Sitting
in Father's Place After His Death
Q:
Is it permissible for a son to sit in his father's chair in Shul after his
father's death?
A:
Yes. Honoring one's father after death
does not include the prohibition of sitting in his place, which only applies
during his lifetime (Rabbi Chaim Palagi in Shut Chaim Be-Yad #125:48. Shut Yerech Yaakov, Yoreh Deah #14).
Repenting
with Joy
Q:
Since one must serve Hashem with joy, how does one repent with joy?
A:
With the joy that one is performing Hashem's will. Rambam at the end of Hilchot Sukkah Ve-Lulav.
Low
IQ
Q:
I have a low IQ. Can I still be a Torah
scholar?
A:
Certainly. Hashem wants you to be
one. Rambam, Hilchot Talmud Torah
3:1. There are different levels among
Torah scholars.
Professional
Army
Q:
Should Tzahal be a professional army, small and smart?
A:
No. Our army is a people's army.
Cohain
Visiting Concentration Camps
Q:
Is it permissible for a Cohain to visit the Concentration Camps?
A:
Aside from the prohibition of leaving Eretz Yisrael, which applies to everyone,
and other prohibitions involved, there is a fear of becoming impure at the
Concentration Camps through contact with the dead on account of remnants of
bones there.
Combat
Service
Q:
If a man has the ability to be a combat soldier in Tzahal, but decides to be
drafted into a non-combat unit, does he still fulfill the Mitzvah of waging war
to protect the Nation, conquer Eretz Yisrael, etc.?
A:
Yes. All military service is a
Mitzvah. Service in a combat unit is the
highest form of the Mitzvah.
Davening
Alone
Q:
In my high school, the Rosh Yeshiva decided that if someone wakes up late and
doesn't make it to Minyan, he has to Daven on his own, and cannot leave to find
a Minyan elsewhere. Do we have to obey
him?
A:
Someone who comes to learn at a Yeshiva does so on condition that he obeys the
rules of the Rosh Yeshiva. If it is not
a good fit for him, he should transfer to another Yeshiva, since a person learns Torah in a place that his heart desires
(Avodah Zarah 19a).
The
Name "Yitzchak"
Q:
Our son's name is Yitzchak. We now heard
that someone with this name can have troubles.
Should we change it?
A:
Certainly not. It is a wonderful
name. Yitzchak Avinu!
Settlers
and Danger
Q:
Is it possible that the State does not fully protect the communities in Yehudah
and Shomron?
A:
Not true. The army invests huge amounts
of its force to protect them, and the danger is minimal. For example, security incidents there are
certainly much fewer than traffic accidents.
