1) A male's mother in law is considered an "Ervah" to him and there are no leniencies toward her regarding touching, kissing or hugging her, and in fact this may be more stringent in regards to her than other females. (See Talmud Kidushin 12b and Bava Basra 98b)
This is true both during the engagement period as well as after the marriage.
2) Although many people call their mothers in law by the title "Mother" , "Mommy" or similar, and indeed there is an obligation to respect a mother in law as one's mother, still the prohibitions against touching, hugging or kissing or being alone with her are in full force, as halachically she isn't like one's own mother.
The same applies to one's sisters in law; they are considered "Ervah" and care must be taken to avoid physically touching them in any way. (See Nidchei Yisroel from the Chofetz Chaim Perk 24 at length regarding "relatives")
QUESTION & ANSWER CORNER
Reader Submitted Questions of interest on topics related to Halachos we covered, as well as other interesting topic and Answers.
These Q&A are taken from the Q & A pages on the Halacha For Today website.
Although the answers I give to questions are taken directly from the Sifrei HaPoskim, and aren't my own, they are still for study purposes only, NOT for Psak Halacha.
Questions can be emailed to HalachaForToday@Gmail.com
Reader's Question:
Can someone light their first Shabbos candle from a shabbos candle that is already burning?
Answer:
The Poskim do allow using a lit shabbos candle to ignite another candle.
However, it's best not to pick up the lit candle and light the unlit candle, rather take the unlit candle and bring it to the flame of the lit candle.
A lit shabbos candle, however, may not be used to ignite a match or another non shabbos candle etc. (See Mishnah Berurah Siman 263:4 and Biur Halacha).
CHIZUK CORNER
This section is dedicated L'Ilui Nishmas the late Telzer Rosh Yeshiva , HaRav Chaim Yaakov ben Rav Binyomin Moshe Stein Zatzal.
We will B'Ezras Hashem post here each day a short inspirational thought to help us all improve our lives and grow in our service of our Father in heaven, HaKadosh Baruch Hu.
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THANK YOU AND תזכו למצות!
זכר צדיק וקדוש לברכה
"People ask me how to achieve humility. That is a ridiculous notion. If you want to understand humility, all you have to do is look at the difference between what you are and what you are supposed to be!"
Rabbi Mordechai of Lechovitz Zatzal quoted in Sefer Torah Tavlin
Important Numbers
