Halacha Headlines

Halacha Headlines
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Aug 14, 2025 • 56min

8/16/25 – Shiur 524 – Steal with a Click? The Halachic Ethics of Downloading Music, Seforim, and Media without authorization

Can you own intellectual property? Can it be stolen if it's not tangible and there's no act of theft? Do you have to pay for enjoyment? Dina D'Malcusa Dina Aveida M'Daas And much more..... with Rabbi Yosef Dovid Josilowsky – Dayan, Beis HaVaad – 13:10 with Rabbi Chaim Jachter – Rav of Sha’arei Orah in Teaneck, Dayan on the Elizabeth Beis Din – 35:40 מראי מקומות   
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Aug 4, 2025 • 2h 25min

8/9/25 – Shiur 523 – Tznius Standards: Clear Halacha or Personal Interpretation? What’s Required and Why It’s Being Ignored

Join Rabbi Dovid Ostroff, a posek with deep expertise in Tzniut, Mrs. Chani Juravel, a licensed social worker and educator, Rabbi Anthony Manning, an author and Jewish educator, and Rabbi Larry Rothwachs, a community rabbi, as they navigate the complexities of Tznius standards. They discuss the psychological impacts of modesty teachings, the importance of empathy in education, and how communal norms can shape individual observance. Their insights tackle the balance between halachic requirements and personal interpretations, fostering a nuanced understanding of modesty today.
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Jul 25, 2025 • 1h 38min

7/26/25 – Shiur 522 – Smoking and vaping – Is there any heter? What do smokers rely on?

Do any contemporary Poskim permit smoking? Is vaping halachically better than smoking? What’s the argument that smoking is permitted?  What are the risks of second-hand smoking and vaping? If someone already smokes, do they need to quit? How far must a smoker distance himself from others? Host: Ari Wasserman, author of the newly published, revised and expanded book Making it Work, on workplace challenges and Halachic Q & A on the Job With Rabbi Yehuda Spitz – prolific author and Rosh Chaburah of the Ohr Lagolah Halacha Kollel, Ohr Somayach in Eretz Yisroel – 8:21 With Rabbi Dr. Aaron Glatt – Associate Rabbi at the Young Israel of Woodmere, Chairman, Department of Medicine at Mount Sinai South Nassau – 36:21 With Rav Rafael Kleinman – smoker of 35 years – 54:20 with Rabbi Yossi Sprung – Rav of Shaare Zedek Medical Center and Rosh Beis Medresh, Beis Medrash Govoha for Medical Halacha – 1:13:24 Conclusions and takeaways – 1:35:09 מראי מקומות   
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Jul 17, 2025 • 1h 19min

7/19/25 – Shiur 521 – Jew vs. Jew: The Housing Fight Tearing Rockland Apart

Is it permissible according to Halacha to establish communal guidelines or enactments that restrict the sale or purchase of homes within a defined radius of the community? May a Jew purchase property in a predominantly Jewish neighborhood with the intent to rent it out to non-Jews? Does it matter what type of tenants are placed in the property—for example, individuals of questionable character, multiple families, or undocumented immigrants? If such tenants are likely to negatively impact the spiritual atmosphere of the neighborhood, is that a legitimate halachic concern that should be weighed? Can one invoke the principle of kim li in a way that causes harm to others—for instance, to justify behavior that may otherwise be morally questionable? with Rabbi Shlomo Perlstein – Rav in the Summit Park shul ,Rosh Kollel of the Choshen Mishpat Kollel of Monsey, as the Rosh Chabura for the Kollel in Yeshiva Or Yisroel (Monsey), Moreh Horaah for the Kav Halacha in Yerushalayim – 11:53 with Rabbi Elie Moskowitz – Neighbor – 35:45 with Rabbi Zalman Graus – Renowned Dayan, and Mechaber Seforim – 49:31 מראי מקומות   
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Jul 11, 2025 • 1h 33min

7/12/25 – Shiur 520 – When is competition allowed and when does it violate “Hasagas Gevul”?

Can a second business open up next to another and compete? What if the second business will hurt or destroy the first business? What does a Beis Din do when potential Hasagas Gevul issues come before it? How does Hasagas Gevul apply in our modern, large cities nowadays? Is the prohibition of Hasagas Gevul only on the new competitor, or also on those who purchase from him? Host: Ari Wasserman, author of the newly published, revised and expanded book Making it Work, on workplace challenges and Halachic Q & A on the Job with Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz – Rov of Bais Haknesses of North Woodmere and Head of Semicha at RIETs  – 12:02 with Rabbi Dovid Schoen – Av Bais Din for The Bais Din of Florida – 35:32 with Rabbi Dovid Grossman – Rosh Bais HaVaad, Lakewood, NJ – 1:00:48 Conclusions and takeaways – 1:25:54 מראי מקומות   
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Jul 3, 2025 • 1h 18min

7/5/25 – Shiur 519 – Hashgacha Pratis: is Hashem watching over you every minute..

The Shitos in the Rishonim The Baal Shem Tov and the Gra's Shita If you hold like the Rambam and the Ramban's Shita are you an Apikorus according to the Gra and Baal Shem Tov Is Hashem busy with the animal kimgdom? Can you do something to someone if it wasn't preordained?  Why do bad things happen in the world? What's the point of Hishtadlus if everything is preordained? What does Hester Panim mean?  with Rabbi Elyada Goldvicht – Rov in Raanana, Rosh Yeshiva of Semichas Chaver – 11:57 with Rabbi DovBer Pinson – Rosh Kolel of the IYYUN Yeshiva/Kolel, is the Marah D’asra of 84 Viola, Mechaber Seforim – 20:51 with Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz – R'm in Yeshivas Shalavim, Mechaber Sefer on Hashgacha Pratis – 39:54 מראי מקומות   
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Jun 26, 2025 • 1h 28min

6/28/25 – Shiur 518 – Into the Danger Zone? The risks of being in Israel during a time of war. When is risk-taking permitted?

Can you visit Israel during a war due to the danger? How do hospitals deal with patients during missile alerts? Is there an obligation to go to a bomb shelter while you are learning Torah? Is it permitted to travel to and from Israel via Egypt, Jordan or Cyprus when Ben Gurion Airport is closed? Can someone in Yerushalayim travel to Bnei Brak or Tel Aviv where it’s more dangerous? Host: Ari Wasserman, author of the newly published, revised and expanded book Making it Work, on workplace challenges and Halachic Q & A on the Job You can order "Halachic Q & A on the Job” at https://mosaicapress.com/product/halachic-q-a-on-the-job/ with Rabbi Anthony Manning – Jewish educator, author and speaker – 12:22 with Dov Kram – general contractor and project manager in Israel – 39:15 with Rabbi Yossi Sprung – Rav of Shaare Zedek Medical Center and  Rosh Beis Medresh, Beis Medrash Govoha for Medical Halacha – 49:31 Conclusions and takeaways – 1:21:46 מראי מקומות   
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Jun 19, 2025 • 1h 46min

6/21/25 – Shiur 517 – The “Iran War” – on the Halachic Frontlines

Is it prohibited to go to Minyan when the “Home Front Command” and Chief Rabbis say not to go? Can you carry a phone on Shabbos to hear the warnings of incoming missiles? Can you leave on the news (radio, TV, Internet) on Shabbos to hear what’s going on? Should we say Hamapil before sleep, since we may need to immediately head to the bomb shelter? Do you need to wash Netilas Yadayim before heading to a bomb shelter in the middle of the night? Does the IDF need to be concerned that the bombing of nuclear reactors could cause “collateral damage” to millions of Iranian citizens? What’s life like right now living in Israel with regular Iranian missile attacks? Host: Ari Wasserman, author of the newly published, revised and expanded book Making it Work, on workplace challenges and Halachic Q & A on the Job You can order "Halachic Q & A on the Job” at https://mosaicapress.com/product/halachic-q-a-on-the-job/ with Rabbi Dr. Yitzchak Breitowitz – posek, Rav and Senior Lecturer at Yeshivas Ohr Somayach – 18:42 with Rabbi Dovid Ostroff – posek and teacher at many seminaries in Yerushalayim – 45:06 with Mrs. Sivan Rahav-Meir - media personality, prolific author and lecturer – 1:02:58 with Rabbi Dr. Shlomo Brody – Executive Director of Ematai, author of “Ethics of Our Fighters” – 1:16:04 Conclusions and takeaways – 1:37:00 מראי מקומות   
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Jun 11, 2025 • 59min

6/14/25 – Shiur 516 – The irreligious and Yayin Nesech Clearing up common misconceptions

Why is wine touched by a non-Jew prohibited? Does this prohibition apply to a non-Jew who’s not an idol worshipper? Is this extended to a nonreligious Jew who doesn’t keep Shabbos? What is the status of someone who desecrates Shabbos but goes to shul or makes Kiddush? What is the law of someone who’s embarrassed to desecrate Shabbos in front of a prominent person? Do you need witnesses to testify in front of Beis Din to deem someone a Mechalel Shabbos? Are you allowed to give non-religious Jews wine for them to drink? Does touching a bottle of wine prohibit the wine? with Rabbi Nachum Rabinowitz – Senior Rabbinic Coordinator of the OU and a Rov in Boro Park – 16:48 with Rabbi Beirach Steinfeld – Rov of Khal Dover Tov in Flatbush and Head of Dover Tov Kashrus – 39:28 מראי מקומות   
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May 29, 2025 • 2h 11min

5/31/25 – Shiur 515 – Is A Psychedelic Trip the Derech HaShem?

Is using psychedelic drugs to get close to Hashem a Mitzvah or Aveira? What about for therapeutic and recreational purposes? How do psychedelics affect people and what are the side effects? Are people in the frum world really using these drugs and, if so, how broadly? How should we think about Rabbanim who use - and advise others to use – psychedelics? Host: Ari Wasserman, author of the newly published, revised and expanded book Making it Work, on workplace challenges and Halachic Q & A on the Job You can order "Halachic Q & A on the Job” at https://mosaicapress.com/product/halachic-q-a-on-the-job/ with Rabbi Dr. Dovid Fox – Dayan, forensic and clinical psychologist, Director of Crisis and Trauma Services for Chai Lifeline – 12:08 with Rabbi Akiva Dershowitz – Rosh Kollel, Toras Efrayim Shlomo, Yerushalayim – 44:07 with Dr. Jacob Freedman – psychiatrist, speaker and author – 44:07 with Mrs Sarit-Chen Kreutoro – Social Worker and Teacher for Maalot Bakodesh (To donate to Maalot click here)– 1:18:36 with Rabbi Dr. Benjamin Epstein – psychologist and author of Living in the Presence – 1:40:28 Conclusions and Takeaways – 2:03:24 מראי מקומות   

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