Festivals & Jewish Calendar

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13 May 0Comments 1Like

Shavuot Prayers (Timing)

Dear Rabbi Simon, As Shavuot approaches I have been looking into the issues around early Maariv [ie, before nightfall—close to 10:00pm in London] on the two nights of the festival. It seems to me that there is less of an issue to daven early on the second night, albeit some authorities take a stringent view. For the first night there is…

23 Mar 0Comments 0Likes

Slow Cooker on Pesach (Pt 3)

Dear Rabbi Simon I think I asked you about my slow cooker a while ago. I am hoping to use the slow cooker over the chag – it says “don’t use a timer” (but doesn’t say why – so I hope to try using a timer before Pesach to see what happens! If it doesn’t explode, it should be safe!). My question…

17 Mar 0Comments 0Likes

Clocks changing to BST on Yom Tov

Dear Rabbi Simon As if Pesach weren’t stressful enough…Britain is also changing the clocks to “spring forward” an hour to BST during First Seder Night! Trying to find the best halakhic response: Change the clocks before Shabbos? Can I change the time on an electric alarm clock on Yomtov? What about a manual clock? The easiest way would be to…

18 Feb 0Comments 0Likes

Purim Se’udah on Friday

Hi, TY for your Purim 5781 guidelines. Can I ask, for someone who has no possibility to have a “brunch” seudah and the only way is to start before Shabbat and continue into the Friday night meal – how would that work in practice, for instance with davening, etc. Many thanks Celia Dear Celia TY for your question re Purim…

03 Feb 0Comments 0Likes

Slow Cooker on Shabbat

Dear Rabbi Simon I wonder if you could answer this question: I have just bought the below slow cooker. It has a setting to keep food warm. Would it be ok to leave the setting on “warm” and keep the cooker plugged in on Shabbat? Or do I need to use a timer to make sure it’s not permanently switched on? https://www.robertdyas.co.uk/tower-1-5l-stainless-steel-slow-cooker-silver…

16 Dec 0Comments 0Likes

Ask the Rabbi – Doughnut Crisis

The following Q&A is based on a text exchange: Q) Hi Rabbi Simon. I saw that one day this Chanukah customers of a certain Kosher bakery were encouraged to return for a refund any doughnuts purchased that day because the fryer was turned on by a non-Jewish employee. I know the principle that a fire should be started by a Jew –…

02 Dec 0Comments 0Likes

Corrective for Signing on Shabbat  

Dear Rabbi Simon Shavua tov. I had a distressing Shabbos. Due to a very unfortunate oversight, I was locked out of my flat on Friday night–with my dog on the inside. With the help of a neighbour, I managed to summon a locksmith to rescue the two of us. However, the tradesman insisted that I sign a form in order…

19 Nov 0Comments 0Likes

Alexa and Shabbat

Dear Rabbi Simon If you don’t mind I have a question for you.  On Friday night, my children were in the kitchen chatting and for some reason our Amazon Echo (Alexa) started playing music even though they hadn’t said “her” name!  Rap music was playing loudly until midnight in spite of us smothering Alexa with towels!  Under these circumstances would we have…

Questions & Answers
this week

Questions and Answers

Ask the Rabbi: Quinoa on Pesach
Dear Rabbi Simon,
Where do you stand on quinoa (and the kitniyot ban) for Pesach?
Many thanks,
Tzippy
***
Dear Tzippy,
In line with other American authorities, I am in favour of quinoa. Although I reject completely the voices (mostly from Israel) seeking to abolish the ban on kitniyot entirely, IMO we do not need to include in the prohibition pseudo-grains that were unknown in the Old World until modern times. Best to buy with a Pesach hechsher though, to be free of any possible wheat contamination.
Rabbi Rashi Simon
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