Daily Halacha Podcast - Daily Halacha By Rabbi Eli J. Mansour

The Mishna Berura (work by Rav Yisrael Meir Kagan of Radin, 1839-1933), in a very important passage, cites a comment made by Rabbi Abba Bar Mamal in the Talmud Yerushalmi. Rabbi Abba remarked that if he had the support of his colleagues, he would have permitted work during Hol Ha'mo'ed. Even though Halacha imposes certain restrictions on working during the days of Hol Ha'mo'ed, Rabbi Abba nevertheless felt that the Rabbis should have allowed it. He explained that Halacha imposes these restrictions only so that people could spend this time eating, drinking and studying Torah. Instead, Rabbi Abba observed, people spend Hol Ha'mo'ed eating, drinking and engaging in vanity. Rabbi Abba saw that the free time made available by the restrictions on work was being spent on all kinds of unconstructive activities, rather than being used for Torah learning. He therefore felt that it would be preferable to lift the restrictions on work, so that people would at least be productive rather than waste precious time. Along the

There is a Misva to take a haircut and to shave on Ereb Yom Tob, so one does not begin Yom Tob looking disheveled. It is forbidden to take a haircut or shave during Hol Ha'mo'ed, even if one was unable to do so before Yom Tob due to circumstances beyond his control. Even if a Berit is held on Hol Ha'mo'ed, the father, Sandak and Mohel may not take a haircut or shave for the Berit. This prohibition applies even if one customarily shaves every day or every several days. There is an opinion permitting one to shave on Hol Ha'mo'ed if he did so on Ereb Yom Tob and the barber is a poor man who needs this work to earn money for food, but most other authorities dispute this ruling and it is not accepted as Halacha. A person who comes out of jail during Hol Ha'mo'ed is allowed to shave and take a haircut. Even if he had been in a Jewish prison which allowed him to shave and take a haircut on Ereb Yom Tob, he was likely not in the proper spirits to do so, and thus he is allowed to groom himself when he is released on H

(Study of the Shulhan Aruch together with the rulings of Hacham Bension Abba Shaul) The Shulhan Aruch rules that at "Mosi Masa" during the Seder, one eats a Ke'zayit from the top Masa, and a second Ke'zayit from the second Masa, which is the broken piece. The Peri Hadash (Rav Hizkiya Da Silva, 1659-1698) explained that this is done because it is uncertain whether one should eat from the top Masa or from the middle Masa. In order to satisfy both opinions, one should eat a Ke'zayit from both Masot. Hacham Bension notes that according to this explanation, it would seem proper for every person at the Seder to have two Masot in front of him, so they can all fulfill this Halacha. In fact, since Kabbalistic tradition teaches that the special foods should be taken directly from the Ke'ara (Seder plate), everyone at the Seder should, seemingly, have his own Ke'ara. Hacham Bension observes that some people indeed follow this practice, and this is admirable, though practically speaking, this is often very difficult, par

The Shulhan Aruch (Orah Haim 440) addresses the question of whether one may allow a non-Jew to enter his home on Pesah with Hames. Does the Torah prohibition against owning Hames require one to prevent a non-Jew from bringing his own Hames into the Jew's home during Pesah? The Shulhan Aruch notes the Halachic principle "Shelecha I Ata Ro'eh Abal Atah Ro'eh Shel Aherim" – the prohibition against having Hames in one's possession during Pesah applies only to a Jew's own Hames. There is no prohibition at all against seeing a non-Jew eating Hames on Pesah, or having a non-Jew bring his Hames into one's home on Pesah. Therefore, if one needs some kind of repair done in his home during Pesah that is necessary for the Yom Tob, and he calls a non-Jewish worker – such as a plumber or electrician – he does not have to prevent the worker from bringing Hames into the home. Of course, if the worker left crumbs, they should be swept and discarded, but there is no need to prevent the worker from bringing Hames into the home.

The Terumat Ha'deshen (Rav Yisrael Isserlin, 1390-1460), in a famous responsum (139), writes that there is a Misva Min Ha'mubhar (especially high standard of performing the Misva) to swallow the Ke'zayit of Masa at the Seder all at once. Meaning, one chews the Masa as he puts it in his mouth without swallowing, and only after the entire Ke'zayit is in his mouth, he swallows all of it at the same time. The Terumat Ha'deshen bases this view on a comment of the Mordechi. There is a debate among the Halachic authorities as to whether the Shulhan Aruch accepted this position of the Terumat Ha'deshen. Hacham Bension Abba Shaul (Israel, 1923-1998) understood the Shulhan Aruch's comments (Orah Haim 475:1) as suggesting that one should ideally swallow the Ke'zayit all at once, following the Terumat Ha'deshen's position. Other Aharonim similarly understood the Shulhan Aruch's ruling in this fashion, including Rav Zalman of Liadi, the Aruch Ha'shulhan, and the Magen Abraham. Hacham Ovadia Yosef, however, in Hazon Ovadia

The work Yalkut Yosef (English edition, p. 262) records a custom to eat a boiled egg immediately after Kiddush at the Seder, in commemoration of the Korban Hagiga, a sacrifice which was brought along with the Korban Pesah in the times of the Bet Ha'mikdash. This is not, however, the custom we follow. We eat the egg just before the meal, after we complete Maggid and eat the Masa, Marror and Korech. This way, we avoid the Halachic issues concerning the quantity we are allowed to eat and the recitation of Beracha Aharona that would arise if we would eat an egg after Kiddush. Many commentators addressed the question of why an egg was chosen as the means by which we commemorate the Hagiga offering. Clearly, no eggs were ever brought as a sacrifice. Why do we commemorate this sacrifice with an egg? Some scholars suggested that an egg is used for this purpose because it is the food traditionally fed to mourners, Heaven forbid. The reason why we cannot bring the holiday sacrifices is because the Bet Ha'mikdash was de

Halacha requires drinking four cups of wine at the Seder, and each cup must contain at least a Rebi'it – approximately 3.2 ounces – of wine. Preferably, one should drink the entire cup, but one fulfills his obligation even if he drinks less, as long as he drinks at least the majority of the cup (Shulhan Aruch Orah Haim 472:8). The question arises, in what time-frame must one drink this amount in order to be considered to have drunk a cup of wine? Within how much time one must drink the Rebi'it (or the majority of the cup)? The Rambam (Rabbi Moshe Maimonides, Spain-Egypt, 1135-1204), in several contexts, maintains that one is considered to have drunk a Rebi'it if he drinks it within the amount of time that is normally needed to drink this amount. This is, of course, a very short period of time. According to the Rambam, then, it would seem that when drinking each of the four cups, one must drink the Rebi'it all at once. The Ra'abad (Rabbi Abraham Ben David of Posquieres, 1125-1198), however, disagrees, and main

It is preferable to use red wine for the four cups of wine on Pesah night. According to the custom of the Sepharadim, red wine is preferred even over higher-quality white wine. Although some communities have the practice not to recite the Beracha of "Boreh Peri Ha'gefen" on wine that is Mebushal (meaning, it had been heated), our custom is to recite the Beracha even on Mebushal wine. One who finds it difficult to drink wine may use grape juice for the four cups at the Seder. This is certainly advisable for women, and even more so for children. We must be trying to keep the children awake and interested at the Seder, and so it is certainly preferable for them to drink grape juice, rather than wine which would likely make them tired or unwell, Heaven forbid. One fulfills the Misva by drinking wine even if he dislikes it or if it is injurious to his health. In any event, as mentioned, one who does not like wine or experiences difficulty drinking wine can certainly use grape juice for the Misva. If one will get s

If a person cooks rice on Yom Tob, may he use a measuring cup so he can prepare a specific amount of rice? Halacha certainly allows one to cook on Yom Tob, but the question arises as to whether measuring is permissible as part of the process of food preparation. The Sages forbade precise measuring on Yom Tob, but not making rough measurements. Therefore, it would be forbidden to use a measuring cup for the purpose of arriving at a precise amount. One may, however, use a measuring cup in order to roughly estimate an amount of rice. As long as one's intent is to arrive at a general estimate, and not to measure with precision, he may use a measuring cup to measure food. Certainly, it is permissible to use an ordinary glass, that does not have measurements, to determine the amount of rice that one wishes to prepare. Furthermore, Hacham Ovadia Yosef rules that measuring is permissible for the purpose of a Misva. Some people have the practice of weighing Masa at the Seder to know precisely how much Masa they need t

According to the accepted custom, women are not required to observe the Ta'anit Bechorot (Fast of the Firstborn) on Ereb Pesah, or participate in a Siyum to absolve themselves from the fast. Nevertheless, there are some firstborn women who have the practice of refraining from eating until they receive some cake from the Siyum made in the synagogue for the male firstborn (which some people sarcastically call "the magic cake"). Hacham Bension Abba Shaul (Israel, 1923-1998) writes that although a man who is a firstborn must actually attend a Siyum, and simply being brought a piece of cake does not absolve him from the fast, nevertheless, firstborn women may adopt this practice, since in any event they are not required to fast. In order for a firstborn to absolve himself from the fast, he must either eat a Ke'zayit of Mezonot food (approximately 30 grams) or drink a Rebi'it of wine or grape juice (approximately 3.2 ounces) at the Siyum celebration. It occasionally happens that cake made from potato starch is serv

There is a Misva to eat Massa at three points during the Seder: "Mosi -Massa," "Korech" and the Afikoman. For Mosi-Massa, the Shulhan Aruch states that one should eat two Kezaitim. The Mishna Berura explains that eating a second Kezayit solves a Halachic dilemma with regard to the Beracha "Al Achilat Massa." This Beracha is recited while holding the top, whole Massa and the middle, broken Massa, and there is a question whether it refers to the top Massa or the middle one. Therefore, one should eat a Kezayit from both. Hacham Ben Sion and Hacham Ovadia point out that according to this reasoning, participants in the Seder who do not have a Seder Plate with three Massot in front of them and eat from the box, would not be required to eat the extra Kezayit. Nevertheless, it is preferable that all participants eat two Kezaitim at this stage. All authorities agree that the amount of Massa eaten for the Korech sandwich is one Kezayit. The Afikoman is eaten to commemorate the Misva of eating a Kezayit from the Korban

Rav Pinhas Zevihi (contemporary) writes (listen to audio recording for precise citation) that one must make a point of reciting Birkat Ha'ilanot – the Beracha over the blossoming of fruit trees – as early as he can during the month of Nissan. Once Rosh Hodesh Nissan arrives, one should endeavor to find two blossoming fruit trees and recite the Beracha without delay. Rav Zevihi emphasizes that one should not delay the recitation of Birkat Ha'ilanot even for the sake of reciting it together with a Minyan. He relates an incident where on Rosh Hodesh Nissan Hacham Ovadia Yosef saw two blossoming trees outside his window and inquired as to whether they were fruit trees. He was told that one was a plum tree and the other an orange tree, and he immediately jumped out of his chair and announced that everyone should recite Birkat Ha'ilanot. He recited the Beracha with immense love and joy, and afterward he announced, "Baruch Hashem, we had the privilege of reciting this Beracha at the proper time and in the proper fas

Reciting the Maggid section of the Haggada at the Seder fulfills the Torah obligation to tell the story of Yetzi'at Mitzrayim (the Exodus), as the Torah writes, "Ve'higadeta Le'vincha Ba'yom Ha'hu" ("You shall tell your children on that day" – Shemot 13:8). The importance of this Mitzva is expressed in a passage in the Zohar which comments that anyone who tells the story of Yetzi'at Mitzrayim on the night of Pesach with sincere joy will one day rejoice together with the Shechina (Divine Presence) in the next world. Moreover, God Himself experiences immense joy, as it were, upon hearing the Jewish people telling this story, and He summons the Heavenly angels to come and listen to the story. The angels assemble to hear the story of the Exodus and rejoice over the great wonders and miracles performed by the Almighty in redeeming Am Yisrael, and they give praise to God for His great nation on earth that so joyfully celebrates His redemption. The Zohar concludes that we thereby increase God's power, so-to-speak, t

The Arizal (Rav Yishak Luria of Safed, 1534-1572) taught that on the night of the Seder, a great spiritual light descends from the heavens as a result of the Misvot that we perform. Although we always bring down spiritual light through our performance of Misvot, the Arizal explained that the lights come down on the night of the Seder in a special way. Normally, the lights of "Katnut" ("youth") descend first, before the lights of "Gadlut" ("adulthood"). (More specifically, there is first "Katnut Rishon" and then "Gadlut Rishon," which is followed by "Katnut Sheni" and then "Gadlut Sheni.") On Pesah, however, it is reversed: the great lights of "Gadlut" come down before the smaller lights of "Katnut." It is explained that the order is reversed on this night because it had to be reversed at the time of Yesi'at Misrayim (the Exodus from Egypt). If the smaller lights would have descended first, the negative spiritual forces in Egypt, which were exceptionally powerful, would have been able to withstand this power.

Hacham Ovadia Yosef, in his Yehaveh Da'at (1:11), addresses the case of jelly that was prepared before Pesah with only kosher-for-Pesah ingredients, but in pots that had been used with Hametz and were not koshered for Pesah. Assuming the pot was perfectly clean when it was used for preparing the jelly, may the jelly be eaten on Pesah, as it does not contain any Hametz, or is it forbidden on Pesah because it absorbed the taste of Hametz from the walls of the utensils in which it had been cooked? Hacham Ovadia permits eating the jelly in such a case, noting two reasons why it should not be considered Hametz. First, we generally assume that most pots are not "Beneh Yoman," meaning, they had not been used within the previous twenty-four hours. In light of this assumption, any Hametz flavor in the walls of the pot used for the jelly had been absorbed in the walls for at least twenty-four hours, and thus the flavor is considered "Noten Ta'am Li'fgam" – that is, it imparts a foul taste in the food. A negative taste

Many people ask whether grape juice may be used instead of wine for the Misva of "Arba Kosot" – drinking four cups of wine at the Seder. This is, indeed, an important question with which the Halachic authorities have grappled, both in regard to this Misva as well as in regard to the Misva of Kiddush. When it comes to Kiddush, the Rambam (Rav Moshe Maimonides, Spain-Egypt, 1135-1204) ruled that wine which is Mebushal – meaning, it has been brought to a boil – may not be used. The Shulhan Aruch (Orah Haim 472) does not follow this view of the Rambam, but according to some authorities, it is preferable not to use Mebushal wine for Kiddush. The grape juice which is commonly sold in stores today is Mebushal (as it has undergone pasteurization), so this is one disadvantage of using grape juice for Kiddush. It should be noted that the Shulhan Aruch permits using for Kiddush freshly-squeezed grape juice produced on Friday, so if somebody squeezes grapes to produce grape juice before Shabbat, which is obviously not Me

Metal pots with an enamel covering may be koshered for Pesah; the enamel has no effect on the pot's status as far as koshering is concerned. If somebody purchased before Pesah a used utensil from a gentile, and it therefore requires both koshering and Tebila (immersion in a Mikveh), it should first undergo koshering so the taste of non-kosher food is purged, and then be immersed in a Mikveh. If one is koshering silverware for Pesah, he may place all the silverware in a bag with holes and then lower the bag into the boiling water, rather than go through the trouble of dipping each piece of silverware separately. He must, however, shake the bag when it is inside the water to ensure that all the pieces come in direct contact with the water. If one wishes to kosher a very large pot and does not have another pot large enough in which to do the koshering, he has two options. First, he may dip the pot into boiling water one part at a time. Meaning, he dips part of the pot in the boiling water, and then removes it, t

Generally speaking, when a piece of forbidden food falls into permissible food, we apply the rule of "Battel Be'shishim," which means that we consider the forbidden food "nullified" if it constitutes one-sixtieth or less of the mixture. If the proportion of permissible food to forbidden food is 60:1, or more, we may consider the forbidden food null and void, such that the entire mixture becomes permissible for consumption. When it comes to Pesah, however, this is not the case. The Shulhan Aruch, following the position of the Rif (Rav Yishak Alfasi, Morocco, 1013-1103), rules that if a piece of Hametz falls into non-Hametz food on Pesah, the mixture becomes forbidden regardless of how small a proportion the Hametz constitutes. Hametz in even the smallest proportion – a "Mashehu" – renders the entire mixture forbidden for consumption on Pesah. This is why special care must be taken on Pesah to ensure that not even a crumb or tiny morsel of Hametz comes in contact with our food or utensils. However, this Halacha

Ashkenazim have the custom not to eat "Kitniyot"-various beans and legumes on Pesah. The earliest authority to record this custom is the SaMaK, (Sefer Misvot Katan by Rabbi Yishak of Corbeil, 13th century) who lived 750 years ago. The reason he gives is that these foods can be confused with Hames grains, such as wheat. Just as wheat can be ground into flour, so too corn and lentils can also be dried and made into flour. Interestingly, he also includes mustard seed in the list of "Kitniyot." Even though it is not made into flour, nevertheless, it grows in pods and could also be mistaken for wheat. In later generations, the Ashkenazi Poskim discuss whether other foods, such as coffee beans, peanuts and quinoa, would also be considered "Kitniyot." Rav Shlomo Amar and Rav Moshe Feinstein rule that any food that wasn't known in the Western world at the time of the original institution of the Gezera was not included in the custom. There was a controversy with regard to whether potatoes are considered "Kitniyot." So

The Shulhan Aruch (Orah Haim 442) rules that if a product contains Hametz, but is inedible such that even a dog would not eat it, one may have such a product in his home on Pesah. This Halacha is relevant to many products which we have that often contain Hametz, such as shoe polish, ink and makeup. Such products occasionally contain Hametz, but since there are wholly inedible, even for animals, one may have them in his possession and use them during Pesah. As long as a product was inedible for dogs before Pesah, it may be used on Pesah. This ruling applies to medicines, as well. If a medication contains Hametz but in its present form has no flavor, is meant to be swallowed and not chewed, and a dog would not want to eat it, then it is technically permissible to ingest the pill on Pesah, according to Sephardic custom. Nevertheless, one should only take such medication if he is sick. One who has a mild headache and the like should use only medications that do not contain Hametz. Another example of this Halacha