Q. Can someone consume mayonnaise on Rosh Hashana since it usually contains vinegar and we are to abstain from bitter foods on that holiday?
A. On question 115 we wrote:The Minhag not to eat bitter or sour foods as a Siman or symbol for a sweet new year, goes back to the time of the Geonim. (Tshuvos Hageonim 114 – Chida in Tov Ain 18: 91). Mishna Berura (583: 5) mentions only not to eat foods cooked with vinegar. Chida (More Baetzvah 9: 254) includes lemons too.
Many Poiskim differentiate between things sour or bitter (vinegar, chrein) and sharp tasting foods (pepper, onions, charif or jalapenos), permitting the latter as they are mainly condiments and make the food taste better (Bikurey Chaim 2: ,3, quoting R.N. Gestetner Shlit’a – Kovetz Minhogei Isroel 5, p.135).
Rav Yisroel Dovid Harpenes in Mikdash Israel (Yomim Noroim 111) permits sweet lemon tasting soft drinks or tea with lemon and sugar, as they convey the positive idea of a sour or acid taste being changed into sweet, similar to the salt in the chala being transformed by dipping it into honey. By the same token, he sanctions eating salads with dressing that has a bit of vinegar; he also permits grapefruit with sugar and prepared sweetened chrein (ibid. 110, 112, and 113). He quotes Horav M. Feinstein ZT”L as saying (on eating fish with chrein) that its good taste symbolizes a “geshmak’n yohr”, a good tasting year.
Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit”a opinion is similar, however he disagrees about chrein and recommends not to eat it, as its bitter taste dominates, and it is also used as Moror or bitter herbs on Seider night."
Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit”'a opinion is that one can be lenient eating mayonnaise on Rosh Hashana even if it contains vinegar the flavor is not bitter.
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Rabbi A. Bartfeld as advised by Horav Shlomo Miller and Horav Aharon Miller Shlit'a
Q. After having read your answer (3322) regarding all the possible Halacha difficulties and problems in buying a Kosher Shofar these days, I went to buy a Shofar at a respectable Judaica store owned by honest frum people who I fully trust. I did ask them if they can certify that the shofar I was about to purchase was not changed in form by heating it in hot water and they told me that they can't, since it is a common practice even by the top certified Shofaros. Does Horav Shlomo Miller agree that thet are Kosher?
A. Some Poskim are indeed stringent when any change was done on the Shofar's shape from the way it grew on the animal (See Minchas Yitzchok 8: 54, Piskei Teshuvos 586: 9: n. 28).
On question 856 regarding one that was given a Shofar as a present, it had a good sound but it was rather straight and only slightly bent. He was told that if one heats the shofar one can soften it and bend it, if that permitted. We answered: "The Talmud Rosh Hashana 27b mentions that a Shofar is required to fulfill the “Derech Haavaroso” prerequisite or the way it was grown on the head of the animal, without being changed from the natural way it grew.
Poskim disagree as to what that change means. From the Talmud it is apparent that it becomes disqualified only if it was changed inside out or by reversing the side one blows into.
Pri Megodim (Mishbetzos Zahav 586) debates as to if a natural straight ram shofar is preferable to a common Shofar that was bent by softening the Shofar with hot water. It would seem that he rules that there is no difficulty in using such a Shofar. Likewise Zichron Terua (p. 68) maintains that the custom of Ashkenazim and others that if the changes made by softening the Shofar in hot water are small and are made only to better its appearance it is permitted. However, Piskey Teshuvos (586: 9) avers that from the Rav’s Shulchan Aruch and Mate Efraim, it is apparent that any physical change made to the shofar, that deviates from the way it naturally grows, disqualifies. Therefore, even small changes made for the purpose of making it easier to blow should be avoided. Minchas Yitzchok (8: 54) quotes Toras Chaim (O.H. 586: 2) that indeed disqualifies an artificially bent Shofar for the reason mentioned above."
However, Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit”'a opinion is that one can be lenient and it is a common practice to change them a bit.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as advised by Horav Shlomo Miller and Horav Aharon Miller Shlit'a
Q. When someone is blowing Shofar in a hospital and there are cameras with recording machines on, is it correct to do there Tekias Shofar?
A. On question 3245 we mentioned that in our times it is common to have security cameras outside the shuls, schools and other community institutions, as is common in businesses and private homes. Horav Shlomo Miller's Shlit'a opinion is that it is permitted to have them inside a shul also, when needed for the security or the safety of the attendants, and with the agreement of the leaders of the shul. However, the Rov recommends that they should be disconnected during Shabbos when possible.
On questions 828 and 2252 we wrote: Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit”a advised that in order to leave the cameras and recording equipment on during Shabbos, a random timer should be added in order to avoid this becoming a case of P'sik Reisha or certainty of committing a prohibition.
However, in our particular case it is similar to the walking in the street during Shabbos in our days, when one is constantly being taped from cameras in surrounding homes and stores and even from space, nevertheless, since one is not even aware or conscious of the melacha done, it is considered 'Misassek' or totally done without any conscious intention and awareness, and therefore permitted by Poskim.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as advised by Horav Shlomo Miller and Horav Aharon Miller Shlit'a
Q. See question 3323 above. Someone is walking to his shul on Rosh Hashana or Yom Kippur and as he goes by an outdoor minyan or even a regular small minyan, they ask him to come in and complete the minyan; Does he have to join them?
A. Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit”'a opinion is that he should join until they can get someone else to replace him.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as advised by Horav Shlomo Miller and Horav Aharon Miller Shlit'a
Q. If one has the choice to daven B'rov Am (large group of attendants) in a yeshiva or to help out a struggling minyan (where it is questionable if there are even ten davening), which is better?
A. On question 3319 regarding one living in a section of a town that has only a few minyanim. and happily davening in a shul that has a traditional Yeshivishe minyan, where he is also the Baal Tokea there during Elul for years. Then a new minyan of Baalei Teshuva began and they were urgently looking for someone to blow the shofar for them on Rosh Hashana. If they are unable to find anyone, does he have to abandon my great minyan and be their Baal Tokea. We wrote:
"Chashukei Chemed (Suka 41b) mentions a case of an American tourist who visited a town in the Soviet Union and was asked by the over a minyan of people there to leave with them his Tefillin. since the ones they had were all pasul and couldn't be replaced. In principle the tourist agreed to be mezake all those people, but he had a problem of not being able to put Tefillin one day during his travel back.
Horav Yitzchok Zilberstein Shlit'a provides different opinions is one has to loose even one mitzva for benefiting others with many.
Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit”'a opinion is that in that particular case it is commendable he attends that minyan of Baalei Teshuva, if he is unable to find someone else to blow the Shofar there."
However, in this particular case if there is no acceptable minyan available, he does not have to join them.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as advised by Horav Shlomo Miller and Horav Aharon Miller Shlit'a
Q. Is it correct to announce in shul this Shabbos - Parshas Ki Seitze that we are going to read the Parsha of Amalek, so people can pay attention and have in mind to comply with this Biblical mitzva. This is needed since this coming year has an extra month of Adar and there will be 13 months until Parshas Zachor is read, and that is over the proscribed time of 12 months for forgetting?
A. Poskim disagree. Chasam Sofer (E.H 1: 119) debates the issue, Halichos Eben Yisroel (2: 408) quotes Horav Y.Y. Fisher zt'l that indeed people should have intention to comply with the mitzva on this Shabbos as the Parsha is read.
Orchos Rabbenu (3 p.33) mentions something similar. While Mishne Halochos is quoted as saying that we do not announce publicly but privately the 'Medakdekim' or careful ones should indeed have that intention. That is the opinion of several other authorities.
Halichos Shlomo maintains that there is no need to be concerned since Poskim did not mention this Halacha at all.
Horav Shlomo Miller's Shlit'a opinion is similar.
(See question 2249 regarding a similar question on Parshas Parah)
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as advised by Horav Shlomo Miller and Horav Aharon Miller Shlit’a
Q. If one buys a new Shofar does it need a certificate of Kashrut?
A. I quote from HaSofer.com:
"The only way you can be sure that you are buying a kosher shofar is if it has a hechsher, certification certificate, physically attached to it, normally an adhesive sticker. Many shofars are sold with no hechsher on them at all. And of those shofars that have a hechsher attached, generally the hechsher only certifies the source of the raw horn. That is, the hechsher certifies that the shofar came from an animal which is kosher to have its antlers made into a shofar: principally a sheep, goat or antelope. This certification of the source of the raw horn is often based on veterinary documentation alone without any actual inspection of the horns. But kashrut certification of a shofar doesn't end here! The hechsher must also indicate who made the shofar; that it has no holes, cracks, or plugs; and that it was not treated with any glue, lacquer or other coating. What is the concern here? An understanding of how shofars are made and what renders a shofar pasul, invalid for use on Rosh Hashanah, are required to answer that question.
A horn being made into a shofar can become pasul at almost any stage of the manufacturing process. The first step in making a shofar is boiling the horn to soften it to make it workable. Next, a long drill bit is used to clean out the interior of the horn. Finally, it is twisted into shape, sanded and polished. At any point the worker can accidentally make a hole in the shofar or the shofar can crack. If this happens, the worker can easily take horn dust, combine it with invisibly-drying glue, and fill and patch the horn. He then twists it into the desired shape in a way that further disguises the defect, and then sands and polishes the horn until it both looks and sounds like a kosher shofar. Most of the shofars produced in Israel are actually made by non-Jews who are paid by the piece, not by the hour. If the shofar he's working on becomes pasul due to a hole or a crack it is a financial loss to that individual worker. To avoid that monetary loss, it is easy for the worker to hide the defect, but the defective shofar is pasul for use on Rosh Hashanah. Without on-site supervision the only way to check a finished shofar to be certain it has no such patched holes is with an x-ray!
Another commonly found problem that pasuls a shofar is coating it with lacquer. This is done by disreputable shofar manufacturers in order to make the shofars less likely to break or to hide any defects such as cracks or holes that have been filled. Lacquering a shofar or covering it with plastic urethane pasuls it as it changes the sound coming out of the shofar. Decorative silver or leather coverings similarly pasul the shofar, making it good only as a display piece and not for use on Rosh Hashanah.
The market today is flooded with shofars which are made with no kashrut supervision or having a hechsher which only verifies that the shofar is made from a ram's horn. Even some of the better kashrut supervision only checks for cracks, filled holes and lacquering after the shofar is finished, when it is very hard to detect. Purchasing a genuinely kosher shofar requires checking who made the shofar, who certified it and that the certification covers all stages of making the shofar. Note that larger size shofars are more difficult to make and more often have problems during production, thus making the larger shofars considerably more expensive than smaller ones.
An additional factor for the kosher shofar consumer to be aware of is that the international demand for shofars has increased dramatically in recent years. In fact the largest market for shofars is actually the non-Jewish consumer who has no kashrut concerns with the shofar he buys. Businesses seeing this as a money-making opportunity are capitalizing on a “horn hungry market.” Both the New York Times and the Algemeiner Journal newspapers have featured articles in recent years about shofars made from molds using a combination of plastic ply fibers and leather glue. These “perfect shofars” look, sound and are priced just right, but are not kosher.
For many people shofars were traditionally imported from Morocco, but the new king pins are in China. No matter which country your shofar comes from, be certain it has a reliable hechsher physically attached to it certifying it to be kosher for use on Rosh Hashanah."
Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit”a opinion is similar.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as advised by Horav Shlomo Miller and Horav Aharon Miller Shlit'a
Q. Can I use a very old shofar that has been in our shul for many years. Do I have to be concerned that it may not be kasher anymore?
A. Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit”a opinion is that you should bring it to a competent Rov and have it checked for cracks and physical punctures and deficiencies that may be disqualifying. See Following question.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as advised by Horav Shlomo Miller and Horav Aharon Miller Shlit'a
Q. I would like to thank the Rabbi for setting up this shailes network that gives an accurate Halacha answer from Gedolim like Horav Miller Shlit'a to important shailes and also provides complete anonymity for the people asking them. Yasher Kochachem.
I live in a section of a town that has only a few minyanim. I happily daven in a shul that has a traditional Yeshivishe minyan, where I'm also the Baal Tokea there during Elul for years.
A new minyan of Baalei Teshuva began recently and they are urgently looking for someone to blow the shofar for them on Rosh Hashana. Since they are unable to find anyone, they are literally begging me to join them for Rosh Hashana. Do I have to abandon my great minyan and be their Baal Tokea?
A. Chashukei Chemed (Suka 41b) mentions a case of an American tourist who visited a town in the Soviet Union and was asked by the over a minyan of people there to leave with them his Tefillin. since the ones they had were all pasul and couldn't be replaced. In principle the tourist agreed to be mezake all those people, but he had a problem of not being able to put Tefillin one day during his travel back.
Horav Yitzchok Zilberstein Shlit'a provides different opinions is one has to loose even one mitzva for benefiting others with many.
Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit”'a opinion is that in our particular case it is commendable he attends that minyan of Baalei Teshuva, if he is unable to find someone else to blow the Shofar there.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as advised by Horav Shlomo Miller and Horav Aharon Miller Shlit'a
Q. Hello Rav, I am Baal Teshuva. I was told that since my grandparents have no frum descendants aside from me, that I should say Kaddish For them on their Yarhtzeit as long as my parents (who are alive) are okay with it. My question is: why would my parents not be okay with it? What is the concern exactly that a parent wouldn't want their child to be saying kaddish for someone else? Thank you. Kativa V'Chatima Tova!
A. The reason parents are careful not to have their children recite Kaddish while they are still alive. since it could be seen as a 'Ayin Horaa," and providing a symbol for unwanted things to be ready to come.
Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit”a opinion is that if the parents agree, he can recite the Kaddish for his grandparents.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as advised by Horav Shlomo Miller and Horav Aharon Miller Shlit'a
Q. Rav Shlomo Miller paskened that it is more important to be from the asara rishonim than to wake someone up for davening, as an alarm clock can be used. if the person says that the alarm clock is not so effective, or one feels obligated to do the chessed due to hakaras hatov, should one be mevater on being from the asara rishonim? Is there a difference between a regular day versus for example Yom Kippur - meaning, could one say to him On Yom Kippur I cannot wake you, as it is very important to me to be from the first ten?
A. Indeed, the Rov maintains that it is almost always achievable to have one wake up without having someone else present to do so. There are many different types of alarm clocks and some also have pads that vibrate strongly and can wake up anybody.
The Rov also suggested to call him on his phone and ascertain that he is awake. He may provide another person to wake him, in order not to lose the great spiritual gain of being from the Asara Rishonim. This would work on Yom Kippur too.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as advised by Horav Shlomo Miller and Horav Aharon Miller Shlit'a
Q. My family owns a cottage we use during the Summer months, and we often go away for several days or during weekends. We wonder if we leave on the outside garden a large BBQ grill, if we have to be concerned that someone may have come and used it when we were not there, as the garden isn't locked out, and therefore it is not kosher anymore. Is that a real concern?
A. Since it is unlikely that a stranger braking in into your property would clean up the grill properly, you can easily tell if it was used unlawfully by someone else. Besides you may also tell by the amount of propane extant.
The Rov also recommends in general to have security cameras installed for different reasons. The fact that these cameras are indeed common in our days, makes it unlikely that one should be concerned that their grill was used by strangers.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as advised by Horav Shlomo Miller and Horav Aharon Miller Shlit'a
Q. My father bought me an Israeli shofar that has a decorative silver covering. Can I use it on Rosh Hashana.
A. Shulchan Aruch (O.H. 586: 16-18) rules that if a shofar has a gold decorative covering and it reaches the place of the mouth or the inside parts, it becomes disqualified. The same applies if the covering in any way changes the natural sound of the shofar. Mishna Berura (16) debates what opening is being addressed, and rules to include both.
On question 860 regarding an engraved shofar with outside decorations that are only superficial or if it has only engraved the initials of the owner or a label with his name, we wrote: "Shulchan Aruch (O.H. 586: 17) rules that it is improper to paint the shofar. Tur quoting Ramban explains that the paint may change the sound of the shofar. (See also Mishna Berura and Kaf Hachaim ibid.) However Remo (ibid.) writes that it is permitted to engrave decorations on the shofar itself. The reason being that even if the sound changes it is from the shofar itself and not due to some extraneous material painted or laid on it. Changing the sound in itself is not detrimental, since all voices from a shofar are acceptable.
However Kaf hachaim (586: 122,) Piskei Teshuvos (ibid.) Zichron Terua (p. 69) and others maintain that it is better not to engrave the shofar at all, since one may accidentally perforate the shofar and disqualify it.
Gluing a label with an identifying name on it, as mentioned before regarding paint, is also improper (Piskey Teshuvos ibid. 10)
Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit”a opinion is that it is of utmost importance to maintain the traditional ways of observing mitzvos and not to absorb new meaningless alterations, since there are many reasons why we comply with time-honored traditions. This is especially important in regards to the essential mitzva of shofar. (If someone is afraid that his shofar mat be taken by others, he should place it in a becoming bag with his name on it, as we do with the ta’alis and tefilin)"
Since it is very difficult to asses whether there was a change on the sound of the shofar real due to the silver covering and there are real possibilities that some small cracks may have been created during the covering process, the Rov maintains that this shofar should be avoided when it is blown for complying with the mitzva. However it could be used for the added stringent voices some do after davening
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as advised by Horav Shlomo Miller and Horav Aharon Miller Shlit'a
Q. Can women who always are careful to come to the blowing of the Shofar, eat before? Do they have to make Kiddush?
A. Shulchan Aruch (O.H. 589: 3, 6) rules that although women are exempt from the mitzva of Tekias Shofar, since it is time dependent, they are encouraged to comply with it and listen or recite the blessing.
Poskim write that even if they have accepted the mitzva as an obligation, and they always attend to Tekias Shofar, when in need, they are allowed to make Kiddush before and eat (Chayei Adam 141: 7, Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 129: 19, Nitei Gavriel 40: 3, and others).
Horav Shlomo Miller's Shlit'a opinion is similar.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as advised by Horav Shlomo Miller and Horav Aharon Miller Shlit'a
Q. I heard that some Sefarim rule that a Shofar is muktza on the night of Rosh Hashana and cannot be handled when you are not allowed to blow it. Is that correct?
A. Kovetz Halachos (Rosh Hashana 10: 11, p.126) quoting Horav Shmuel Kamemetzky Shlit'a debates the issue. He depends it on the Halacha whether the prohibition of muktza can apply to only a part of Shabbos or Yom Tov. He quotes Mishna Berura (331: 15) that it does, when it applies to the prohibition of muktza due to being a 'Keli Shemelachto Leissur" or a utensil used for a prohibitive act. However, he remains in doubt.
Horav Shlomo Miller's Shlit'a opinion is that it does not and the shofar is not muktza at all during the day or night of Rosh Hashana, when it does not coincide with Shabbos.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as advised by Horav Shlomo Miller and Horav Aharon Miller Shlit'a
Q. Someone visits periodically a chronic old age patient in an Old Age Hospital. The patient is intubated and can't communicate verbally, but his mind seems fine and answers with signs and smiles. Can he put on tefilin on him? Can he recite a bracha for him?
A. Horav Shlomo Miller's Shlit'a opinion is that if he can ask the staff and assess that he has been cleaned recently and properly, he may don Tefillin on him but without reciting a brocho.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as advised by Horav Shlomo Miller and Horav Aharon Miller Shlit'a
Q. If someone stores in the garage smelly garbage cans, that often contain diapers too, is that garage exempt from a Mezuzah?
A. Horav Shlomo Miller's Shlit'a opinion is that the garbage cans should be kept inside another bigger container, that also shields and protects from the smell.
This applies even if the Mezuza is placed as usual on the outside of the garage door, since often people may say a brocho or words of Torah inside the garage.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as advised by Horav Shlomo Miller and Horav Aharon Miller Shlit'a
Q. I own a Kosher restaurant in a small town. The Kashruth certification is given by the local Rabbi. Is it correct for me to pay for that service directly to the Rabbi, as there is practically no other way to do it? Could this be interpreted as a case of potential bribery. since he would not be paid if he declares the place not Kosher?
A. Horav Shlomo Miller's Shlit'a opinion based on the Chazon Ish (Emuna U’Bitachon (3: 30), would indeed permit doing so, as the prohibition of Shochad or bribery that blind the eyes of the wise, and carries a most impure power (Koach HaTum’ah) applies basically to a Beis Din monetary litigation between two parts.
The Chazon Ish thus explains how anyone can follow a lenient Halacha decision he reads on the Mishna Berura or similar seforim, and applies it to his everyday shailes, when it may involve costs, effort or exertion. If he is truthful, he doesn't have to be concerned maybe he is deciding wrong even if after all there is blinding bribery involved in his decision.
The Rov further explained that monetary disputes between two or more sides, involve more powerful interests and profound involvement, than other issues.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as advised by Horav Shlomo Miller and Horav Aharon Miller Shlit'a
Q. Re- question 3295 regarding the permit for someone traveling by plane to face the bathroom wall or door while davening. Does the same Heter (permit) apply for someone facing in the street or his window a construction portable toilet?
A. Although in the case of the bathroom plane we mentioned that Poskim are lenient, in this particular situation Horav Shlomo Miller's Shlit'a opinion is that one should avoid davening or saying any words of Kedusha facing a construction portable toilet.
This applies even if the walls and door are of two layers, since they are mainly made for the purpose of the inside room and not for any room on the outside, and unlike an airplane, they are placed on open spaces.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as advised by Horav Shlomo Miller and Horav Aharon Miller Shlit'a
Q. Can one sleeping in a Suka on Shabbat and Yom Tov wear the recently available watches or bands that emit ultrasonic waves to repel mosquitoes, bees and other harmful insects?
A. Horav Shlomo Miller's Shlit'a opinion is that they are not muktza when needed and are similar to the common electric watches.
Although many maintain that those watches and bands are ineffective, if one wants to use them anyway, he is permitted to do so.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as advised by Horav Shlomo Miller and Horav Aharon Miller Shlit'a
Important Numbers
