Responsa Radio

What are the halakhic considerations about saying “Chr***” given the prohibition on uttering names of other gods? How does that work in interfaith and academic contexts? 

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Music featured in this episode: Planets by Jared Lutes

What does halakhah have to say about life insurance? Should we get it or is relying on the community sufficient, or even expected?

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Music featured in this episode: Human Life by Tiffany Thompson

Should a person who died by suicide be buried "outside the fence?" How does mental illness factor into this question? And are there grounds to consider reburial of someone so that they can be near family members? Trigger warning: This episode deals with sensitive and painful content. Please take care in choosing whether to listen. 

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Music featured in this episode: Water Burial by Fisher.

When davening in a prayer space that is not oriented towards Jerusalem, is there ever a time when it would be appropriate to physically orient oneself toward the east?

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Music featured in this episode: New Direction by Dave Tough

I like to go out the night after Passover to grab a cool beer in celebration of eating hametz (leaven) again. Do I need to worry if the owner of that bar is a Jew that didn't remove his hametz for the holiday?

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Can I use ingredients like spices, pure dried fruit, oil, or nut butter, without Passover certification on Passover? Are there ingredients you can use without a certification?

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If I spend Passover with family members who don't kasher their kitchens for the holiday can I eat kosher for Passover food from their pots or dishes? Is there room for leniency because they're my family? 

What if my roommates want to use non-kosher for Passover dishes and products? How can we share the kitchen? 

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What is the halakhic weight of shalom bayit and to what extent is it permissible to do something forbidden for the sake of preserving one’s marriage? For example, I have sleep apnea and use a CPAP machine during the week, mostly because it prevents me from snoring and disturbing my spouse’s sleep. My spouse wants me to use it on Shabbat too, since we have young children and sleep is a precious commodity in our home. Should I acquiesce and use the CPAP machine on Shabbat for the sake of shalom bayit?

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Music featured in this episode:  Breathe Easy by Tai Shan.

I have only ever been to seders where karpas is a simple piece of parsley dipped in saltwater, but there seems to be a growing trend of people doing much more elaborate karpas courses, often with multiple, full-blown appetizer dishes. Is this halakhically permissible?

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Music featured in this episode: Salty by Robbi Atkins https://soundcloud.com/robbi-atkins/salty-v3

I am a teenager who is becoming more observant. My parents are less then thrilled. For example, I would like to be observe Shabbat and not use my phone, but this sometimes creates difficulties as they will call or text me things during Shabbat. How can I balance my observance with honoring my parents?

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Music featured in this episode: Mom and the Radio by Bill Harley.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=q20XpkwGSUO9DD-w&v=yqeKu23CJ2E&feature=youtu.be