Yaakov Klass

Brooklyn

Torah and Halacha Editor at The Jewish Press

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Articles

Parshas Naso

3 days ago | jewishpress.com | Yaakov Klass

New York City CANDLE LIGHTING TIME June 6, 2025 – 10 Sivan 5785 8:06 p.m. NYC E.D.T. Sabbath Ends: 9:15 p.m. NYC E.D.T. Sabbath Ends: Rabbenu Tam 9:37 p.m. NYC E.D.T. Weekly Reading: Naso Weekly Haftara: Va’yehi Ish Echad (Judges 13:2-25) Daf Yomi: Shevuos 36 Mishna Yomit: Avos 3:14-15 Halacha Yomit: Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayyim 25:7-9 Rambam Yomi: Hilchos Rotzeiac u’Shmiras ha’Nefesh chap.3 Earliest time for Tallis and Tefillin: 4:23 a.m. NYC E.D.T. Sunrise: 5:25 a.m. NYC E.D.T. Latest...
Q & A: Ke’chut Hasa’ara - Harsh Punishment (Part II)

1 week ago | jewishpress.com | Yaakov Klass

Question: I find it very difficult to understand the punishment of death that was meted out to Rabbi Akiva’s students. If he was so great, we can assume that his students were of a superior caliber as well. How did they rate such a harsh punishment? Zelig AronsonQueens, N.Y.Synopsis: Last week we discussed the halachic strictures not to marry or cut our hair – two signs of mourning observed for a minimum period of 34 days between Passover and Shavuot.
Parshas Bamidbar

1 week ago | jewishpress.com | Yaakov Klass

New York CityCANDLE LIGHTING TIMEMay 30, 2025 – 3 Sivan 57858:01 p.m. NYC E.D.T.Sabbath Ends: 9:10 p.m. NYC E.D.T.Sabbath Ends: Rabbenu Tam 9:33 p.m. NYC E.D.T.Weekly Reading: BamidbarWeekly Haftara: Ve’haya Mispar Bnei Yisrael (Hosea 2:1-22)Daf Yomi: Shavuos 29Mishna Yomit: Avos 2:16-3:1Halacha Yomit: Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayyim 20:2-21:2Rambam Yomi: Hilchos Isurei Bi’ah ch.
Daf Yomi

2 weeks ago | jewishpress.com | Yaakov Klass

Posthaste ‘And He Simply Uttered Bread’ (Shavuos 26b) Shmuel, on our daf, cites a rule: “If one decides, in his mind, to swear a certain oath [to prohibit something upon himself], it can only be valid if he utters it with his lips.” He derives this from the pasuk (Vayikra 5:4), “Or if a person will swear, expressing his lips to do harm or to do good, anything that a person will express in an oath, but it was concealed from him, and then he knew – and he became guilty regarding one of these...
Q & A: K’chut Ha’sa’ara: Harsh Punishment (Part I)

2 weeks ago | jewishpress.com | Yaakov Klass

Question: I find it very difficult to understand the punishment of death that was meted out to Rabbi Akiva’s students. If he was so great, we can assume that his students were of a superior caliber as well. How did they rate such a harsh punishment?
Parshas Behar-Bechukosai

2 weeks ago | jewishpress.com | Yaakov Klass

New York CityCANDLE LIGHTING TIMEMay 23, 2025 – 25 Iyar 57857:55 p.m. NYC E.D.T.Sabbath Ends: 9:03 p.m. NYC E.D.T.Sabbath Ends: Rabbenu Tam 9:27 p.m. NYC E.D.T.Weekly Reading: Behar-BechukosaiWeekly Haftara: Hashem Uzi (Jeremiah 16:19-17:14)Daf Yomi: Shavuos 22Mishna Yomit: Avos 2:2-3Halacha Yomit: Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayyim 14:1-3Rambam Yomi: Hilchos Yibum v’Chalitzah chap.
Daf Yomi

3 weeks ago | jewishpress.com | Yaakov Klass

K’vod HaBriyos – Human Dignity‘… Excluding Where He Was Preoccupied’(Shavuos 18b-19a)Our sugya discusses R. Eliezer’s interpretation in the Mishna (14b) that one is liable for transgressions concealed from him. In those instances – such as where, for example, he unwittingly touched a sheretz and only became aware of it afterward – he is required to bring a Korban Chatas.
Q & A: A Sefirah Dilemma - Conclusion

3 weeks ago | jewishpress.com | Yaakov Klass

Question: As the shamash in a small community shul with an aging population, I am faced with numerous challenges. One of these is that during sefirah, different people daven for the amud for Ma’ariv. Once, a bar mitzvah boy was one of them. On another occasion, a very recent ger lead the service. Were these individuals allowed to lead the congregation in counting sefirah? I also wonder, in general, if everyone may be trusted to lead the counting.
Parshas Emor

3 weeks ago | jewishpress.com | Yaakov Klass

New York CityCANDLE LIGHTING TIMEMay 16, 2025 – 18 Iyar 57857:49 p.m. NYC E.D.T.Sabbath Ends: 8:56 p.m. NYC E.D.T.Sabbath Ends: Rabbenu Tam 9:21 NYC E.D.T.Weekly Reading: EmorWeekly Haftara: VehaKohanim HaLeviim (Ezekiel 44:15-31)Daf Yomi: Shevuos 15Mishna Yomit: Avos 1:6-7Halacha Yomit: Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayyim 11: 1-3Rambam Yomi: Hilchos Ishus chap.
Daf Yomi

4 weeks ago | jewishpress.com | Yaakov Klass

Siddurim On A Bimah‘The Heart Of Beth Din Provides For It’(Shavuos 11a)Our sugya discusses matters that are kedushas haguf – the body of the object being sanctified – such as the frankincense in the Beis HaMikdash. The Gemara’s difficulty is that if they possess bodily sanctity, how can they be redeemable? The Gemara answers “Lev beis din masneh aleihen” – lit.