Question
How do we know that the fruits that we identify as grapes, dates, figs, pomegranates, and olives in modern times are the same ones as described in the Torah for the purpose of the bracha acharona?

Question
To make it easier for me to sleep, when I wake up during the night and feel the need to use the bathroom, which happens several times a night, I don’t get out of bed, and I urinate in a bottle I keep by my bedside. But I don’t have access to any way to wash my hands and there is no practical way to have handwashing water by my bedside. Do I still recite Asher Yatzar if I don’t wash my hands?

Question
Shalom. Due to an emergency, I missed the opportunity to say Yizkor for my father in synagogue yesterday. Can I say it at home now? Or is there something else I can do? Others did say it for him, if that matters. Thank you.

Question
After decades of going to a reformed temple for high holy day services, I am going to an orthodox synagogue this year. The orthodox synagogue does Birkat Cohanim. I went to an orthodox synagogue growing up. I am a Cohen and participated in it. As of today, I have lived with my gentile partner for almost 40 years, but never officially married her. She and I raised two kids together who are now fully grown. If this is the case, do I qualify to participate in the Birkat Cohanim ritual?

Question
Is a man allowed to be yotze on a woman’s bracha? I just formed a carpool to work, with a Jewish woman and a gentile. When I am a passenger, it is easy for me to say Tefilas Haderech, and the Jewish woman always says amen to me. But I can’t read when I’m driving. Can the Jewish woman in my carpool say Tefilas Haderech, and then I say amen and be yotze?

Question
If you relieve yourself far from a fresh water source (such as in a port-a-pot), and cannot wash your hands for a while, do you recite Asher Yatzar immediately after, even though you did not wash your hands? Or do you wait until you find a water source? And if you reach a water source a substantial amount of time later, do you recite Asher Yatzar then, or do you skip it altogether?

Question
Is a ritual washing cup a holy object that is supposed to be reserved for just ritual washing? My friend uses her ritual washing cup for a myriad of other purposes for which she finds it practical. Including washing the kitchen floor, washing windows, cleaning other parts of the house, cleaning her baby during diaper changes, watering the plants, and filling the urn with water, to name a few.