“…You shall not cook a kid in its mother’s milk” (Torah Reading for Shabbos Chol haMoed – Shemos 34:26) Lactose, sometimes known as “milk sugar”, is widely used in the pharmaceutical industry. This essay will discuss...
Our previous essay discussed the fascinating question of a person stranded in a desert who has forgotten which day of the week he left his house and which day is Shabbos. He is in a constant state of Pikuach Nefesh and...
In this essay, we will deviate from our usual discussions of practical Halachic questions. Instead, we will review a fascinating historical Halachic...
“So that your generations will know that I caused the B’nei Yisrael to live in Sukkos when I took them out of the land of Mitzrayim…” (Vayikra 23:43) It is well-known that Hilchos Shabbos are set aside for Pikuach...
In our previous essay, we examined the laws of Birchos haNehenin for people without a sense of taste and whether tube feedings require Birchos haNehenin. Continuing the topic, this essay will discuss a related subject –...
Vayakel – Pekudei 5780 On six days work may be done, but the seventh day shall be holy for you, a day of complete rest for Hashem; whoever does work on it shall be put to death. (Shemos 35:2) One of the...
בגמרא בפסחים (מט, א) מצינו: “תניא, רבי שמעון אומר: כל סעודה שאינה של מצוה, אין תלמיד חכם רשאי להנות ממנה. כגון מאי? אמר רבי יוחנן: כגון בת כהן לישראל, ובת תלמיד חכם לעם הארץ, דאמר רבי יוחנן: בת כהן לישראל – אין...
פרשת בראשית תש”פ וַיִּיצֶר ה’ אֱלֹקים אֶת הָאָדָם עָפָר מִן הָאֲדָמָה וַיִּפַּח בְּאַפָּיו נִשְׁמַת חַיִּים וַיְהִי הָאָדָם לְנֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה (בראשית ב, ז) הקשר שבין הגוף שיסודו מן העפר לבין נשמת החיים שהקדוש...
Metzorah “And he shall wash his clothes and immerse his body in water, and he will be pure.” (Vayikra 14:9) This verse is the source of the law...
In last week’s essay, we examined the permissibility of extracting sperm from a Meis to fertilize his widow, in particular regard to Bizayon haMeis (disgracing a dead body). This week, we will examine further Halachic...
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Hillel Kovacs
Rabbi Yosef Sprung