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29 Apr 0Comments 0Likes

Milky Spoon for Chicken Soup

Dear Rabbi Simon I came into the kitchen after Shabbos (having read in the weekly Torah portion for the day about not mixing meat and milk [Ex. 23:19]) and found my youngest eating hot chicken soup in a meaty bowl with a milk spoon (a stainless steel spoon with enamel handle). Yikes! Please advise if either can be salvaged. Kathy…

29 Apr 0Comments 0Likes

Washing hands in the morning and at other times

Dear Rabbi Simon I may have a misunderstanding of netilat yadayim /asher yatzar process. Am I right in saying that we only say ‘al netilat yadayim’ together with asher yatzar, in the morning upon 1st going to lavatory? Through the rest of the day, after using the lavatory, one would wash (without saying al netilat yadayim) and then say the…

29 Apr 0Comments 0Likes

Kissing the Mezuzah (Coronavirus)

Dear Rabbi Simon My family have asked about the practice of kissing the mezuzah, in light of the Coronavirus pandemic. What are your thoughts on this? Many thanks in advance. Malka Dear Malka TY for your question. The Israeli Chief Rabbi David Lau has ruled/advised that one should refrain from kissing the mezuzah due to the threat of COVID-19. His…

16 Nov 0Comments 0Likes

Kosher Dog Food

Dear Rabbi Simon, Interesting question from a new client with his puppy… ‘What rules apply to dog food in a strictly kosher home?’ I have always been of the opinion that as it’s the dog that’s eating the food there shouldn’t be an issue, but I think the client has a point about wet, canned food and the storage of…

16 Nov 0Comments 0Likes

Sha’atnez in Crewel Embroidery

Sha’atnez Q&A: Life can be Crewel, but is it allowed? Dear Rabbi Simon I want to take up embroidery and I am particularly interested in crewel work which is traditionally made from wool on a cloth of linen or one with some linen content. Given this is sha’atnez I don’t think I can do this – I’m pretty sure I can’t…

04 Sep 0Comments 1Like

Cremation and Kaddish

Dear Rabbi Simon, A distant elderly Jewish relative died last month and he chose to be cremated. Is it still appropriate to say Kaddish for him? Many thanks, Martin Dear Martin, The sombre and distasteful subject of cremation is discussed (and decried) in the Torah literature. The practice has become very common in non-Orthodox circles, and strenuous efforts are sometimes exerted…

25 Aug 0Comments 0Likes

Reading 10 Commandments Aloud

Q: Dear Rabbi Simon, With Shavuot approaching, I have a Q about the 10 Commandments: We are told not to say the Aseret Hadibrot [10 Commandments] out loud since “heretics will come to say that is all the Torah” yet in the UK for sure we have big shuls where they are prominently portrayed above the Ark which could and…

25 Aug 0Comments 0Likes

Techeiles in Tzitzis

Dear Rabbi Simon Should we be wearing Techeiles in our Tzitzis today? (I am asking a few rabbis this question.) FYI, here is a site which presents people who agree and disagree with wearing techeiles: http://techeiles.org/debate.php. I also found this informative article on the subject: http://dinonline.org/2013/06/01/parashas-korach-the-mitzvah-of-techeiles/. What is your view? Kol tuv, Alistair Dear Alistair, Techeilet is a worthy subject…

25 Aug 0Comments 0Likes

Ketubah Question

Ask the Rabbi: Wedding Daze: Irregular Ketubah Question Dear Rabbi Simon, I hope you are doing well.  I wanted your advice about the following question. My younger sister is getting married soon (overseas).  Sadly, her fiancé is not Jewish. Nevertheless, she wanted a ketubah (marriage contract) signing and asked me to be one of the witnesses.  I wanted to ask…

23 Aug 0Comments 2Likes

Non-Jewish Babysitter Warming Food

Hi Rabbi Simon. We are going away for two nights next week (not over Shabbos) and leaving the kids with a non-Jewish babysitter (she works at a Jewish day-care facility, so she’s relatively well versed in the workings of cooked food in a kosher kitchen). I am leaving the kids and her fully cooked food and I want to ask…

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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