Question
hey rabbis, I wanted to know if I could use LED clap activated lights on shabbat for the purpose of a mitzvah, is it considered a grama like a motion sensor one can activate for the purpose of a mitzvah (like walking to shul, or Torah study etc.)?

Question
My doctor told me that if I get up at night to go to the bathroom, I should use a flashlight to see my way there. This is for my own safety. What do I do about this on Shabbat? I can’t leave the light on all night because then I’ll never fall asleep.

Question
The broken glass at a wedding ceremony as it pertains to the destruction of the Temple. Is the fact that a Jew breaks it, a way to take ownership for the destruction of the Temple?

Question
I have a friend who makes ramen style noodle soup on Shabbos where you add hot water from an urn to a cup of dry contents including noodles. The rabbi my parents followed when I was growing up said this is forbidden because the hot water cooks the noodles, and this is what my family practiced. My friend follows a rabbi who permits it if you use a kli sheni and then transfer the water into the noodles. She served soup like this to all her Shabbos guests, and all the other ones accepted it. To not offend her, I declined by saying I was not in the mood for soup at the time. What should I do in the future if I am faced with a situation like this?

Question
Hi Rabbi, I find the concept of “rest” on Shabbat confusing. Why is walking up eight flights of stairs in my high-rise building considered not “work,” but pushing an elevator button is yes considered work? Thanks for any insight.

Question
In a few weeks I am having minor elective surgery. It is no big deal, but I have to spend 3 days in the hospital to recover from anesthesia, probably including a Shabbos. I had a similar procedure once before, and during the recovery, I found I had to use the electronic controls to move the bed often to make myself comfortable and the call button to call nurses at times. What are the laws pertaining to using these on Shabbos when it is only to improve one’s comfort?

Question
Baruch HaShem. My question may seem too simple, but my mushpia and I have been reading through the Gutnick Chumash together. We did not come from observant backgrounds, though that has since changed, so we don't have mastery of Hebrew. At one point, in reading the commentary, I asked her what the word "Toras" meant, as in the "Toras Menachem" section of commentary for each chapter. She did not know and we've tried to find information but have not found an answer. I would be very grateful if you could help us understand this term. Todah raba!

Question
I have a question about souls. Is it possible for a soul to split into two and be in two different bodies at the same time? If so, what is the purpose for this?