Davening on a Plane
With many people traveling for Sukkos and the winter season, it’s appropriate to review some of the halachos of davening on a plane. Those learning the Daf may not realize how this discussion stems directly from our…
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Life and Society
Travel
Halacha on the road and in the air: davening, Tefillas HaDerech and travel questions.
Keeping the Faith
As Houthi rebels continue targeting commercial vessels in the Red Sea and surrounding waters, some ships have resorted to an unusual tactic: claiming to be Muslim to avoid being attacked.
Gold Overboard
Yehuda and Tzvi are traveling together on a ship. Unfortunately, they hit turbulent weather and stormy seas. Yehuda is forced to throw his gold bars into the sea to lighten the boat’s load.
Grave Concerns
True events and several recent passages in Nazir inspire the following story. Boruch Cohen and Shimon Levi board a plane together somewhere in the United States.
More Than Twenty Percent
The story is told of a man who approached a rabbi. He said to him, “Why are you always so machmir? Every time I ask you a question, the answer is always that it is forbidden.” The rabbi said, “I’m surprised to hear you…
To Save a Life
One mantra that is often repeated in halacha is that nothing supersedes saving a life. Therefore, it is somewhat surprising that a recent Gemara (Kesubos 39a) seems to take a contrarian view.
On the Way
I once had the “opportunity” to ride on a bus together with a large group of seventh-graders. There was an announcement that the recital of Tefillas HaDerech was imminent.
Fasten Your Seatbelts And Prepare For Minchah
Our Gemara discusses the laws of avodah in the Beis HaMikdash. Avodah performed by kohanim while sitting is invalid (Zevachim 23b). It is viewed as if a non-kohen performed the avodah.
Only In Omerica
A number of years ago, the New York Post ran an article with the headline “$1 Million Parties: Have NYC bar mitzvahs gone too far?” The article quoted several examples of bar and bat mitzvah celebrations that were over…
When The Sky Is Not The Limit
A year ago, I was asked to keep a group of 40 or so youngsters of varying ages busy on yom tov so that their parents could daven. I elected to tell them a story.
Wandering Jews
I once had the “opportunity” to ride on a bus together with a large group of seventh-graders. There was an announcement that the recital of תפילת הדרך was imminent.
Fasten Your Seatbelts
With the thousands of El Al tickets recently sold, it’s appropriate to discuss some of the halachos of davening on a plane. Although the Gemara doesn’t mention traveling on a plane per se, it does discuss the next best…
Wandering Jews
The topic of Tefillas HaDerech really comes up later in Maseches Berachos, but I found a way to sneak it in this week. There are many questions surrounding the recital of Tefillas HaDerech.
Gemara stories on Travel
Rav Dovid Feinstein and the Flight Over a Cemetery
A kohen learned his flight home from Israel would pass over a Jewish cemetery. Rav Dovid Feinstein ruled he must spend whatever it took to avoid it, so he bought a new ticket.