The Q & A with Rabbi Breitowitz Podcast

Dedication opportunities are available for episodes and series at https://ohr.edu/donate/qa Questions? Comments? podcasts@ohr.edu Yeshivat Ohr Somayach located in the heart of Jerusalem, is an educational institution for young Jewish English-speaking men. We have a range of classes and programs designed for the intellectually curious and academically inclined - for those with no background in Jewish learning to those who are proficient in Gemara and other original source material. To find the perfect program for you, please visit our website https://ohr.edu/study_in_israel​ whatsapp us at https://bit.ly/OSREGISTER or call our placement specialist at 1-254-981-0133 today! Subscribe to the Rabbi Breitowitz Q&A Podcast at https://plnk.to/rbq&a Submit questions for the Q&A with Rabbi Breitowitz https://forms.gle/VCZSK3wQJJ4fSd3Q7 Subscribe to our YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/OhrSomayach/videos 00:00 How did Yishai earn to have such important descendants? 04:29 Were the rabbis who were selling alcohol during Prohibition violating dina dmalchusa dina? 07:38 Must one make a bracha on good-tasting poison? 14:50 How could Olam Haba be the greatest pleasure if there is a constant reminder of worldly regrets in the form of different levels of pleasure? 19:15 Can one use a Pastafarian colander? 22:06 Does modern Christianity count as idolatry? 25:20 Does the Rosh's understanding of handwashing recognize hand sanitizer as water? 31:00 How can kasher shebegoyim harog be reconciled with chasidei umos haolam? 35:00 Is talking about corporal punishment in school lashon hara? 44:58 Is it deception to translate a sefer but censor without making a note? 49:39 Is one allowed to look at pictures of a face? 53:16 What exactly is the reward of having a great descendant? 57:49 How is the Rogatchever viewed regarding sensitivity to others? 1:03:38 Is there such a thing as 'faith in the righteous'? You can listen to this and many other Ohr Somayach programs by downloading our app, on Apple and Google Play, ohr.edu and all major podcast platforms. Visit us @ https://ohr.edu PRODUCED BY: CEDAR MEDIA STUDIOS

Dedication opportunities are available for episodes and series at https://ohr.edu/donate/qa Questions? Comments? podcasts@ohr.edu Yeshivat Ohr Somayach located in the heart of Jerusalem, is an educational institution for young Jewish English-speaking men. We have a range of classes and programs designed for the intellectually curious and academically inclined - for those with no background in Jewish learning to those who are proficient in Gemara and other original source material. To find the perfect program for you, please visit our website https://ohr.edu/study_in_israel​ whatsapp us at https://bit.ly/OSREGISTER or call our placement specialist at 1-254-981-0133 today! Subscribe to the Rabbi Breitowitz Q&A Podcast at https://plnk.to/rbq&a Submit questions for the Q&A with Rabbi Breitowitz https://forms.gle/VCZSK3wQJJ4fSd3Q7 Subscribe to our YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/OhrSomayach/videos 00:00 What are the priorities when the Torah is going from the aron to the bimah? 04:08 Would it be lashon hara to relate information on the public record? 08:01 Is it preferable, now in the war, to join a hesder yeshiva? 14:06 Why is there a controversy about using noble titles if there is a precedent from Abarbanel? 22:37 How do poskim decide what medical advice in the Gemara becomes halacha? 39:55 Would a landlord for AirBNB need glass and stainless steel, disposable, or just notify any potential renters? 41:58 What are the halachos of learning during the rchazaras hashatz? 49:27 Why did God need three signs if they all mean the same thing? 58:19 If incest is inherently bad, how could the entire world be the product of Cain, Seth, and their sisters? 1:00:48 Is someone who was davening before the minyan arrived considered part of the minyan? 1:04:04 Is it heresy to believe that God is bound by logic? 1:12:44 Why has the value of science changed in the Jewish tradition? 1:18:10 Is there psak by hashkafa? 1:26:58 Could the Rav share his favorite gedolim stories? 1:33:34 Is there a machlokes about whether Olam Haba or Olam Hazeh is the ikar? 1:35:56 What is ruach hakodesh? 1:38:10 Is it idolatry to believe Jesus was the Moshiach, so long as one believes he was not God? 1:41:08 Why did the canonization of Torah end when it did? 1:42:00 Is it heresy to say that a mitzvah no longer applies? 1:43:23 If a hashkafic point was accepted by most communities, can one still disagree without being a heretic? 1:45:23 Does that apply to halachic opinions as well? 1:46:59 Is it true that the Chazon Ish said that it is better to die than join the IDF? You can listen to this and many other Ohr Somayach programs by downloading our app, on Apple and Google Play, ohr.edu and all major podcast platforms. Visit us @ https://ohr.edu PRODUCED BY: CEDAR MEDIA STUDIOS

Dedication opportunities are available for episodes and series at https://ohr.edu/donate/qa Questions? Comments? podcasts@ohr.edu Yeshivat Ohr Somayach located in the heart of Jerusalem, is an educational institution for young Jewish English-speaking men. We have a range of classes and programs designed for the intellectually curious and academically inclined - for those with no background in Jewish learning to those who are proficient in Gemara and other original source material. To find the perfect program for you, please visit our website https://ohr.edu/study_in_israel​ whatsapp us at https://bit.ly/OSREGISTER or call our placement specialist at 1-254-981-0133 today! Subscribe to the Rabbi Breitowitz Q&A Podcast at https://plnk.to/rbq&a Submit questions for the Q&A with Rabbi Breitowitz https://forms.gle/VCZSK3wQJJ4fSd3Q7 Subscribe to our YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/OhrSomayach/videos You can listen to this and many other Ohr Somayach programs by downloading our app, on Apple and Google Play, ohr.edu and all major podcast platforms. Visit us @ https://ohr.edu PRODUCED BY: CEDAR MEDIA STUDIOS

Dedication opportunities are available for episodes and series at https://ohr.edu/donate/qa Questions? Comments? podcasts@ohr.edu Yeshivat Ohr Somayach located in the heart of Jerusalem, is an educational institution for young Jewish English-speaking men. We have a range of classes and programs designed for the intellectually curious and academically inclined - for those with no background in Jewish learning to those who are proficient in Gemara and other original source material. To find the perfect program for you, please visit our website https://ohr.edu/study_in_israel​ whatsapp us at https://bit.ly/OSREGISTER or call our placement specialist at 1-254-981-0133 today! Subscribe to the Rabbi Breitowitz Q&A Podcast at https://plnk.to/rbq&a Submit questions for the Q&A with Rabbi Breitowitz https://forms.gle/VCZSK3wQJJ4fSd3Q7 Subscribe to our YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/OhrSomayach/videos 00:00 Is it permitted to listen to non-Jewish music, even if the music was written for Christian worship? 06:43 How far should one go to help their friend if it requires embarrassing oneself? 10:05 What is the difference between perushim and haredim? 15:19 How limited is visiting a parent's grave, and is it permitted to speak about nothing to it? 17:47 Is it worse to have premarital relations with a non-Jew or with a Jew? 27:41 Is it possible to be a good, rational Jew, if one has doubts without knowing how to dispel them? 36:40 Can an Ashkenazi duchan on a plane if the chazzan is Sephardi? 45:33 What is the Jewish approach to abortion? 54:14 Are there Torah sources for healthy habits? 58:28 What are kavanos in a Kabbalistic context? 1:07:36 Since so many soldiers dying in the war are bnei Torah, why should a yeshiva bochur not serve right now? 1:11:45 What are the origins of the various trops, and do they change the meanings of the words? 1:17:50 If dying on Shabbos causes chilul Shabbos, why should that be the consequence for being born on Shabbos? 1:21:15 Why would the Jews have asked for straw if they knew the work was meaningless? 1:25:59 Is there reason to visit sites of tragedy, like towns in the South or concentration camps? 1:28:52 When a person converts, where does the goyish soul go? 1:32:09 Should one refrain from listening to Jewish music in the bathroom? 1:34:57 Is it proper to say Asher Yatzar out loud? 1:36:21 Is it possible to believe Hashem created the world and still not keep Shabbos? You can listen to this and many other Ohr Somayach programs by downloading our app, on Apple and Google Play, ohr.edu and all major podcast platforms. Visit us @ https://ohr.edu PRODUCED BY: CEDAR MEDIA STUDIOS

Dedication opportunities are available for episodes and series at https://ohr.edu/donate/qa Questions? Comments? podcasts@ohr.edu Yeshivat Ohr Somayach located in the heart of Jerusalem, is an educational institution for young Jewish English-speaking men. We have a range of classes and programs designed for the intellectually curious and academically inclined - for those with no background in Jewish learning to those who are proficient in Gemara and other original source material. To find the perfect program for you, please visit our website https://ohr.edu/study_in_israel​ whatsapp us at https://bit.ly/OSREGISTER or call our placement specialist at 1-254-981-0133 today! Subscribe to the Rabbi Breitowitz Q&A Podcast at https://plnk.to/rbq&a Submit questions for the Q&A with Rabbi Breitowitz https://forms.gle/VCZSK3wQJJ4fSd3Q7 Subscribe to our YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/OhrSomayach/videos You can listen to this and many other Ohr Somayach programs by downloading our app, on Apple and Google Play, ohr.edu and all major podcast platforms. Visit us @ https://ohr.edu PRODUCED BY: CEDAR MEDIA STUDIOS

Dedication opportunities are available for episodes and series at https://ohr.edu/donate/qa Questions? Comments? podcasts@ohr.edu Yeshivat Ohr Somayach located in the heart of Jerusalem, is an educational institution for young Jewish English-speaking men. We have a range of classes and programs designed for the intellectually curious and academically inclined - for those with no background in Jewish learning to those who are proficient in Gemara and other original source material. To find the perfect program for you, please visit our website https://ohr.edu/study_in_israel​ whatsapp us at https://bit.ly/OSREGISTER or call our placement specialist at 1-254-981-0133 today! Subscribe to the Rabbi Breitowitz Q&A Podcast at https://plnk.to/rbq&a Submit questions for the Q&A with Rabbi Breitowitz https://forms.gle/VCZSK3wQJJ4fSd3Q7 Subscribe to our YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/OhrSomayach/videos You can listen to this and many other Ohr Somayach programs by downloading our app, on Apple and Google Play, ohr.edu and all major podcast platforms. Visit us @ https://ohr.edu PRODUCED BY: CEDAR MEDIA STUDIOS

Dedication opportunities are available for episodes and series at https://ohr.edu/donate/qa Questions? Comments? podcasts@ohr.edu Yeshivat Ohr Somayach located in the heart of Jerusalem, is an educational institution for young Jewish English-speaking men. We have a range of classes and programs designed for the intellectually curious and academically inclined - for those with no background in Jewish learning to those who are proficient in Gemara and other original source material. To find the perfect program for you, please visit our website https://ohr.edu/study_in_israel​ whatsapp us at https://bit.ly/OSREGISTER or call our placement specialist at 1-254-981-0133 today! Subscribe to the Rabbi Breitowitz Q&A Podcast at https://plnk.to/rbq&a Submit questions for the Q&A with Rabbi Breitowitz https://forms.gle/VCZSK3wQJJ4fSd3Q7 Subscribe to our YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/OhrSomayach/videos You can listen to this and many other Ohr Somayach programs by downloading our app, on Apple and Google Play, ohr.edu and all major podcast platforms. Visit us @ https://ohr.edu PRODUCED BY: CEDAR MEDIA STUDIOS

Dedication opportunities are available for episodes and series at https://ohr.edu/donate/qa Questions? Comments? podcasts@ohr.edu Yeshivat Ohr Somayach located in the heart of Jerusalem, is an educational institution for young Jewish English-speaking men. We have a range of classes and programs designed for the intellectually curious and academically inclined - for those with no background in Jewish learning to those who are proficient in Gemara and other original source material. To find the perfect program for you, please visit our website https://ohr.edu/study_in_israel​ whatsapp us at https://bit.ly/OSREGISTER or call our placement specialist at 1-254-981-0133 today! Subscribe to the Rabbi Breitowitz Q&A Podcast at https://plnk.to/rbq&a Submit questions for the Q&A with Rabbi Breitowitz https://forms.gle/VCZSK3wQJJ4fSd3Q7 Subscribe to our YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/OhrSomayach/videos You can listen to this and many other Ohr Somayach programs by downloading our app, on Apple and Google Play, ohr.edu and all major podcast platforms. Visit us @ https://ohr.edu PRODUCED BY: CEDAR MEDIA STUDIOS

Dedication opportunities are available for episodes and series at https://ohr.edu/donate/qa Questions? Comments? podcasts@ohr.edu Yeshivat Ohr Somayach located in the heart of Jerusalem, is an educational institution for young Jewish English-speaking men. We have a range of classes and programs designed for the intellectually curious and academically inclined - for those with no background in Jewish learning to those who are proficient in Gemara and other original source material. To find the perfect program for you, please visit our website https://ohr.edu/study_in_israel​ whatsapp us at https://bit.ly/OSREGISTER or call our placement specialist at 1-254-981-0133 today! Subscribe to the Rabbi Breitowitz Q&A Podcast at https://plnk.to/rbq&a Submit questions for the Q&A with Rabbi Breitowitz https://forms.gle/VCZSK3wQJJ4fSd3Q7 Subscribe to our YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/OhrSomayach/videos 00:00 Why does 'following the majority' not apply to the kashrus of birds? 07:24 What are the halachos of gambling? 14:12 Are Seventh-Day Adventists liable for keeping Shabbos? 19:54 Are there any books to give encouragement to those who are already frum? 26:09 Why are the blessings to Avraham in the Torah regarding the physical world? 30:17 Is there any source for Peter being a tzadik? 33:13 What is the power of saying Tehillim? 37:09 Why is there no agency by sins? 43:57 What is the source for not learning on Nittelnacht? 47:36 Is a Jew allowed to be a "mall Santa"? 51:00 Is the Russian New Year a secular or religious holiday? 54:48 Why would Yaakov ask who Menashe and Efrayim were? Would he have withheld a bracha from them and not from the other sons? 59:03 If the facts change, does the halacha change? 1:06:15 How should a ger or baal teshuva react to discrimination in the frum world? 1:08:53 What is the textual source for the idea that Yaakov didn't die spiritually? 1:10:41 Is enjoying entertainment that references other gods considered idolatry? 1:18:17 Why is Thanksgiving problematic? 1:21:09 What effect do symptomatic disorders have in halacha? 1:23:58 Can one take ADHD medication on Shabbos? 1:24:51 Does one who escapes from the Sanhedrin's execution have to keep mitzvos? 1:27:17 How can there be heter mechira if there is an issur to sell holy land? 1:33:22 Is one allowed to be a delivery driver if some food might be non-kosher? You can listen to this and many other Ohr Somayach programs by downloading our app, on Apple and Google Play, ohr.edu and all major podcast platforms. Visit us @ https://ohr.edu PRODUCED BY: CEDAR MEDIA STUDIOS

Dedication opportunities are available for episodes and series at https://ohr.edu/donate/qa Questions? Comments? podcasts@ohr.edu Yeshivat Ohr Somayach located in the heart of Jerusalem, is an educational institution for young Jewish English-speaking men. We have a range of classes and programs designed for the intellectually curious and academically inclined - for those with no background in Jewish learning to those who are proficient in Gemara and other original source material. To find the perfect program for you, please visit our website https://ohr.edu/study_in_israel​ whatsapp us at https://bit.ly/OSREGISTER or call our placement specialist at 1-254-981-0133 today! Subscribe to the Rabbi Breitowitz Q&A Podcast at https://plnk.to/rbq&a Submit questions for the Q&A with Rabbi Breitowitz https://forms.gle/VCZSK3wQJJ4fSd3Q7 Subscribe to our YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/OhrSomayach/videos 00:00 Why is it not forbidden to block roads for Shabbos? 05:53 Does serendipity or coincidence have significance? 09:36 Why not make the beracha on smelling fruits? 12:01 Should a ger still honor his biological parents if they disowned him? 14:49 How severe is wasting seed and how does one do teshuva for it? 19:14 Why does a mashgiach need to believe in God? How does one do teshuva for causing others to sin? 27:41 Why exactly is electricity forbidden on Shabbos? 40:27 Is learning how to read Hebrew and Aramaic still important today? 49:07 Could the Rav expound on the idea that those born on Shabbos have new souls? 50:44 Should a son of a non-Jew wish his parent a 'Merry Christmas'? 54:05 Why did God choose crazy people and children to have prophecy nowadays? 56:47 How can one trust kol kores? 1:05:34 Why did Yosef work to fulfill his prophecy? Don't those come true anyway? 1:13:40 Is there chilul Hashem by davening in a minyan on an airplane? 1:17:34 How does one balance one's own self-esteem? 1:21:55 What is the order of the world of souls, the resurrection, the world to come, etc.? 1:26:42 Does the idea that chilul Hashem and kiddush Hashem only exist in front of ten Jews dilute the importance of good middos? 1:29:30 Is it forbidden to interlock one's fingers in front of one's chest? 1:31:43 Why would God make 'praise machines' a.k.a. angels? 1:33:44 Is one allowed to learn a martial art if it involves hitting a Jew? 1:37:13 If poskim argue about everything, is there really an objective Judaism? 1:42:04 Is marijuana completely forbidden? 1:45:32 For someone with no background, is gemara the best priority? You can listen to this and many other Ohr Somayach programs by downloading our app, on Apple and Google Play, ohr.edu and all major podcast platforms. Visit us @ https://ohr.edu PRODUCED BY: CEDAR MEDIA STUDIOS