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15 Apr 0Comments 0Likes

Transgender Medication

Dear Rabbi Simon As a pharmacist I am seeing more and more prescriptions for ‘transgender’ medication or medication for these operations. Is it halakhically a problem for me to dispense/deal with such medications? I’m guessing it’s not a problem because our customers are generally not Jewish (I work in London, not Tel Aviv) but just want to be sure it’s…

07 Apr 0Comments 0Likes

Beracha for Gluten-Free Matza

Dear Rabbi Simon I have a box of kosher for Passover Manischewitz gluten free matzo style squares at home. On the box, it says it is not a replacement for seder matzo. It was one of the post-Pesach bargains I picked up this year. Its listed ingredients are potato flour, potato starch, potato flakes, tapioca starch, palm oil, vinegar, egg…

17 Feb 0Comments 0Likes

Ma’aser Questions

Dear Rabbi Simon I hope you are well. I have a couple of ma’aser question if you don’t mind. I recently donated to the Hendon Evening Beis’ charity campaign and I just wanted to check that this donation would be included as ma’aser money? Also, is one able to give a donation from a salary that one has not been paid yet? As…

10 Feb 0Comments 0Likes

Toivelling Slow Cooker Pot After Use

Dear Rabbi Simon Thank you for getting back to me last week regarding my Slow Cooker question. However, to my dismay, I just realised something: I never toivelled (ie immersed in a mikveh) the ceramic pot! My questions: 1) Even if the ceramic pot wasn’t toivelled, the food heated in it is still kosher – is my assumption correct? 2) Does…

21 Jan 0Comments 0Likes

Consuming Blood

Dear Rabbi Simon I know that it is forbidden to eat human blood. I realized that I had a cut on my thumb while flossing and it was actually bloody. I don’t think that it actually got in my mouth but it may have touched my lip. I did not swallow it. Is this a problem? Nicky Dear Nicky You…

13 Jan 0Comments 0Likes

Milky Pan, Meaty Lid

Dear Rabbi Simon I’d appreciate your help please. I heated up some parev pasta sauce in a milk saucepan although one which has never had milk it. Without thinking, unfortunately I used a meat saucepan lid.  As far as we recall we never have used meat in the saucepan that the lid should be used for. Can the lid and saucepan…

30 Dec 0Comments 0Likes

The Power to Bless

Hello Rabbi Simon I am very excited about completing my conversion process through immersing in the mikveh this week. I type that last sentence with so much hakaras hatov [gratitude] that my appointment is going ahead despite the contagion. I was wondering about what I should have in mind during immersion. I understand that the day of conversion is a very…

23 Dec 0Comments 0Likes

‘Tis the Season

Note: This Q&A is based on a recent text message exchange. Dear Rabbi Simon It is the time of year that I send out cards and gifts for work to buyers at businesses that I supply. I am never quite sure if I need to just write ‘seasons greetings’ which always feels wrong for those that I know celebrate Christmas.…

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 –…

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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