In this week’s episode, the topics discussed by Rabbi Braun include:

Areinfirinish cake and egg:

• Must the child actually eat the entire cake and egg used in the Hachnasah L’cheder ceremony, or at least the layers with the pesukim?
• If the egg was not finished that day, may it be eaten the next day, even though a peeled egg left overnight is normally a concern?

Mezuzos when moving out:

• What is the reason for the prohibition to remove one’s mezuzos when moving out of a home? And in what cases is it allowed?
• If the move-in is expected to pay for the meuzuos, may the departing occupant remove them if payment is not made?

Ribon Haolamim on Shabbos:

• The Ribon Haolamim at the end of krias shema she’al hamitah includes a line asking Hashem to cleanse our nefesh, ruach, and neshama from impurities and maladies attached through wrongdoing. May that be recited on Shabbos?
• Can proof be brought from the krias shema she’al hamitah printed in the Rosh Hashanah machzor?

Counting the Omer in middle of Shemoneh Esrei:

• What situations warrant interrupting with speech (or “lamdeini chukecha”) in the middle of Shemoneh Esrei?
• If a person was in the middle of Shemoneh Esrei and mistakenly said the bracha on Sefiras Haomer upon hearing it from the chazzan, should he continue with the actual sefirah to prevent a bracha l’vatalah?

Shortening a booked service:

• If someone booked a cleaning lady for three hours but now only needs two, is it halachically problematic to shorten the booking?

In this week’s episode, the topics discussed by Rabbi Braun include:

Making Up Missed Shema:

• Can a missed recitation of the morning Shema be made up later (similar to the tashlumin for a missed tefilah)?
• If one chas v’shalom missed Shema, should they make it up later, and how would that be done practically?
• What would the makeup accomplish if the opportunity for the mitzvas asei had already been lost?

Sefiras Haomer:

• What is the earliest time to count Sefiras Haomer? And what’s the status of counting after plag hamincha or during bein hashmashos?
• If someone counts early with a minyan, how can they avoid fulfilling the mitzvah before the proper time, so they can count again later at night with a bracha?
• What exactly must one have in mind when hearing another person count out loud to avoid one’s own obligation being fulfilled through hearing (shome’a k’oneh) and be able to recite one’s own bracha?

Cutting Down Trees:

• Is cutting down a dead tree permitted without a special halachic ruling?
• Is there a concern of danger even in cases where halacha permits cutting down the tree?

Reheating Food on Shabbos:

• May an Ashkenazi eat food that their Sephardic host reheated on Shabbos, following the Sephardic view that even cold, moist food may be reheated (provided it was previously fully cooked)?
• What is the logic behind the accepted Ashkenazic custom that moist food may be reheated as long as it hasn’t yet cooled down completely?

Three Steps Back After Shemoneh Esrei:

• What should someone do if they finished Shemoneh Esrei but cannot take three steps back because someone is still davening Shemoneh Esrei behind them?
• Could they daven or answer to devarim shebikdusha while waiting?

Listening to Havdalah in Middle of Shemoneh Esrei:

• Could someone who is behind in davening stop to listen to Havdalah in the middle of Shemoneh Esrei?
• Practically, is it better not to rely on this? And how does this compare to listening to Krias Hatorah in the middle of Shemoneh Esrei?

Reading Private Letters of a Deceased Relative:

• May family members read the private letters of a deceased relative?
• Does the halacha change if the letters might affect the person’s reputation? And what is the practical guidance regarding publicizing such letters?

In this week’s episode, the topics discussed by Rabbi Braun include:

Asking Shailos via Technology:

• Is it appropriate to ask shailos via text, email, or websites rather than in person or by phone, and what are the advantages and disadvantages of written communication with a rav?

Hefsek in Shema Due to a Siren:

• If a minyan heard a missile siren in the middle of shema and had to go to a shelter, where a horrible smell prevented them from continuing to daven, and they waited longer than the time it takes to read the entire shema, must they go back to the beginning of shema?
• Is the delay treated as an ones caused by an unsuitable place (makom she’eino ra’uy), which requires returning to the beginning, or as an external ones (like robbers), which does not?

Stopping Shemoneh Esrei for Danger:

• Based on the Gemara’s story of the chossid who did not interrupt his Shemoneh Esrei when addressed by a minister, why can’t a person just continue davening and not go to a shelter when a siren sounds?
• Is an incoming missile comparable to the case of a snake wrapped around a person’s heel (where one does not interrupt Shemoneh Esrei), or is it fundamentally different?
• If a person receives a warning that a siren may come soon, may they begin Shemoneh Esrei with the plan to stop and go to a shelter if the siren actually sounds?

Oat Matzah for Pesach:

• May a person who is gluten intolerant use oat matzah for Pesach, and what concerns exist regarding oat matzahs that are treated with heat?
• Is oat matzah acceptable for fulfilling the mitzvah of eating matzah at the sedarim, given the preference for wheat?
• If a person can only eat one kezayis of matzah at the Seder, what is the proper order of the meal, and when should he eat the matzah and wash (and do they recite the bracha for netilas yadayim)?

Kashering With an Induction Stove:

• May one use water heated on an induction stove to kasher utensils, or must the water specifically be heated by fire?
• If an item became treif or chametz’dig through an induction stove, may it be kashered using water heated on an induction stove?

Saying “Baruch” and Continuing to Eat:

• If a guest at someone’s meal began bentching and said just the first word, “Baruch,” but the host wants to serve more food, may he continue eating, or has his meal ended?
• Does saying the word “Baruch” constitute a hesech hadaas from eating even when relying on the host’s table?

A chag kasher v’samei’ach to all our listeners!