Beit Midrash for Birurei Halachah Binyan Zion

Question: Shalom, I was asked by a chazan who finds it exceedingly helpful to suck candies before/during davening to lubricate his mouth. What is the propriety of this in terms of A) Eating before Kiddush/davening B) Eating while davening C) does one need to make a bracha when eating for this purpose? Thank you very much! Answer: As this is for tefilla he is sucking the candy before Shachris or at least bef ...

Question: The Mishnah Berurah in Siman Alef, seif katan (ט) quotes as follows: יהיה זהיר מאד לקום שעה ולפחות חצי שעה קדם קריאת השמש לבית הכנםת As a matter of practical halacha, what is the time a person needs to be awake before the minyan in order to fulfill this משני ברורה? With tremendous gratitude, Answer: The point of this halacha is to have ample time to prepare one's self for davening with a minyan. S ...

Question: What is the Rav's opinion about whether oats are one of the five minim? Should one be concerned that perhaps it is not? Thank you. Answer: Oats are Shiboles Shual, one of the 5 minim. One may rely on this long standing view, accepted by the Gedolei Yisrael. See Rashi Pesachim 35a, Kuntress Halichos Sadeh Vol. 57 essay of Rav Efrati in the name of Rav Elyashiv and Rav Moshe Feinstein. ...

Question: Can one read an English translation to fulfill the targum requirement for shnayim mikra? Does the Halacha differ depending on the age/level? Answer: Ideally one should fulfill this obligation through Rashi or Onkelos. If one is unable to do either of the above an english translation that is based on Chazal and/or Rashi may be used to fulfill one's obligation. See Mishna Brura 285:5 ...

Question: I am planning on graduating college soon, and there is a ceremony at the end which has all of the graduates wearing the cap and gown. Is it permissible to wear either of these items? I saw online that it seems as though it was decided that they were to be worn as they were the garb of the church clergymen, who taught many of the courses and were supposed to symbolize being a high class and intelle ...

Question: I was wondering if nowadays one is obligated to wear a hat during Tefillah. The Chayei Adam's reasoning that we dress this way in the street doesn't seem applicable. However, does the reason of standing before Odom Choshuv with a hat apply if one dresses this way before Gedolim, or is it only before Royalty? The Shu"t Divrei Yatziv is quoted as saying that one is obligated based on the Shulchan Ar ...

Question: L'Chvod Harav Shlit"a, There is a young man who had a religious upbringing but has long since gone off the derech r"l including driving on Shabbos ect. He has been living this lifestyle since he was a teenager (perhaps 14) and is now in his mid twenties. the man is a computer programmer but several months ago he has lost his job and has been sick on bed rest for several months. Due to the lack of ...

Kesubah, Loans, Pas Kisnin Question: 1) in a case where a woman tells her husband after they have been married that she had been מזנה before they got married if the husband is מוחל is a new kesubah need to be written. 2) in case where someone is תובה ממון as a שמה and there is no חיוב בב"ד but there is a חיוב בידי שמים is there an inyan for the מלוה to be מוחל. 3) acc. to second shitah brought in the mishan ...

CUTTING DOWN FRUIT TREES Question: SHALOM UVERACHA THERE IS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO ATTEND MY WEEKLY HALACHA SHIUR WHO PLANS ON MAKING ALIYA AFTER CHANUKA BUT BEFORE PURIM BE"H THE PROBLEM IS THIS. WE LIVE IN SOUTH FLATBUSH AND HE HAS VERY GOOD OFFERS FROM SEFARDIM TO BUY THE HOUSE. THE PROBLEM IS THERE IS A FRUIT TREE IN THE BACK WHICH HAS BEEN HOLDING UP THE SALE. AS THE BUYERS ALL WANT TO EXPAND THE HOUSE FURT ...

Fasts before Bar Mitzvah Question: There is a minhag to fast 3 fast before one`s bar mitzvoh. I have a difficulty locating a mekor for this and on the contrary, R Shloime Zalman (Halichos Shloime) holds this is no valid minhag and so does R Y Y Fisher sz`l. What is the Rov`s shlit`a opinion on this a. with a family where they have kept this in previous generation? b. with a family who has no specific minhag ...