602 Ari Wasserman - Halacha Headlines

Rabbi Ari Wasserman

03/16/23 - SHIUR 412 (22,012 Downloads) Hosted By: Rabbi Ari Wasserman

What makes for Effective Dating?

Is it okay to date two pepole at the same time?
Can you test your date’s middos, and if so, to what extent?
What should be the goal of dating?
What is the most important thing for a person to do when dating? Is love necessary?
Is choosing from pictures and photo albums/catalogs effective in choosing who to date?
What are current trends in dating? What types of singles events are being held?
Are friends helpful or hurtful in getting dating advice?

02/24/23 - SHIUR 409 (22,398 Downloads) Hosted By: Rabbi Ari Wasserman

Is there any reason to wear a HAT for davening anymore? Does a YARMULKE suffice? Why are only chasidim wearing GARTELS?

Is a Kippa enough for davening? For Kiddush and Bentching?
Do secular styles impact what we wear and the halacha?
What if your parents don’t want you to wear a hat?
What if your parents want the hat and you don’t?
Did Chasidish garb and the black stripes on our Taleisim come from the non-Jews?
Minyan without a hat or daven be’ye’chidus with the hat?
Should women wear hats for davening as well?

02/02/23 - SHIUR 406 (17,950 Downloads) Hosted By: Rabbi Ari Wasserman

Is Kovea Ittim only for the wealthy and brilliant?

What gets people to stick with their learning after many years?
What’s a valid reason to miss your Kevius?
Does someone who gets paid for learning or teaching additionally need to be Kovea Ittim?
Can the Kevius change over time, like when more children are born?
What if a wife needs her husband during his learning?
Do you need to lose business/clients as a result of your learning?
Should you answer calls from clients or your boss during learning?

01/12/23 - SHIUR 403 (17,222 Downloads) Hosted By: Rabbi Ari Wasserman

Does yeshiva prepare us for life-after-yeshiva? Should it?

What preparation is necessary to leave yeshiva/kollel and start working?
What skills do yeshiva graduates say would be helpful?
What should a yeshiva consider as its goals and responsibilities towards it’s talmidim?
How do you decide on an occupation?
Should you study a trade or go straight into business?
What are the primary challenges we need to be ready for nowadays?

12/22/22 - SHIUR 400 (17,998 Downloads) Hosted By: Rabbi Ari Wasserman

Drug and alcohol use in our high schools – how big a problem is it? What can be done?

Is there something halachically wrong with using drugs? Alcohol? Vaping?
Can you tell on a classmate who is using drugs or alcohol?
What are the trends of drug and alcohol use in our high schools?
How are teenagers able to afford and access drugs?
Are we better – or worse – than secular society?
What can be done by parents and the schools?

12/02/22 - SHIUR 397 (21,634 Downloads) Hosted By: Rabbi Ari Wasserman

Abuse and Abuse Coverups in Our Communities

Should a Rabbi meet in his office with a woman?
What’s enough proof to start warning other women? Do recordings suffice?
When do we go to the police?
When do we keep abuse quiet and when do we publicize the dangers?
What’s going on in the head of an abuser? Is he not worried about getting caught?
Why would followers of a Rabbi coverup his abuses?

11/10/22 - SHIUR 394 (21,540 Downloads) Hosted By: Rabbi Ari Wasserman

“Being in the box” – have we made the “box” into a coffin? Is “the derech” too narrow?

What’s the definition of being on the “derech” and “in-the-box”?
How have those definitions changed over time?
Is the “derech” too narrow and the “box” too confining?
Does being “out-of-the box” violate Halacha or just societal expectations and norms?
Are there halachic requirements to: wear white shirts and black pants, always wear a hat, go into certain occupations, not play sports and music?

10/19/22 - SHIUR 391 (20,728 Downloads) Hosted By: Rabbi Ari Wasserman

Do we need to be a shmata when dealing with difficult people?

What are some strategies and tactics for dealing with difficult people?
Can you reciprocate the negativity?
What if it’s your boss, Rabbi, Rosh Yeshiva or spouse?
When does the prohibition of hating someone apply? What if he earned the hatred? 
Do people get crankier when they get older?
How can someone tell if they are a difficult person?

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Rabbi Elyada Goldvicht – Upcoming Semichas Chaver Events
NY and Baltimore event
Florida event

09/19/22 - SHIUR 388 (19,056 Downloads) Hosted By: Rabbi Ari Wasserman

Quick Retirements – Should it be our goal to retire as quickly as possible? Is retirement a good idea?

Do you need to stop working when you have enough money to learn full time?
How should a wife handle the husband being around? What’s the impact on the children?
What happens when the husband traifs up the kitchen preparing his own lunch?
How much money do you need to save to retire?
When do you need to start planning for it?
What’s the impact of retirement on our health and memory?

08/25/22 - SHIUR 385 (17,630 Downloads) Hosted By: Rabbi Ari Wasserman

Back to School – Do we need to adhere to all school rules? If we don’t, can we sign the school handbook?

What is the purpose of having a school handbook?
Should the rules be realistic, or the ideal (but unrealistic) hopes of the school?
Can parents lie about not having internet, texting, smartphones, etc.?
What percentage of families violate school rules?
Why would a school have parents/students sign the handbook?

08/04/22 - SHIUR 382 (16,504 Downloads) Hosted By: Rabbi Ari Wasserman

Parenting – What makes “successful” children? What are common mistakes which should be avoided?

What are the most important character traits we should teach our children?
What’s the main challenge in raising children?
How do we teach kids how to wake up, and generally be independent?
How about to be compassionate and caring people?
How has parenting changed over the past 30 years?

07/08/22 - SHIUR 378 (23,880 Downloads) Hosted By: Rabbi Ari Wasserman

What should a wife do if she simply has had it with her husband? Plus, revisiting the “Surrendered Wife” and responding to those who complained about the earlier show

Are friends a replacement for a therapist?
What’s appropriate to discuss with friends, and what’s not?
How should a wife handle when her husband lives a lifestyle she does not approve of?
How should the husband handle his wife “being on his case”?
Can a non-Jewish book be used for Shalom Bayis?
Is there a Torah hashkafa in how to handle Shalom Bayis issues?
What if the wife is the problem?

06/16/22 - SHIUR 375 (25,230 Downloads) Hosted By: Rabbi Ari Wasserman

“Off MY Derech” (but still “On THE Derech”) – When children turn out more observant – or less observant – than their parents had hoped

What are the major areas of tension between parents and children regarding religious observance?
How should the issues be handled by both parent and child?
Are there differences between baalei tshuvah, modern orthodox and yeshivish in this regard?
Does Kibud Av Ve’eim mean that the child needs to fulfill the desires of the parents, even when the child disagrees?
Must children eat by parents when the children have stricter standards of Kashrus?
Can parents eat by children who have laxer standards?

05/26/22 - SHIUR 372 (33,564 Downloads) Hosted By: Rabbi Ari Wasserman

Is tznius dressing all about insuring the men don’t look? Does overly strict enforcement in schools cause trauma for years to come?

Should a man/Rabbi teach tznius to girls?
Is it true that “Tzinus for women is just like Torah learning for men”?
What are the consequences of tznius PTSD on the girl, her family and her Avodas HaShem?
What’s the impact of social media and frum print media on how girls and women dress?
What are we doing right? What are we doing wrong? How can we improve?

05/07/22 - SHIUR 369 (30,784 Downloads) Hosted By: Rabbi Ari Wasserman

What makes a successful marriage? What are common mistakes that should be avoided?

What’s the most important ingredient to have a successful marriage?
What are significant issues that are easy to resolve? What are some common mistakes that spouses make?
What can boys and girls in Shidduchim – or even earlier – do to prepare for a successful marriage?
What should be done when a couple hits turbulence during marriage?
How to handle disagreements over: money, having additional children, conflicting minhagim, where to send kids to school and more

04/09/22 - SHIUR 366 (24,638 Downloads) Hosted By: Rabbi Ari Wasserman

Advertising by Tzedakah Organizations: Promises of health, nachas, shidduchim and parnassah – false advertising or needed yeshuos?

Do the halachos and secular laws regarding false advertising apply to organizations raising tzedakah?
Are promises by the charity a permitted form of advertising?
Should a charity require a minimum payment in order to get a beracha?
Is it better to daven for yourself, or have someone else daven for you?
Do the ends justify the means? Can puffery/manipulation be used in ads for the purpose of raising tzedakah for the genuinely needy?

03/12/22 - SHIUR 363 (33,552 Downloads) Hosted By: Rabbi Ari Wasserman

Tznius for men – skin-tight pants, bicycle clothing, blue shirts, colorful socks and more

Why do women get hammered to dress modestly, while some men walk around with tight shorts and tank tops?
What about super tight-fitting pants?
White shirts vs. blue shirts?
No socks? Colorful socks?
Tight-fitting bike clothing?
How do standards change over time?
What about other areas of Tznius?
Living above your means? Driving a car you can’t afford?

02/11/22 - SHIUR 358 (43,794 Downloads) Hosted By: Rabbi Ari Wasserman

Lavish Living, private planes and extravagance; flaunting wealth and building larger homes than others in your community – what’s okay and what’s not?

“Boys only” vacations, female personal trainers for men
“Business trips” to Vegas and Atlantic City
Conventions and conferences away from home
Earning quick money from loan sharking and other unclean sources
Can a wife trust her husband when he travels

12/04/21 - SHIUR 348 (26,406 Downloads) Hosted By: Rabbi Ari Wasserman

Why do some people lie, or cover up information, when being a shidduch reference? What happens when information is not disclosed and the couple gets married?

What needs to be disclosed (e.g., having a colorful background, health problems, addictions)?
When and by whom?
How should we respond to shidduch inquiries when asked?
Should references disclose everything? Can they lie?
Are people typically lax in disclosing?
Do certain segments of Judaism fail to disclose more than others?
Can things be patched up when problems are discovered after marriage?

10/02/21 - SHIUR 339 (32,714 Downloads) Hosted By: Rabbi Ari Wasserman

Should a husband always give in to his wife’s requests? Is the husband always to blame when there are Shalom Bayis problems? Can we change our spouses when something bothers us?

Are any deficiencies a husband sees in his wife really his own deficiencies, as claimed in the Garden of Peace?
Should a husband ever remark, comment, or criticize his wife? What about for a gross misdeed?
What issues do husbands complain about in their wives and vice versa?
Is there anything that can be done?

08/28/21 - SHIUR 336 (27,974 Downloads) Hosted By: Rabbi Ari Wasserman

Shidduch Research – How much should be researched before agreeing to a shidduch?

What’s researched in advance by the parents, and what’s left for the boy and girl to figure out?
What specific questions should be asked? What can’t be asked? What must be asked? Who should – and should not – be asked?

07/31/21 - SHIUR 332 (26,230 Downloads) Hosted By: Rabbi Ari Wasserman

Should birthdays be celebrated? Is having a birthday cake and candles a problem of Chukos Hagoyim? Can they be blown out?

Is a birthday a day to celebrate? If so, how?
Are there more significant birthdays, like the 70th?
How should Jonathan Rosenblum celebrate his 70th this week?
Have the gedolim historically celebrated their own birthdays?
Is there a problem of Chukas Hagoyim to have a birthday cake? To have candles on it? To blow out the candles? To make a wish?

07/17/21 - SHIUR 330 (23,732 Downloads) Hosted By: Rabbi Ari Wasserman

Har Habayis – Can we enter Har Habayis nowadays? If not, what should be done with it?

Which poskim prohibit entering the Temple Mount and why? Which permit?
Do politics come into play?
Which areas are less problematic?
How would one prepare?
Are we missing out on any mitzvahs by not going?
What do the gedolim say to do with Har Habayis?

06/19/21 - SHIUR 327 (36,432 Downloads) Hosted By: Rabbi Ari Wasserman

Female Rabbis – A problem of Halacha, Mesorah, or even worse?

Is there a problem with giving “semicha” to a woman?
Can a woman be a shul or community rabbi?
Can a shul with a woman rabbi call itself “orthodox”?
What if she’s called Rabbah, Maharat, etc. instead of being called “Rabbi”?
What’s the line between what’s acceptable and what’s not?
Can a woman pasken shaylos?

05/08/21 - SHIUR 321 (20,230 Downloads) Hosted By: Rabbi Ari Wasserman

Are there Halachic ways to eliminate debt?

Are there heterim to not repay debt?
What if it’s owed to a credit card company, bank or government, as opposed to a Jewish lender or gmach?
What must be disclosed when taking out a loan?
Is it better to learn in Kollel and incur debt, or to get a job?
Can a creditor force the debtor to sell his home and other assets?
Does halacha ever
cap the amount of debt we can incur? 

04/17/21 - SHIUR 318 (22,986 Downloads) Hosted By: Rabbi Ari Wasserman

How has Rabbanus (being a shul Rabbi) changed over the past 40+ years?

What are the strangest shaylos a shul Rav is asked? What about 40+ years ago? What are the greatest challenges and difficulties encountered by a shul Rav? How have things changed? What’s most enjoyable, and what’s the least enjoyable? What are congregants struggling with the most today?

02/27/21 - SHIUR 312 (19,240 Downloads) Hosted By: Rabbi Ari Wasserman

Can we buy and sell the schar of Mitzvos? A portion in Olam Haba? Does Michael Steinhardt owe Dovid Lichtenstein $100k?

Can Mitzvos be bought and sold? Can you pay someone to take your aveiros? Is Dovid Lichtenstein’s purchase of Michael Steinhardt’s mitzvah/olam haba valid? Can either party rescind the deal in Beis Din?

02/06/21 - SHIUR 309 (26,100 Downloads) Hosted By: Rabbi Ari Wasserman

The Torah view of Alternative lifestyles, Liberalism, and Progressivism

Which liberal and progressive ideas conflict with the Torah? How should Jewish institutions handle LGBT pressures by a member? How does the secular view of sexuality compare to that of the Torah? Should we educate our children about these issues, or keep silent? Should someone with these beliefs and/or practices be distanced? Not given an Aliya?

01/16/21 - SHIUR 306 (20,212 Downloads) Hosted By: Rabbi Ari Wasserman

Eating meat in Halacha and Hashkafa; is vegetarianism a treif Hashkafa?

Is it permitted to be a vegetarian or vegan? What about an animal rights activist? Is meat required on Shabbos, Yom Tov and at a Bris? Can we eat veal? Is there a chance shchitah can be banned in the U.S. like what’s happening in Europe? Is synthetic meat still fleish? Can an Ashkenazi eat meat from a Sefardi hashgacha and vice versa? Can meat be left alone on a barbecue or at home with non-Jewish cleaning help?

01/02/21 - SHIUR 304 (21,254 Downloads) Hosted By: Rabbi Ari Wasserman

What Halachically is a good (or bad) use of our time?

What is Bitul Torah? What about Bitul Zeman? Do these concepts apply to women? Do they apply to: Shabbos naps, attending simchas, studying secular studies, listening to podcasts, watching sports, playing sports, visiting Gedolim, visiting kevarim, leisure activities, reading Gedolim biographies, and much more…

11/14/20 - SHIUR 297 (29,702 Downloads) Hosted By: Rabbi Ari Wasserman

How much (or little) should a husband help at home?

Halachically, does a husband need to help at all? Who needs to do the dishes, laundry and the like? What if the wife always needs help during his learning or work time? What if she’s a very needy person who should be handling more? What if he helps, but the wife doesn’t like the way he does things? What are healthy expectations for boys and girls getting into marriage? What if there’s a gap between expectations and reality?

10/24/20 - SHIUR 294 (17,506 Downloads) Hosted By: Rabbi Ari Wasserman

Police and Police Enforcement; what if it’s discriminatory

Is sticking up for our rights a Kiddush HaShem or Chilul HaShem? Is holding a protest the right way? Do we need to strictly comply with secular law, or is there flexibility? What if the enforcement of the laws is discriminatory against observant Jews? What if we disagree with the laws? What if the laws close down our yeshivos, shuls and weddings?

08/01/20 - SHIUR 283 (25,968 Downloads) Hosted By: Rabbi Ari Wasserman

Mashiach: What’s it all about?

What are we davening for? Will our personal problems go away? What are the signs of Mashiach’s arrival? Are we seeing them now? Who will be Mashiach? Could it be someone who already passed away? What does it mean to “believe” in Mashiach? What does it mean Ikvisa D’mishicha?

 

07/11/20 - SHIUR 280 (5,926 Downloads) Hosted By: Rabbi Ari Wasserman

“Women at Risk” and being married to someone “At Risk”

What could cause a woman to feel disconnected from Yiddisheit? How and why does “at risk” behavior happen?  Does a Rabbi or therapist need to tell the spouse? Does teaching Emunah help or is it risky? Is there a difference between married and single women? How to deal with at risk behavior halachically, hashkafically and psychologically? Is there any hope for Shalom Bayis?

06/13/20 - SHIUR 276 (20,488 Downloads) Hosted By: Rabbi Ari Wasserman

What people fight over in Shul and how to resolve the machlokes, plus: SHOCKING Gabbai stories from the trenches

Two Aveilim want the Amud, someone’s not keeping his corona mask on, Tzedakah collectors during corona, he’s in my “Makom Kavua”, he’s davening too loud, the Chazan is too slow, close the window, it’s cold!!, open the window, it’s hot!, this shul is Nusach Ashkenaz!
How do “out-of-town” Shuls compare to “in-town” Shuls? What issues do women deal with in shul?

04/13/20 - SHIUR 268 (26,690 Downloads) Hosted By: Rabbi Ari Wasserman

“Adults at Risk” – How common is it? How do we deal with the issues?

What brings on “at risk” behavior? Once leaving Yeshivah, what can get someone off-track? Are schools to blame? Parents? Does teaching Emunah help or is it risky? Is there anything we can do to prevent adults at risk? 

02/29/20 - SHIUR 261 (26,450 Downloads) Hosted By: Rabbi Ari Wasserman

Should a student ever be expelled from school?

What are valid reasons to expel a student?  Doing drugs? Selling drugs? Tznius? Having a Smartphone?  Unfiltered Internet at home?  Torching the principal’s van? What happens when a student is expelled? How should it be handled by parents, teachers, the principal and others? What if your child is being negatively influenced by a classmate?

01/18/20 - SHIUR 255 (35,094 Downloads) Hosted By: Rabbi Ari Wasserman

Is it Mutar to go to Secular College

Coed dorms, bathrooms and classes; frats, drinking, and OTD risk; “orthodox” Jews mixed dancing parties at night and Shacharis the next morning; rampant anti-Semitism; extreme liberalism and Kefirah – is there any Heter?
Are the Ivy League Schools worse than Brooklyn and Queens colleges? How does the situation in the U.S. compare to that of the U.K., South Africa and Australia? 

 

12/14/19 - SHIUR 250 (39,534 Downloads) Hosted By: Rabbi Ari Wasserman

“Quick Divorces” after marriage. Why are they happening? Can they be avoided?

Why are “quick divorces” happening? What’s a good reason to get divorced quickly? Is “incompatibility” enough? What needs to be disclosed while dating? Addictions, mental disorders, abuse? How should references respond to Shidduch inquiries?

11/23/19 - SHIUR 247 (28,128 Downloads) Hosted By: Rabbi Ari Wasserman

“Broken Engagements” in Halachah, Hashkafah and Psychology

Why are there so many broken engagements nowadays? How can they be avoided? Does the one who breaks the shidduch get penalized? Do the ring, sheitel and other gifts need to be returned? Who pays the costs which were committed to (wedding hall, photographer, band, make-up artist)? Does the Shadchan need to return the Shadchanus?

09/21/19 - SHIUR 238 (20,230 Downloads) Hosted By: Rabbi Ari Wasserman

Financial challenges of the workplace, and how to stay out of the “headlines”

Does the employer or employee get to keep the frequent flyer miles, is bathroom time on the clock, how sick do you need to be to take a “sick day,” taking personal calls on company time, using the company printer, and much more…

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