- Written by: Rabbi Yosef Viener
- Category: Tefillin
- Hits: 132
Question
I am a 28-year-old “lefty” who performs all labor and activities with my left hand, with the exception of writing, which I do with my right hand. (This inconsistency was a result of my strong-willed grandmother’s insistence that her grandson was going to write the “normal” way!) The instructions given to me before my bar mitzvah were to put tefillin on my left arm, as a right-handed person would normally do. I recently began learning the laws of tefillin, and I see the matter is far from simple. Should I be wearing the tefillin shel yad on my right hand, as lefties do, since I am really a lefty except for writing? Does anyone wear the tefillin shel yad on both arms consecutively?
Write comment (0 Comments)- Written by: Rabbi Yosef Viener
- Category: Tefillin
- Hits: 71
Question
My son is becoming bar mitzvah this year, and I am in the process of purchasing tefillin for him. Tefillin with retzuos that are completely black on both sides and throughout have recently come on the market. Is this a hiddur that I should opt for? I would be more than happy to provide my son with the best tefillin money can buy if there is a halachic advantage in purchasing these types of straps, yet I wonder why this hiddur was not practiced in earlier generations.
Write comment (0 Comments)- Written by: Rabbi Reuvain Mendlowitz
- Category: Mezuzah
- Hits: 140
Chazal teach us that a mezuzah is affixed on the right side of a doorway. However, this presents an interesting question: How are we to determine which is the right side? After all, wouldn’t that depend on which direction one is facing when passing through the doorway?
Write comment (0 Comments)- Written by: Rabbi Reuvain Mendlowitz
- Category: Mezuzah
- Hits: 135
Shulchan Aruch clearly rules that a storage room requires a mezuzah – without bringing any dissenting opinion. It is clear from the Shulchan Aruch that one would make a beracha when affixing the mezuzah. Yet there are a number of Acharonim who suggest that it is best to avoid making a beracha since there are Rishonim who rule that no mezuzah is required at all.
Write comment (0 Comments)- Written by: Rabbi Reuvain Mendlowitz
- Category: Mezuzah
- Hits: 135
Archways represent some of the most difficult questions regarding hilchos mezuzah. This is because there are multiple layers of machlokos amongst the Rishonim, sometimes making it impossible to fulfil all opinions. In fact, an entire sefer would be required to plumb the depths of this issue properly. We will therefore limit ourselves to the practical halacha of how to affix a mezuzah on an archway.
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