Lemaan Yishmeu - Rabbi Braun

Accidentally Knocked Laptop Off of Shtender - Must He Pay?

In this week’s episode, the topics discussed by Rabbi Braun include: Neder to Hear Kiddush Only from Husband:  * If a woman committed to hear Kiddush only from her husband, does she need hataras nedarim when that’s not possible? * Does it make a difference whether the commitment was mental or verbal? * Can hataras nedarim for this purpose be done on Shabbos? Transporting a Sefer Torah:  * May a Sefer Torah be taken out to a park for Krias HaTorah (e.g., for children to hear Aseres Hadibros)? * Does having ten people walk along with the Sefer Torah make it permitted? * What is the context of the Rebbe’s request for children to hear the Aseres Hadibros, and what is the proper way to fulfill it? Eruv Tavshilin:  * Can a person appoint a Rov through a phone system as his shliach to make an eruv tavshilin on his behalf in case he forgets? * Does an eruv tavshilin need to be made with the person’s own food? * Does the host’s eruv tavshilin exempt guests who are eating over but sleeping elsewhere? * When do the guests need to be eating over to be included: on erev yom tov, on yom tov, or on Shabbos? What should the guests do practically? Kesubah Design:  * Is it proper to use the pasuk “Ani l’dodi v’dodi li” in a kesubah design? * Are decorative pesukim on a kesubah appropriate in general? * Is there a problem if the design makes the kesubah text hard to read? Responsibility for Breaking a Laptop:  * A person was stretching in a beis midrash and accidentally knocked a laptop off a nearby shtender: what factors do we account for to decide whether he must pay for the damage? * Is a person ever not held responsible for absolute accidents?

Organ Donation for Scientific Research

In this week’s episode, the topics discussed by Rabbi Braun include: Torah reading and haftorah: * Can a minyan for Torah reading (e.g., Aseres Hadibros on Shavuos) be arranged in a way that skips the maftir and haftorah? * Can the maftir of Parshas Hachodesh or Parshas Zachor be read on its own as an independent obligation? * What is the practical setup for children to come and hear the Aseres Hadibros as the Rebbe wants? Tznius standards in earlier generations:  * Why do some older photographs appear to reflect a less stringent standard of tznius? * How should we understand the fact that some within earlier generations, in certain circumstances, appear to have placed less emphasis on particular aspects of tznius dress than is standard today? Organ donation for scientific research:  * Is it halachically permitted to donate one’s body for the benefit of scientific and medical research? * Does the answer change for a non-Jew who wishes to do so? * Is there a difference dependent on the actual medical or scientific benefit involved? Promises and shidduchim:  * If someone says their child is busy now but will return to this shidduch suggestion later, is that considered a binding promise? * Which kinds of commitments are mutually understood as tentative, carrying no real obligation to follow through? Shabbos reheating:  * If fully cooked chicken was placed wet on a heat source on Shabbos for a brief amount of time, is the food permitted after the fact? * Does it matter whether it actually reached the halachic level of cooking? Kiddush for a baby girl:  * Is there a source for making a celebration or seudah for the birth of a girl? * When is the best time to hold such a gathering?

Removing Mezuzos When Moving Out

In this week’s episode, the topics discussed by Rabbi Braun include: Neder to Hear Kiddush Only From Husband * If a woman committed to hear Kiddush only from her husband, does she need hataras nedarim when that’s not possible? * Does it make a difference whether the commitment was mental or verbal? * Can hataras nedarim for this purpose be done on Shabbos? Transporting a Sefer Torah * May a Sefer Torah be taken out to a park for Krias HaTorah (e.g., for children to hear Aseres Hadibros)? * Does having ten people walk along with the Sefer Torah make it permitted? * What is the context of the Rebbe’s request for children to hear the Aseres Hadibros, and what is the proper way to fulfill it? Eruv Tavshilin * Can a person appoint a Rov through a phone system as his shliach to make an eruv tavshilin on his behalf in case he forgets? * Does an eruv tavshilin need to be made with the person’s own food? * Does the host’s eruv tavshilin exempt guests who are eating over but sleeping elsewhere? * When do the guests need to be eating over to be included: on erev yom tov, on yom tov, or on Shabbos? What should the guests do practically? Kesubah Design * Is it proper to use the pasuk “Ani l’dodi v’dodi li” in a kesubah design? * Are decorative pesukim on a kesubah appropriate in general? * Is there a problem if the design makes the kesubah text hard to read? Responsibility for Breaking a Laptop * A person was stretching in a beis midrash and accidentally knocked a laptop off a nearby shtender: what factors do we account for to decide whether he must pay for the damage? * Is a person ever not held responsible for absolute accidents?

When to Count Sefirah When Davening Maariv Early?

In this week’s episode, the topics discussed by Rabbi Braun include: Making Up Missed Shema:  * Can a missed recitation of the morning Shema be made up later (similar to the tashlumin for a missed tefilah)? * If one chas v’shalom missed Shema, should they make it up later, and how would that be done practically?  * What would the makeup accomplish if the opportunity for the mitzvas asei had already been lost? Sefiras Haomer:  * What is the earliest time to count Sefiras Haomer? And what’s the status of counting after plag hamincha or during bein hashmashos? * If someone counts early with a minyan, how can they avoid fulfilling the mitzvah before the proper time, so they can count again later at night with a bracha? * What exactly must one have in mind when hearing another person count out loud to avoid one’s own obligation being fulfilled through hearing (shome’a k’oneh) and be able to recite one’s own bracha? Cutting Down Trees:  * Is cutting down a dead tree permitted without a special halachic ruling? * Is there a concern of danger even in cases where halacha permits cutting down the tree? Reheating Food on Shabbos:  * May an Ashkenazi eat food that their Sephardic host reheated on Shabbos, following the Sephardic view that even cold, moist food may be reheated (provided it was previously fully cooked)? * What is the logic behind the accepted Ashkenazic custom that moist food may be reheated as long as it hasn’t yet cooled down completely? Three Steps Back After Shemoneh Esrei:  * What should someone do if they finished Shemoneh Esrei but cannot take three steps back because someone is still davening Shemoneh Esrei behind them? * Could they daven or answer to devarim shebikdusha while waiting? Listening to Havdalah in Middle of Shemoneh Esrei:  * Could someone who is behind in davening stop to listen to Havdalah in the middle of Shemoneh Esrei? * Practically, is it better not to rely on this? And how does this compare to listening to Krias Hatorah in the middle of Shemoneh Esrei? Reading Private Letters of a Deceased Relative:  * May family members read the private letters of a deceased relative? * Does the halacha change if the letters might affect the person’s reputation? And what is the practical guidance regarding publicizing such letters?

May One Use Oat Matzah for the Seder?

In this week’s episode, the topics discussed by Rabbi Braun include: Asking Shailos via Technology: * Is it appropriate to ask shailos via text, email, or websites rather than in person or by phone, and what are the advantages and disadvantages of written communication with a rav? Hefsek in Shema Due to a Siren:  * If a minyan heard a missile siren in the middle of shema and had to go to a shelter, where a horrible smell prevented them from continuing to daven, and they waited longer than the time it takes to read the entire shema, must they go back to the beginning of shema? * Is the delay treated as an ones caused by an unsuitable place (makom she’eino ra’uy), which requires returning to the beginning, or as an external ones (like robbers), which does not? Stopping Shemoneh Esrei for Danger: * Based on the Gemara’s story of the chossid who did not interrupt his Shemoneh Esrei when addressed by a minister, why can’t a person just continue davening and not go to a shelter when a siren sounds? * Is an incoming missile comparable to the case of a snake wrapped around a person’s heel (where one does not interrupt Shemoneh Esrei), or is it fundamentally different? * If a person receives a warning that a siren may come soon, may they begin Shemoneh Esrei with the plan to stop and go to a shelter if the siren actually sounds? Oat Matzah for Pesach:  * May a person who is gluten intolerant use oat matzah for Pesach, and what concerns exist regarding oat matzahs that are treated with heat? * Is oat matzah acceptable for fulfilling the mitzvah of eating matzah at the sedarim, given the preference for wheat? * If a person can only eat one kezayis of matzah at the Seder, what is the proper order of the meal, and when should he eat the matzah and wash (and do they recite the bracha for netilas yadayim)? Kashering With an Induction Stove:  * May one use water heated on an induction stove to kasher utensils, or must the water specifically be heated by fire? * If an item became treif or chametz’dig through an induction stove, may it be kashered using water heated on an induction stove? Saying “Baruch” and Continuing to Eat:  * If a guest at someone’s meal began bentching and said just the first word, “Baruch,” but the host wants to serve more food, may he continue eating, or has his meal ended? * Does saying the word “Baruch” constitute a hesech hadaas from eating even when relying on the host’s table? A chag kasher v’samei’ach to all our listeners!