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Fair Trade and Monopolies in Halacha By Rav Yaakov Rappaport Long before the establishment of the Federal Trade Commission, there were debates regarding trade regulations. Is the government responsible to protect consumers, or is it the responsibility of “buyer beware”?…

I’m going on a trip and I don’t have a proper netilas yadayim cup. Can I use a disposable cup?( The halacha requires that one use a keli (vessel) for netilas yadayim. Poskim differ as to whether a disposable cup (such as a paper cup, or plastic bottle) is…

By Rabbi Yitzchok Basser Q: In his teenage years, someone shoplifted from a store owned by a family friend. He wants to make amends. Is it sufficient to anonymously return the value of the item stolen, or must he take…

Can one satisfy the minhag of consuming dairy food on Shavuos by eating cheesecake after Kiddush on Shavuos morning? The Darchei Teshuva recommends this method to fulfill the minhag of eating dairy on Shavuos. However, there is an issue which needs to be dealt with.  The…

An Analysis of Various Minhagim Concerning Waiting Between Meat and Dairy By Rabbi Yosef Grossman Senior Educational Rabbinic Coordinator, OU Kosher Editor – The Daf HaKashrus This article originally appeared in The Daf HaKashrus Vol. 20, No. 1. published by…

What is the correct bracha for pizza? We learned previously that pies are one form of pas haba’ah b’kisnin, and the bracha is Mezonos. Similiarly, dough filled with jam (such as a hamentaschen) is a classic example of pas haba’ah b’kisnin. The bracha on calzones and the like, filled…

Rabbi Eli GerstenReprinted with permission of the OU’s Daf HaKashrus The Tur writes that dough which is owned by a Yisroel but is baked by a non-Jew becomes forbidden like bishul akum. This would mean that it would not have…

Laws related to Pesach On Pesach, can one use paper plates, paper towels and napkins that are not certified kosher for Pesach? Paper plates, paper towels and napkins generally contain starch. Some forms of raw starch are kitniyos, such as corn…

Laws related to Berachos We learned previously that if one eats an entire meal of an item that is considered pas haba’ah b’kisnin, the brachos recited would be Hamotzi and Birkas Hamazon. Is the amount of pas haba’ah b’kisnin that would mandate Hamotzi the same for everyone? No. To require…