Halachic Highlights

Question: May one serve as chazan if he has a family member who is no longer shomer Torah u’mitzvos (i.e., “off the derech”)?

Short Answer: According to the Rambam, he would not be allowed to serve as chazan, yet many Acharonim believe that the ruling of the Rambam is limited to very specific circumstances.

Question: May a child name-drop his famous and respected parent in order to receive a promotion or honor?

Short Answer: If a child is going to mention his own reputation/name in order to receive a promotion or honor, he should instead mention his parent’s name, assuming his parent is respected, as this gives the parent the honor.

Question: May a non-observant Jew serve as the chazan?

Short Answer: While it is certainly preferable to have a shomer Torah u’mitzvos serve as the chazan, there is room to be lenient in many circumstances and to allow a non-observant Jew to serve as the chazan.

Question: May a child ever receive help from a parent?

Short Answer: Yes, a child may accept an offer for help from a mother or a non-“ben Torah” father. If the ben Torah father insists on helping, many hold that a child may accept the help. There is also room to be lenient if the father is just performing basic tasks for the child or is helping the child perform a mitzvah.

Question: Must children follow the last will and testament of their parents?

Short Answer: Yes. Although some disagree, Rabbi Akiva Eiger ruled that a child must follow a parent’s last will and testament. However, when this requires the child to make a financial expenditure, it is unclear whether he still must obey.

Question: May a child place an elderly parent in a nursing home instead of caring for the parent in his own home? If yes, who pays for the nursing home?