What halakhicly constitutes Tfillah biTzibur - our silent Shmoneh Esrei that we all say together in a minyan, or the repetition of the Shmoneh Esrei that the Shaliach Tzibbur says on our behalf? Are we a collection of distinct individuals or a single, undifferentiated unit? Hear how Rav Moshe rules on this issue and how this impacts questions such as whether to skip when one comes late, may on daven with a different nusach from everyone else, does starting Shmoneh Esrei after everyone else has already started count as tfillah bi’tzibbur, and whether you need 6 men or 10 men to be davening at the same time for it to be considered tfillah bi’tzibbur.

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Men often receive the message that they are required to attend a daily minyan. But is this really true? This question is particularly poignant nowadays when the ability to participate in a minyan cannot be taken for granted. Join us as we explore the perspective of Rav Moshe Feinstein on this issue, and see how, for him and for this issue, theology translates into halakha.

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How do we determine if someone is truly dead? This question is central to the ability to donate and receive organs, and to determine when a dying patient can be taken off of life support. If brain death is considered to be death according to halakha, organ donation becomes a possibility. But if the Talmud never discusses the brain in this context, what could be the halakhic basis for this? See how Rav Moshe deals with this and how his approach to permitting heart transplants changed over time. Learn more in the latest episode of Iggross Moshe.

Can you derive benefit from harvesting an organ from a dead body? Can kohanim, who are halakhically forbidden from interacting with corpses, be organ transplant recipients if those organs originate from dead bodies? Find out how Rabbi Moshe Feinstein ruled on these fascinating questions in our latest episode of Iggros Moshe At to Z, featuring host Rabbi Dov Linzer.

Is it a mitzvah to donate one’s organs? What differences might there be between live donations, such as a kidney, and donations after death? Does halakha require or even allow me to sacrifice part of my body or expose myself to a possible risk of life in order to save the life of another person? Find out how Rav Moshe answered these questions in the newest episode of Iggros Moshe A to Z with host Rabbi Dov Linzer.

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The reforms introduced by Vatican II brought new opportunities for the Orthodox Jewish community to engage in interfaith councils and dialogue with Christians. While some welcomed these opportunities to bridge the gaps among religious communities, Rabbi Moshe Feinstein believed strongly that these threatened the once-firm boundaries around observant Judaism. He felt that resisting these councils was so critically important that he enlisted the help of Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik in decrying these councils. Learn more in our newest episode of Iggros Moshe A to Z with host Rabbi Dov Linzer.

What type of boundaries must be drawn between Jews and non-Jews? In a series of teshuvot, Rav Moshe lays out an approach that would protect non-Jewish incursion into Jewish territory and vice-versa. Listen in to see how he applies this to the questions of whether a non-Jew can do mitzvot, whether Jews can learn or teach about ancient pagan religions, and even whether a non-Jew can host a parlor meeting in his home to raise money for a yeshiva. All of this and more on our latest episode of Iggros Moshe A to Z, with host Rabbi Dov Linzer.

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In 1962, the Supreme Court ruled that prayer in public schools was a violation of the Establishment Clause of the Constitution. Many religious groups, including segments of the Orthodox community, responded by fighting for a constitutional amendment that would permit such prayer to be said. What was Rav Moshe’s view of school prayer and what his response to this political battle from a halakhic and policy perspective? And how did his approach differ from that of the Lubavitcher Rebbe? Find out in the latest episode of Iggros Moshe A to Z with host Rabbi Dov Linzer.

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In this third and final episode on medical ethics, Rabbi Dov Linzer explores Rav Feinstein’s rulings on the halakhic ethos that should guide medical professionals in matters of triage and priority of care. Should we operate on the principle that all life is of equal and infinite value, or should we prioritize medical treatment based on the status, sex, or religion of the patient? Hear how Rav Moshe deals with some challenging texts and how his final rulings on this topic Influenced later poskim. Listen now.

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If a person is dying of a terminal illness and is suffering, must a doctor intervene to extend the life for a short time or can the person be allowed to die? And what is the role of patient choice in such a case? Rabbi Moshe Feinstein comes down strongly on the side of allowing a death to take place, and yet at other times he prioritizes the principle of saving a life. Find out more in our latest episode of Iggros Moshe A to Z, now live.

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