Archive

Questions & answers

Common questions about Jewish law and practice, answered in plain language with sources you can check. Every answer says how settled it is — and when the right move is asking your rabbi.

These are questions we chose and published. What readers ask here is private, and is never added to this archive.

• How high on the doorpost does a mezuzah go, and which side?

  A mezuzah goes on the right side of the door as you enter, set in the lower part of the upper third of the doorpost's height.

• What time do I have to stop eating before Yom Kippur?

  Eating stops before sunset on erev Yom Kippur. Most people finish earlier than that, to leave room for the pre-fast meal.

• When do Selichot start, and what are they?

  Selichot are the penitential prayers said before the High Holidays. When they begin depends on which day Rosh Hashanah falls, and on your community.

• What do I do with worn-out siddurim and old books that have God's name in them?

  Worn-out siddurim, and any book carrying God's name, are not thrown away. They go to a genizah, or are buried.

• Is shofar blown during Elul, and when?

  The shofar is blown every weekday morning through Elul, usually at the end of Shacharit, as preparation for the High Holidays.

• What is kapparot, and do I have to use a chicken?

  Kapparot is done before Yom Kippur, with a chicken or with money, often coins. Money is widely used and equally valid, and is given to charity.

• Besides not eating, what else is prohibited on Yom Kippur?

  Yom Kippur restricts more than food: eating, drinking, washing, lotions and oils, leather shoes, and marital relations.

• How long do I wait between eating meat and dairy?

  How long to wait between meat and dairy depends on your family's custom. Six hours is the most widely kept practice; some communities wait three or one.

• Can I use a Shabbat elevator?

  A Shabbat elevator stops on every floor so that nobody operates it. Using one is widely accepted, though not in every community.

• Can I do Tashlich if there is no river or lake near me?

  No river nearby does not mean no Tashlich. A pond, reservoir or well can work, and so can waiting for a later opportunity. Here are the options.

• Can I set my lights on a timer before Shabbat?

  Setting lights on a timer before Shabbat is permitted, and they may switch on or off during Shabbat on their own.

• What do I do if I said the wrong bracha on food?

  What to do after the wrong bracha depends on which blessing you said and whether you have eaten yet. Sometimes you fix it at once; sometimes you ask.

• What are the simanim (symbolic foods) eaten on Rosh Hashanah night?

  The simanim are the symbolic foods eaten on Rosh Hashanah night: apple and honey, pomegranate, dates and more. Which ones appear varies by family.

• What do I say when someone greets me on Rosh Hashanah?

  What to say back on Rosh Hashanah: Shanah Tovah, a good year, or Shanah Tovah Umetukah, a good and sweet year.

• Do I need to put up a mezuzah in a rental home or apartment?

  A rental needs a mezuzah, generally within 30 days of moving in. Outside Israel the obligation is rabbinic, which is what the 30 days turn on.

• I take daily medication. What do I do about it on Yom Kippur?

  If you take daily medication, Yom Kippur is a question for your doctor and your rabbi together: what the fast needs, and whether timing or form can change.

• Can I wash meat and dairy dishes in the same dishwasher?

  Washing meat and dairy dishes in one dishwasher is generally avoided in Jewish law, unless specific conditions are met.

• Which new dishes need to be immersed in a mikvah before I use them?

  New metal and glass dishes need immersion in a mikvah before use: pots, pans, silverware, glassware. Plastic and wood do not.

• What happens if Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur falls on Shabbat?

  When Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur falls on Shabbat, the services combine both — prayers carrying elements of the holiday and of Shabbat together.

• I'm pregnant (or nursing). Am I supposed to fast on Yom Kippur?

  Whether to fast while pregnant or nursing is decided with your doctor and your rabbi. Bring what the doctor says to the rabbi, and have it early.