Halacha Headlines

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?

What are the primary risks and the necessary gedarim? May a Rabbi teach Torah to women or girls? What about one-on-one? How should one handle a situation where women attending a class are not dressed modestly? What can be done about predators who exploit those they are being mekareiv?

Now that there’s a Frum brigade what’s the justification of Frum people at least who aren’t learning not to go to the army? If there’s a shortage of soliders why wouldn’t yeshiva bochurim be obligated to join – isn’t Pikuach Nefesh Doche the whole Torah? If the Frum will become a majority in the country what will you do then? If Torah obligates hishtadlus, what is the minimum practical hishtadlus a nation must take to prevent harm? Can tefillah alone replace defensive capability? If the IDF ceased to exist tomorrow, what do you realistically foresee happening to Jewish cities like Bnei Brak, Ashdod, or Yerushalayim?

How common is online dating in the Yeshivish community? What about Modern Orthodox? Is it ever acceptable to adjust your age, height, or weight on a dating profile? Should men and women post profile photos, and what are the concerns? Is using an older photo to appear younger misleading? What are the halachos of leaving feedback or “reviews” for shadchanim or daters?

Why does bullying happen, and who is most at risk? How should victims respond, and what are the best ways for families, teachers, and community leaders to intervene? How should the bullies themselves be dealt with? What practical strategies can we employ to prevent abuse and foster respect? Please donate to the 10 orphans of the Makeler family in Rechovot, Israel https://www.charidy.com/keren375?2

Is NY surrounded by walls? Does that help? Was Reb Moshe’s Shita a Chumra or a Kula And much much more….