menorah

Shehechiyanu on the 2nd night of Hanukkah?

Dear Rabbi Simon Please advise re the following scenario: 1st night – you don’t light personally but are present at a lighting and so hear the blessing of shehechiyanu 2nd night – you light personally. Do you say shehechiyanu on the second night? Matityahu Dear Matt: If you have in mind to fulfil your mitzvah (of shehechiyanu) and the one who recites the blessing…

Preferred Placement of the Menorah

Dear Rabbi Simon, Regarding placing the Menorah, it seems to me it’s about common sense where the persumei nisa (publicizing the miracle) is greatest rather than hard and fast rules.  Is that correct? Yehuda Dear Yehuda, I would tend to agree, although in Talmudic times (and Israel today) lighting at the doorway outside in the public domain, opposite the Mezuzah…

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
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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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