Questions & Answers
Browse answered questions from the community
Are sephardim allowed to cut hairs during the three weeks?
Can I eat at a kosher restaurant that opens on Shabbos?
What are the 613 mitzvot?
Why can't I eat at vegan restaurants and order salad only?
Explain the concept of Teshuva
Why are attacks happening specifically in Orthodox neighborhoods like Monsey and Brooklyn? Why are visibly religious Jews being targeted?
What is our role as Jews when the nations of the world are fighting?
What about when someone is imprisoned for keeping Torah and mitzvot?
How much should a Torah Jew worry about the economy versus trusting in Hashem?
What does the Torah teach us about living under such circumstances?
How do we reconcile the obligation of hishtadlut - making reasonable physical efforts for protection - with the fundamental principle that only Hashem decides who lives and who dies, who is protected and who is not?
What should Orthodox Jews do when they witness public desecration of Torah values in our communities?
How is this bachur planning to pay for a wedding when his family can't even afford groceries?
When missiles fall on Eretz Yisrael, do we understand that the protection comes from Torah learning and mitzvot, not from iron domes? Rav Kanievsky promised that no missiles would hit Bnei Brak during the Gulf War because he learned an extra hour starting at 1am instead of 2am. That's real protection.
Why do you think the government suddenly cares so much about what we're teaching our children in yeshivot?
Is it permissible according to Halacha for Orthodox Jews to participate in secular government politics, and what are the boundaries we must maintain when engaging with political systems that may conflict with Torah values?
In Parashat Achrei Mot-Kedoshim, we are commanded to "love your neighbor as yourself," (Leviticus 19:18), yet the Torah also warns against taking revenge and holding a grudge in the same passage; how can we navigate the balance between upholding justice and fostering forgiveness in our everyday conflicts and relationships?
If the Torah commands us "You shall be holy, for I, Hashem your God, am holy," yet God's holiness is infinite and utterly beyond us, what does it actually mean for a human being to emulate divine holiness in their daily life?
In Parashat Achrei Mot-Kedoshim, the directive to "be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy" is presented in the context of both ritual commandments and ethical behavior; how do we reconcile and live out this profound call to holiness in a modern world filled with complex moral challenges and diverse personal identities?
If the Torah commands us "You shall be holy, for I, Hashem your God, am holy," but God's holiness is infinite and absolute while ours is limited and human — what does it actually mean for us to imitate divine holiness, and how can we possibly bridge that unbridgeable gap?
If the Torah commands us "You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy" immediately after prohibiting actions like gossip, revenge, and holding grudges, is kedusha (holiness) primarily about what we *avoid* doing to others, rather than mystical practices or ritual perfection?
If the Torah commands us in Kedoshim to "love your neighbor as yourself" and Rashi says this is a fundamental principle of the entire Torah, why does this same parashah also list so many specific laws about not taking revenge, not bearing grudges, and not placing stumbling blocks before others — isn't loving your neighbor enough?
When we see violence and hatred directed at those who appear to support Israel or the Jewish people, how should Orthodox Jews respond - through political action or through teshuva and increased Torah observance?
Why do Jews today trust more in technology and human achievement than in Hashem?
Why should a Jew never visit ancient pyramid sites, given their history as centers of idol worship and human sacrifice, and the Torah's explicit commands regarding such places?
If someone owns stock in a company that will benefit greatly from these tariff refunds, and the stock price goes up on Shabbat because of the news, does this violate any prohibition of benefiting from work done on Shabbat?
What is our responsibility as Torah observant Jews to reach out to the non-observant majority and bring them back to Yiddishkeit before we lose another generation?
If tzara'at is a spiritual affliction that manifests physically due to lashon hara and the kohen must diagnose it by examining the person's skin, why does our tradition hold that we shouldn't judge others by external appearances, yet here the Torah seems to make spiritual status entirely dependent on what's visible on the outside?
If tzara'at appears on someone's garment or house and not just their body, what does this suggest about how our physical possessions absorb and reflect our spiritual state—and should this change how we think about the things we own?
If tzara'at appears on the walls of a house only after the Israelites enter the Land of Israel, and Chazal teach us it comes to reveal hidden treasures left by the Canaanites, why does the Torah frame this blessing as a "affliction" requiring a kohen's inspection and potential demolition of one's home?
If tzara'at came upon a person's house and they had to dismantle it stone by stone, why does the Torah emphasize that the stones themselves become tamei and must be taken "outside the camp" — what does this teach us about how our physical spaces absorb and reflect our spiritual state?
In Parashat Tazria-Metzora, how can the detailed process of identifying and purifying tzara'at, a physical affliction with spiritual roots, guide us in recognizing and addressing the hidden spiritual ailments within ourselves and our communities?
In Parashat Tazria-Metzora, why does the Torah require the metzora (one afflicted with leprosy) to undergo such a detailed and public purification process, and what might this teach us about the importance of community and personal transformation in our own lives?
Have you exhausted all proven medical options?
Are we supporting Torah learning with our money, or are we wasting it on nonsense? Every dollar you give to a secular cause instead of supporting living Torah - Torah scholars who protect us with their learning - is a missed opportunity to create spiritual protection for Am Yisrael.
Concerning economic pressure and poverty, how should Orthodox Jews address financial hardship, particularly for orphans and struggling families, and what is the community's obligation in providing assistance?
Am I using every moment to glorify Hashem's name, or am I wasting my precious neshama on nonsense? You have a Jewish neshama that could bring tremendous honor to Hashem. Every single day, every single minute is an opportunity. This bochur's time ran out at seventeen. How old are you? What are you doing with your time?
Are you working on your middot every single day?
Why do religious Jews continue to support politicians who are openly mechalel Shabbat?
Why is journalism as a career almost impossible to do in a kosher way?
If Nadav and Avihu's sin was bringing "strange fire" with pure intentions to draw close to Hashem, why does the Torah consider unauthorized religious innovation more dangerous than outright rebellion — and what does this teach us about balancing spiritual creativity with tradition in our own lives?
If Nadav and Avihu's unauthorized offering was such a grave sin that it cost them their lives, why does the Torah elsewhere seem to praise their closeness to Hashem at Sinai, and what does this tension teach us about the fine line between inspired religious passion and dangerous spiritual recklessness?
If the deaths of Nadav and Avihu teach us that unauthorized closeness to Hashem can be fatal, how do we balance the Torah's command to love Hashem with all our heart and soul against the danger of religious passion that crosses boundaries?
If Nadav and Avihu's sin was bringing an "eish zarah" — a strange fire that God did not command — why does Aharon remain silent after their deaths, and could his silence actually be the highest form of spiritual response rather than a failure to protest?
In Parashat Shmini, why does the sudden, tragic death of Nadav and Avihu occur precisely at the moment of great celebration, and what can this teach us about the interplay between joy and holiness in our own lives?
In Parashat Shmini, following the tragic deaths of Nadav and Avihu, why does the Torah focus so much on the specific instructions regarding permissible and impermissible animals, and what deeper lesson does this juxtaposition offer us about the pursuit of holiness in our daily lives?
When is a journalist allowed to report on Jewish matters, and when does it become forbidden lashon hara or even worse, mesirah?
What halachic issue is raised regarding Orthodox Jews attending White House events or political gatherings, and what lesson does the story of Purim teach about this?
We're not in trouble because most of us aren't even marrying Jews?
What is our proper response when we hear about such attacks?