Q&A: Money, Banned Books & Workplace Harassment

Join us in Jerusalem for Ohr Samayach's Inaugural Yarchei Kallah event from July 1st to 4th, 2024! Featuring HaRav Yitzchak Breitowitz shlit"a & HaRav Asher Weiss shlit"a  Click here for more information.   Dont miss this one of a kind experience!   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 is the difference between my suffering being a Kapara (atonement) or a result of my own mistakes?   05:00 - The Torah mentions many miraculous things occurring as a result of keeping mitzvos (Shemita and Sotah). Do we have historical or archaeological evidence that these things happened?   11:30 - We know that it is forbidden to ‘put a stumbling block before the blind’. Would this also apply to giving someone food of a lower standard of kashrut than you would personally eat?   16:20 - What is the significance and effect of mourner’s kaddish?   22:00 - Can women say kaddish?   24:20 - Can a convert say kaddish for a non-Jewish parent?   26:10 - There seems to be a contradiction in how the Torah views money. On the one hand, the Torah says that one who has possessions will have worry; on the other hand, money is celebrated when it is given as a donation to the yeshiva.   31:40 - If I could know for certain that I could be a successful business person   34:50 - There is a torah prohibition against Beged Isha. A man wearing a woman’s item of clothing. This has been extended to plucking hairs or dying hairs. However, we have a principle that what is deemed ‘woman’s behaviour’ changes with the era in history. Could this permit plucking hairs and the like?   38:00 - Is Beged Isha the reason why religious women do not wear pants?   39:00 - What percentage of men need to practice a behaviour in order to for it be permissible in regard to the prohibition of Beged Isha?   40:40 - What is the significance of Ana BoKoach and why do we say it during Sefiras HaOmer?   44:00 - How do we relate to stories of Gedolim that are beyond us?   51:00 - Banned Books and Boruch Epstein   58:00 - Why did Volozhin yeshiva close?   1:00:10 - Men and Women touching is usually forbidden but is mutar in professional settings. Is it fitting to be machmir in such professional settings?   1:02:45 - Sexual Harassment and the modern-day relevance of Halachic boundaries on male-female interactions   01:07:30 - What is the purpose for Aggedata in the Gemara? Is it all literally true?   01:18:40 - What is Geula? Is it physical or spiritual, personal or national?   01:22:00 - Is the son of Cohen and a convert a Cohen?   01:23:30 - Is the child of a woman who converted during pregnancy Jewish by descent or a convert?   01:25:30 - What is the Torah view on Progressive Income Tax?   01:28:45 - Why do they play music before candle-lighting during Sefira?   01:31:00 - Should we be more lenient in Halacha in the interest of achdus(unity)?   01:35:00 - Is it a problem to say hamapil in pajamas? What about talking after hamapil?   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