Rabbi Azriel Schreiber
855 answers
Whenever possible, JewishAnswers.org tries to include the name of the author on every post. However, at certain times, we make significant changes to the answers posted. In that case, we will often sign the post with our generic “pen name” – Rabbi Azriel Schreiber. This “pen name” may also be used when a writer declines to have his name published.
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The Size of a Sukka
How big does a Sukka have to be? If you can sit in there with a small table, you’re probably OK. The exact minimum measurements are in dispute, so try to get it at least 28 by 28 inches. (See…
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Eating in the Sukka in the Rain
Can I eat in the Sukka in my raincoat and hat when it’s raining? You are under no obligation to eat in a Sukka at all when it’s raining (Shulchan Aruch O.C. 639:5). If you are eating in the Sukka…
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A Sukka at Work
What should I do at work, where I have no Sukka? Must I skip lunch? One may eat in another’s Sukka (with permission), so first try and find a synagogue or kosher restaurant in your area. They may have a…
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Using a Toothbrush on Shabbos
Is it allowed to use a toothbrush on Shabbos? Rav Moshe Feinstein (Igros Moshe, Orach Chaim, Vol. 1, No. 112) states that it is permitted to use a toothbrush on Shabbos, but not toothpaste. Thus it is allowed to put…
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Folding a Cloth Along Creases on Shabbos
Why is it forbidden to fold cloth along creases on Shabbat? One of the 39 forbidden Melachos on Shabbos is laundering (Mechabes). The Rabbis prohibited any step in the laundering process – for example, even pouring water on clothing without…
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Feeding Animals on Shabbos
Why is it forbidden on Shabbat to feed animals (or birds, or fish) that don’t depend on you for their food? This is forbidden because it is regarded as “unnecessary exertion” (Tircha Yeseira). We forbid such things in order to…
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Recording a VCR for Shabbos
If a TV program is being broadcast on Shabbat that one wants to watch, is it permissible, before Shabbos, to set one’s VCR to record the show for viewing after Shabbos? Rabbi Moshe Feinstein (Igros Mosheh, Orach Chaim, Vol. 4…
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Tuition as Maaser
Is Yeshiva tuition admissible as a Maaser deduction? The consensus of most Poskim is that Maaser funds cannot be used for one’s children’s education.The Chofetz Chaim (Sefer Ahavas Chessed, Ch. 19) writes that it is prohibited because “it is like…
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The Jewish View on Marriage
Is there a verse that sums up the Jewish view about marriage? It is not good for man to be alone (Gen.2:18). The Talmud (Yevamos 63a) says that a man who is without a woman isn’t fully a man.