Halachic Highlights

Question: May one daven next to his wife and daughters at home, or must they erect a m’chitzah if davening together?

Short Answer: While a m’chitzah is unnecessary, Rabbi Mordechai Willig shlita told this author that the wife and daughters should not be in the line of sight of the husband/father who is davening.

Question: Assuming the CDC and our g’dolim allow such a minyan (which they currently do not), may a minyan be formed among ten men, each standing on his own porch and each a significant distance from the other?

Short Answer: It is unlikely that such a minyan could be formed based on the physical set-up of KGH houses, as the streets and driveways, as well as garbage pails would separate the men. Rav Hershel Schachter shlita has also recently ruled that this does not constitute a minyan.

Question: May one wear a protective (i.e., surgical or N95) mask outside on Shabbos in a place without an eruv?

Short Answer: According to both Rav Asher Weiss shlita and Rav Hershel Schachter shlita, one may wear both masks outside on Shabbos in a place without an eruv.

Question: Now that we are davening in our homes, must we daven at the same time that we normally daven?

Short Answer: Assuming that there are no more minyanim in Queens, one may daven at any halachically valid time, and does not need to daven at the same time as his now-canceled minyan. However, if there are rogue minyanim still taking place in Queens (chas v’shalom), it is unclear if one must daven at the same time as these rogue minyanim.

Question: Now that we are all unfortunately davening at home, must we always daven in the same spot (makom kavua) in our homes?

[I am taking a break from our regular series to present some articles on various halachic issues that have arisen because of the coronavirus. May the z’chus of these halachic discussions bring a r’fuah sh’leimah to all those who need it].