Halacha Headlines

Are there halachic caps or guidelines on salaries and benefits? Does nepotism ever become a legal or halachic problem? What constitutes “reasonable compensation” for operators of religious non-profits? Can money be taken out in indirect ways, such as consulting fees?

Why do we rely on leniency these day when the Heter was due to שעת הדחק and we don’t have a shortage of food? If the Heter is based on Safek, nowadays the Safek is verifiable and can’t be relied upon If a store has information posted that it’s not Yoshon – there’s no Safek at all – what do people rely on? Why are people making on Stam Cholov which is maybe a Safek Derabbanan and not on this? If a person needed to eat because of פיקוח נפש and it was a question of הקל הקל תחלה should he eat Chodosh or drink Stam Cholov? People spend a lot of money and time checking vegtables for bugs which the obligation to check is Derabanan but blatantly eat Chodosh – why? Why does everyone spends thousands of dollars on computer check of a sefer Torah and here it’s easy to access the information and for free? Why are Chasidim so lenient – How does a story from the Baal Shem Tov uproot Halacha – even if it’s true we go with halacha not stories – we can uproot all the Torah if it’s controlled by stories not Halacha? Chassidim specifically love to quote Chasam Sofer “חדש אסור מן התורה” – when it comes to any slight deviance of Minhag or even culture – and חדש itself they don’t care about?

How has the role of being a Rav changed due to the war? What should a shul’s policy be when a siren goes off during davening? How are people doing emotionally with the constant sirens, sleep deprivation and stress? What are the most interesting or unusual halachic questions that were asked during the war?

Do we also receive a Neshamah Yeseirah on Yom Tov? Does it have any effect on our capacity to eat? Is there any medical or scientific basis for the claim that calories are “absorbed” by the Neshamah Yeseirah and therefore don’t count on Shabbos and Yom Tov? What are some practical ways to manage our eating on Pesach while still fully enjoying the Yom Tov? Sign-up to jog or walk with Meir Kaniel at: https://www.runnergize.com/headlines Sign-up to exercise with Adam Ezekiel at: https://www.soulactive.health/30daychallenge

What makes gambling so alluring, and how widespread is it? To what extent is gambling linked to following professional sports? What strategies are effective in helping someone quit gambling? Should watching professional sports be banned? If a child uses a parent’s credit card to gamble without permission, is that considered stealing? Halachically speaking, is the parent responsible for charges made by the child?

Does collateral damage in war have a limit – can you destroy a missile base that will kill many civilians in the town nearby. Can you hit a nuclear reactor that will contaminate millions? Are citizens who support the regime considered combatants? What Issurim can you be Doche because of mental health – using phones on Shabbos, or other electric devices that will calm them down? Does Iran have a Din of an active Rodef if it’s only something in the future – they’re in middle of making a nuclear bomb that won’t be ready for another two years? Is it a Milchemes Mitzvah to start it on Shabbos ? Can you be Mechalel Shabbos for preventive action – such as attacking on Shabbos to preempt an act (Is it תלוי בהותרה או דחויה- smoking while driving a tank)? Do you have to go to a shelter (odds of getting hurt are very small)? Is a tank Chayuv in Mezuza? Can you make it into a Sukkah? Light Chanukah Neiros? Can you listen do the Megillah on zoom? And more….

Can a family member who is less qualified be hired before a more qualified candidate? Must admissions be based on merit? When is nepotism allowed? Can the Menahel/Principal keep any donations (bribes?) made to him personally? What if they are non-monetary, like expensive liquor, a new megillah, etc. Can the son of the Menahel sell access to his father?

Is failure to disclose a significant personality disorder considered a mekach ta’us in marriage? Are there halachos guiding how to treat one’s spouse during divorce, especially in high-conflict cases? When is it appropriate to turn to secular courts during divorce proceedings – for example, to obtain a restraining order against a spouse? Can refusal to go to the mikveh be considered a halachic violation when used as a tool in marital conflict?

What’s the best path for serving Hashem in our generation? Does it have to be one or the other? Can it be a combination?

Does the historical precedent against it prohibit change? Does is violate our Mesorah? Is the Israeli Supreme Court’s push for women’s Rabbanut Semicha a religious goal or part of a broader feminist push?

How does coming to Israel for yeshiva and seminary affect a student’s mental health? When do difficult emotional feelings cross the line from normal struggles to something that should be addressed? Should a student who believes another is emotionally unstable report that behavior to the school administration? What are the key similarities and differences in how boys and girls experience stress, anxiety, depression, or other emotional pressures?

Do you need a human mind for Psak? Do you need Shimush? Do you need human emotion for Psak? Can a computer be called שופט שבימיך? And much more…… Why would there be a Kol Korah against AI?

What practical strategies can help us reduce phone usage and establish healthy boundaries? Does someone need to stop usage fully or can partial solutions be effective? What behaviors can we change in as little as thirty days? Does it last? To sign up for the Headlines “30-day Phone Challenge”: https://chat.whatsapp.com/EAGHMhEm2mQ4ilA7FTNXby To donate for Rav Zev Leff’s Haggada Set – https://pay.banquest.com/mchonkisveiravzevleff; for donations in Israel https://nedar.im/BGEu; for more information contact Shimon Leff at leffshimon@gmail.com

· Can a cellphone be used in shul for non-tefillah purposes? · Does mindless scrolling on a phone constitute an issur of bitul zman? · Is it preferable to daven from a physical siddur rather than from a phone? · How do our phones affect our relationships with our spouse, children, and friends? · What practical strategies can help us reduce usage and establish healthy boundaries?

Is it possible to determine that an abuser is no longer a risk? What’s the success rate of treating serious abusers? Why do community leaders sometimes advocate for the early release of an abuser? How does halacha view cases where a Jewish prisoner receives a disproportionate sentence? Should the community celebrate someone’s release from prison?

Why are they asking? Is it legal? May you lie? How’s it affecting High School girls?

Why do married women cover their hair? Is a tichel preferable to a sheitel? Why do some women shave their heads after marriage?

What draws men to these gatherings? How do they impact the home — especially when alcohol is involved? What is the halachic basis for tasting food before Shabbos? What are the halachic concerns with entering Shabbos intoxicated or eating too close to Shabbos? What should an ideal Erev Shabbos look like?

Does a person smuggling in drugs have a Din of a Rodef? Can you report someone who’s trying to sell drugs in the community? What to be aware of when someone asks you to take a package? What causes suicide in our community? How common is it?

How common are controversies over leadership in the Litvish yeshiva system? Is the Ponevezh controversy unique? What were the main points of the machlokes and how did they develop? Who halachically owns assets donated to a yeshiva — the Rosh Yeshiva, the fundraiser, or the institution itself? When, if ever, may a yeshiva bring a dispute to secular arbitration or secular court rather than to Beis Din?