The Unlucky Winner: Raffles & Reneging
Avraham Chaim Bloomenstiel 3 Teves 5786 (Dec. 23, 2025) QUESTION: The bakery in our neighborhood ran a promotion in which anyone who bought challos every erev Shabbos in Adar 5785…
Gevinas Yisroel vs. Gevinas Akum: The Making of Kosher Cheese II
The Rishonim For our purposes, the most pertinent rishonim are the Rambam and Rabbeinu Tam. The Rambam (Ma’akhalos Asuros 3:13), similarly the Rif and the Geonim, hold that the ikkar…
Gevinas Yisroel vs. Gevinas Akum: The Making of Kosher Cheese I
By Rav Avraham Chaim Bloomenstiel Introduction I have been asked a few times: “Why does cheese need a hekhsher?” In response, I usually ask, especially if the inquirer is well-versed…
Tallis Katan & Chassidic Minhag – Over or Under?
by Rav Avraham Chaim Bloomenstiel Question: It was the view of the Arizal that one should not wear the tzitzis exposed. Given the fact that the Arizal is the source…
Rabbeinu Tam & Fast Days
By Rav Avraham Chaim Bloomenstiel Question: If I keep the zman Rabbeinu Tam for motzei shabbos and holidays, must I observe it for fast days as well? Answer: There are…