This One and This One
Within the spectrum of Jewish law there are sometimes two seemingly incompatible opinions that are both correct. How can one rabbi permit something that another rabbi prohibits? The…
Can I Return It?
Every legal system, including halacha (Jewish law), has its letter of the law, its spirit of the law, and the gray areas in-between. Commercial dealings are one area of life in which…
The Law Of The Land
For nearly 2,000 years, the Jewish people have been in exile. During this time, Jews have lived in nearly every country and under nearly every form of government, while, at the same time,…
It’s The Interpretation
From a distance, halacha, Jewish law, appears to be black and white. In reality, however, much of Jewish law is left to the interpretation of experts. A person with a legal question (such…
Rabbi Shlomo Ganzfried and the Abridged Code of Law
When rabbinic authorities make halachic (Jewish legal) rulings, they generally consult the Shulchan Aruch (Code of Jewish Law), a compendium of halacha written in 1563 by Rabbi Joseph…
The Best Defense
The Mishna, as quoted in Sanhedrin 73a, says: “The following must be saved [from sinning] even at the cost of their lives: he who pursues his neighbor in order to slay him...” In other…
The Law of the Land
For nearly 2000 years, the Jewish people have been in exile. During this time, Jews have lived in nearly every country and under nearly every form of government, while, at the same time,…
Penny Lane
While the well-known adage requests, “A penny for your thoughts,” perhaps those coins should be sought, instead, in between the cushions of sofas and car seats, in washing machines, and…
A Kosher Buffet
While it seems a bit counterintuitive to have a day celebrating abundant eating the day after a national holiday, nevertheless, January 2nd is celebrated as “Buffet Day.” The concept of a…
Is Today Rosh Hashana?
A quick perusal of the Jewish calendar will note that today, the first of the Hebrew month of Shevat, always falls two weeks prior to Tu b’Shevat, the beginning of the end of the winter,…