibition against owning them. This is the reason that some people customarily cut off part of the nose or ear of a doll that is manufactured to resemble a human being. It is also the reason why Jewish manufacturers will take care to ensure that one or multiple limbs do not resemble human limbs. Nowadays, many Poskim permit ownership of dolls and toys that resemble human beings because it is well known that they are not used for idol worship.

Under normal circumstances, one should not toyvel vessels in snow. In case of great need, such as where no kosher mikvah is available, it is permitted to toyvel in snow a vessel made of glass whose obligation to toyvel is rabbinic, or glazed china whose obligation is at most rabbinic,  if there is at least 240 cubic feet of snow joined together in one area. This is the shiur of snow that constitutes a kosher mikvah. When immersing the vessel, care must be taken to ensure that the snow is deep enough so that the vessel is connected to the required amount of snow. The vessel must also be completely immersed in the snow such that the snow covers the entire vessel, both inside and outside, similar to the way that a vessel is immersed entirely in the water of a mikvah. As the details of this procedure are complex, it is recommended to contact you rabbi or H.I.T. for further guidance.

Late payment penalties are permitted only if they occur once and do not recur as an accumulating penalty. Accumulating late penalties, such as yours, act similar to interest and are prohibited.

The Gemara warns against leaving peeled onions, eggs and garlic overnight due to the risk of ruach ra’ah. It makes no difference whether the peeled onions would have been sealed in a container in the fridge or left out on the counter. If, on the other hand, some of the peel remained on the onion or if other ingredients were mixed with the onion or even if it was lightly sprinkled with salt, it is no longer a problem. In your case, you already used the problematic onion in a kugel. Since we are only dealing with this problem after the fact, there is room to be lenient.

Engaging in arka’os – civil courts – without the express permission of a halachic authority, is strictly forbidden. This applies to both monetary disputes as well as family matters. When it comes to family law, however, Ontario law deems any third party arbitration that is not conducted in accordance with the law of Ontario or another Canadian jurisdiction to be unenforceable. The possibility exists that if a decision is rendered in Bais Din which is not in accordance with the law of Ontario it may be deemed unenforceable, if subsequently challenged by one of the parties. It is, therefore, critical that every situation be first discussed with a Rav or a Bais Din.

Voluntary Mediation, offered by H.I.T., is a method of alternative dispute resolution whereby Rabbonim who are trained and certified as mediators can help the parties come to an agreement without being subject to the hefty legal fees that are incurred through the civil system. For more information, please contact H.I.T. at 416 535-8008.