Halachic Highlights

Question: Must glass utensils be toveled? Plastic utensils? If yes, is a brachah recited?

Short Answer: The Gemara rules that glass utensils must be toveled and the vast majority of poskim rule that a brachah is recited. Plastic is trickier, and is a dispute among contemporary poskim. The general custom is that plastic utensils do not need toveling. 

Question: Are the laws of yichud stricter when the man and woman know each other from the neighborhood or are family friends?

Question: Does one violate a Biblical prohibition by using a non-toveled utensil? 

Short Answer: It is a machlokes whether one violates a Biblical prohibition by using a non-toveled utensil. Regardless, one may not delay toveling a utensil (that he uses), and if he does, he possibly violates a mitzvas asei (positive commandment).

Question: Is it permitted for a man and woman to have yichud where there is a video stream recording them?

 Short Answer: Most poskim prohibit yichud even where there is a camera videoing the seclusion. The poskim who do permit yichud only permit it under certain limited circumstances, as described herein.

Question: Is there a prohibition of yichud when a male convert is secluded with his mother?

 Short Answer: This is a major dispute amongst contemporary poskim. The vast majority, though, are lenient, as there still is a familial connection between the convert and his mother.

Question: May a man have yichud when his young son or daughter is sleeping in another room?

 Short Answer: A man may have yichud with a woman when his young child (ages 7-9) is awake in the house, even if the child is in a different room (as long as the doors to the rooms are open). However, yichud is forbidden if the child is asleep.