still me
Hillel Kovacs
Aliyos for Everyone!
On Simchas Torah, the Minhag is to call every person up to the Torah for an Aliya, including children. Those too young to recite the Brachos themselves are called up together for Kol haNe’arim...
Latest articles
Rabbi Yosef Sprung
Halachos and Minhagim of Tishrei: Guidelines for Hospital Patients, Visitors, and Staff – Part III
Halachos and Minhagim of Tishrei:Guidelines for Hospital Patients, Visitors, and Staff – Part III[1] The First Night of Sukkos On Leil Yom...
Piskei Halacha of Maran Rav Asher Weiss Shlit”a: Yom Kippur for Cholim
A. General Guidelines Medical tests to determine whether a Choleh can fast A patientin a state of Safek Pikuach Nefesh can sometimes clarify whether he can fast safely through medical testing before Yom Kippur. For...
Halachos and Minhagim of Tishrei: Guidelines for Hospital Patients, Visitors, and Staff – Part II
Aseres Yemei Teshuva Slichos[2] The ideal time to say Slichos is from Chatzos haLaila until Alos haShachar. If someone cannot recite them then, he should do so in the morning. Bedieved, Slichos can be recited...
From the Rabbi’s Desk: Streamlined Slichos
Question: Dear Rabbi Sprung, I work the morning shift and must arrive very early at the hospital. It is impossible to attend the entire recitation of Slichos in Shul, and even if I Daven alone, I can only recite some of...
Halachos and Minhagim of Tishrei: Guidelines for Hospital Patients, Visitors, and Staff – Part I
Erev Rosh Hashana Some individuals have a custom to fast on Erev Rosh Hashana. Individuals who are weak or ill, however, need not fast. If one has generally observed this custom, performing Hataras Nedarim to...
Guidelines for Rosh Hashana for Patients
By the Rabbanim of the Beis Medrash Gavoha l’Halacha u’Refua Shli’ach Tzibur 1. The Shli’ach Tzibur must stand throughout the Tefila, not just Chazaras haShatz.[1] Therefore, a weak or elderly person shouldn’t serve as...
Mourning Matters
The effects of new medical discoveries and technologies on established Halachic principles have generated extensive debate. In certain areas, such as determining paternity or maternity through genetic testing...
Measles Vaccination
In the past month, the Charedi community in Israel experienced two tragic losses when young, unvaccinated infants died from measles infections. Unfortunately, a troubling attitude has emerged in recent years that...
Medicinal Music & Therapeutic Tunes
During this period, the question frequently emerges regarding the permissibility of listening to music for alleviating anxiety or for other therapeutic reasons. This essay will present the perspectives of various Poskim...
