Short & Sweet Text Message Responsa of Ha-Rav Shlomo Aviner Shlit"a Volume 1 © Copyright 5772 All rights reserved. Parts of this publication may be translated or transmitted for non-business purposes. Translated by Rabbi Mordechai Tzion Edited by Orly Tzion Computer typesetting by Rabbi Moshe Kaplan To learn more of Rav Aviner's Torah or subscribe to weekly e-mails: www.ateret.org.il and www.ravaviner.com Published by: American Friends of Yeshivat Ateret Yerushalayim, Inc. PO BOX 1076 Jerusalem, Israel 91009 To order this book: www.toratravaviner.com Telephone: 02-628-4101 daiyl miray oa A Seventy-year-old reaches fullness of years (Pirkei Avot 5:25 – dk ,d zea` iwxt) ycwen df xtq ly 70-d zcled mei ceakl cec a"ryz hay 'f i`lire mzex This book is dedicated in honor of the 70th Birthday of David 7 Shevet 5772 Rotem and Ila'i ycwen df xtq xwid epcici ly ez`etxl dcedi xfril` oa `cixt dxy ± dad`a oeiv zgtyn ilxe`e ikcxn a`ild`e `zli ,l`lva ycwen df xtq ly eceakl oeiv ikcxn axd `yicw `xag wxei eip ,eletac TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION . .13 Text Message Q&A ....................................14 Text Message Responsa .................................17 ORACH CHAIM (Laws of Daily Living)............... 20 Netilat Yadayim .......................................20 Kippah ...............................................21 Tzitzit ................................................26 Tefillin ...............................................32 Birkot Ha-Torah .......................................39 Bar Mitzvah ...........................................40 Prayer with Minyan ....................................40 Prayer – Shaliach Tzibur ................................44 Shemoneh Esrei .......................................46 Prayer – Misc. Laws ....................................50 Birkat Cohanim ........................................59 Torah Reading ........................................61 Minchah ..............................................62 Maariv/Night-time Shema............................... 63 Laws of a Shul ........................................65 Netilat Yadayim before Eating........................... 71 Meals ................................................72 Blessings on Food .....................................74 Birkat Ha-Mazon .......................................77 Tefilat Ha-Derech ......................................78 Misc. Blessings ........................................80 Shabbat – Preparation, Candle Lighting, etc................ 87 Shabbat – Kiddush & Meals............................. 88 e8E Short & Sweet Shabbat – Prayers, Torah Reading, Learning Parashah...... 90 Shabbat – Muktze ......................................91 Shabbat – Carrying ....................................92 Shabbat – Forbidden Labors............................ 94 Shabbat – Misc. ..................................... 108 Shabbat – Havdalah & Motza'ei Shabbat................ 111 Rosh Chodesh ....................................... 112 Pesach – Chametz, Kitniyot............................ 113 Pesach – Matzah ..................................... 117 Pesach – Seder ...................................... 118 Pesach – Misc. ...................................... 120 Sefirat Ha-Omer – Period of Mourning.................. 120 Yom Ha-Shoah ...................................... 124 Yom Ha-Zikaron and Yom Ha-Atzmaut................. 124 Lag Ba-Omer ....................................... 127 Second Day of Yom Tov............................. 129 Chol Ha-Moed ...................................... 130 Three Weeks ........................................ 130 Tisha Be-Av ......................................... 131 Fast Days ........................................... 132 Kotel Ha-Ma'aravi .................................... 133 Elul ................................................ 139 Rosh Hashanah ..................................... 140 Yom Kippur ......................................... 142 Forgiveness ......................................... 143 Sukkot ............................................. 146 Shemini Atzeret/Simchat Torah........................ 149 Chanukah .......................................... 149 Purim .............................................. 151 TABLE OF CONTENTS e9E YOREH DEAH (All laws not related to daily living, Family Law or Civil Law)......................... 155 Kashrut ............................................. 155 Tevilat Kelim – Immersing Utensils in Mikveh............ 164 Bishul Akum ........................................ 166 Family Purity ........................................ 167 Mikveh ............................................. 168 Avodah Zarah – Idol Worship......................... 170 Heresy ............................................. 177 Darkei Emori – Superstition........................... 178 Endangering One's Life for Another.................... 185 Danger ............................................. 186 Shaving and Haircuts ................................. 188 "Lo Yilbash" (Prohibition of Cross-Dressing or appearing as the opposite gender)........................... 194 Chukot Ha-Goyim – Customs of the Non-Jews........... 195 Tattoo .............................................. 197 Honoring Father and Mother.......................... 198 Rabbis and Torah Scholars............................ 203 Maran Ha-Rav Kook ................................. 213 Teachers and Students ................................ 217 Torah Learning ...................................... 221 Tzedakah and Ma'aser Kesafim........................ 232 Brit Milah ........................................... 237 Names ............................................. 240 Conversion ......................................... 244 Sefer Torah ......................................... 246 Honoring Books, Geniza and Holy Symbols............. 246 Mezuzah ............................................ 251 Shiluach Ha-Ken (Shooing away a Mother Bird)......... 253 Orlah .............................................. 254 e10E Short & Sweet Pidyon Ha-Ben ...................................... 254 Challah ............................................. 255 Shemitah ........................................... 257 Kedushat Cohanim ................................... 257 Burial, Cemeteries and Kivrei Tzadikim (Graves of the Righteous)......................... 259 Mourning ........................................... 265 EVEN HA-EZER (Family Law)..................... 272 Finding a Match . 272 Wedding ............................................ 283 Marriage ............................................ 295 Hair Covering ....................................... 303 Child-Bearing ....................................... 304 Child-Rearing ....................................... 308 Chanukat Ha-Bayit ................................... 313 Modesty ............................................ 313 Shemirat Negi'ah .................................... 324 Clothing and Jewelry ................................. 327 Beauty ............................................. 331 Yichud ............................................. 332 Divorce ............................................. 332 CHOSHEN MISHPAT (Civil Law)................ 336 Beit Din and Courts .................................. 336 Loans/Debt ......................................... 336 Business Partners .................................... 337 Buying and Selling ................................... 337 Lost Objects ......................................... 342 Employers and Employees............................ 344 Jobs/Professions ..................................... 345 TABLE OF CONTENTS e11E Tza'ar Ba'alei Chaim (cruelty to animals)................ 347 Animals – Misc. ...................................... 350 Theft/Deception ...................................... 351 Lying .............................................. 361 Damages ........................................... 362 Bal Tashchit (Wanton Destruction)..................... 364 Neighbors ........................................... 366 OTHER TOPICS LASHON HA-RA (speaking ill against others)............. 367 PROPER CHARACTER TRAITS . 371 MEDICAL ETHICS .................................... 375 HOLOCAUST ........................................ 382 AM YISRAEL ......................................... 384 RELIGIOUS ANTI-ZIONISTS ............................ 390 ZIONISM ............................................ 392 HEBREW ........................................... 394 ERETZ YISRAEL ...................................... 396 STATE OF ISRAEL .................................... 404 TZAHAL ............................................ 411 POLLARD ........................................... 419 NON-JEWS .......................................... 420 RELATING TO ARABS ................................. 421 WAR/TERRORISM .................................... 425 REDEMPTION/MESSIAH ............................... 429 WORLD TO COME ................................... 432 FAITH .............................................. 434 MITZVOT ........................................... 447 AUTHOR’S BIOGRAPHY............................. 450 B INTRODUCTION More than 200 on an average day, 500 per day before a holiday, and 800 per day during times of war… This is the number of text message questions received by Ha-Rav Shlomo Aviner Shlit"a – Rosh Yeshiva of Ateret Yerushalayim (in the heart of the Old City of Jerusalem) and Rav of Beit El. With unwavering dedication to the Nation of Israel, an amazing breadth of Torah knowledge, and