Ha-Rav
answers hundreds of text message questions a day! Here's a sample:
If
You Can
Q:
What is the source for the saying: "If you can, you are obligated"?
A:
Officers' school of Tzahal.
Q:
What about the saying: "If you are obligated, it is a sign that you are
able to do so"?
A:
The philosopher Emanuel Kant.
Those
who Permit Drafting Women
Q:
How is it possible that there are Rabbis who permit women to join Tzahal?
A:
They are only a few, and they are not among the great Torah scholars, and the
Halachah therefore does not follow them.
The Chief Rabbinate of Israel forbids it.
Marathon
Q:
Is it permissible to run in a marathon where men and women run together?
A:
G-d-forbid. It is completely
immodest. See Kitzur Shulchan Aruch
152:8.
Mitzvah
of Making Aliyah
Q:
Is making Aliyah a Mitzvah? Why do
Charedi Rabbis say it is not?
A:
It is certainly a great Mitzvah. Many
Charedi Rabbis say it is. For example,
the Chazon Ish (Igrot Chazon Ish #175.
Ha-Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv.
Halichot Ve-Hanhagot – Bein Ha-Metzrim, p. 6. Ha-Rav Chaim Kanievski. In a letter he personally sent to me).
Wrist
Watch for Men
Q:
It is permissible for a man to wear a wrist watch, or is it forbidden on
account of "Lo Yilbash" (the prohibition of men dressing like or
appearing as women)?
A:
It is permissible, since all men wear watches, including many G-d-fearing
individuals (including Ha-Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIGCpvdNq_I
and Ha-Rav Ovadiah Yosef:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHcvuYAMr74. The Chazon Ish, however, prohibits it, as
Ha-Rav Chaim Kanievski heard. Divrei
Shi"ach Vol. 4, p. 27).
Biblical
Criticism
Q:
When is it permissible to begin learning Biblical Criticism?
A:
Never. It is full of lies, blasphemy and
heresy. There is nothing to it. See Rambam, Hilchot Avodah Zarah 2:2-3.
Why
was Man Created
Q:
Why did Hashem create people? As game
pieces to aggrandize His Name?
A:
One who asks such a question is not worthy of an answer, rather he must first
repent for such blasphemy. Learn Mesilat
Yesharim.
Bar
Mitzvah in Adar
Q:
One who was born in Adar in a non-leap year, when is his Bar Mitzvah if it
falls during a leap year?
A:
Adar Bet (Rama, Orach Chaim 55:10).
Ha-Gaon
Ha-Rav Ovadiah Yosef ztz"l
Q:
I heard that there has not been a great Rabbi as Ha-Rav Ovadiah Yosef in the
last 300 years, and others say since the time of the Rambam! Is this true?
A:
Nonsense, this denigrates the great Rabbis throughout the generation. Ha-Rav Ovadiah ztz"l certainly would not
be comfortable being honored through the degradation of great Torah scholars.
Blessing
over the Smell of Coffee Beans
Q:
Does one recite a blessing when smelling coffee beans?
A:
No, since they were not planted for smelling (Commentary of Ha-Rav on Kitzur
Shulchan Aruch 58:2).
