Reviewed by Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5tjt.com Rav Yaakov Forchherimer shlita, one of the senior Poskim in Lakewood, New Jersey, has just released a remarkable responsa Sefer entitled, “Orech Yaakov” on the Orech Chaim and Choshain Mishpat sections of Shulchan Aruch.  It is hot off the press and well-worth buying.  This is particularly true since Rav Forchheimer is not only an outstanding Posaik, but he is an outstanding gadol b’Yisroel as well.  The Sefer encompasses a total 173 Teshuvos and 442 pages – aside from two indices, one of mekoros and one of inyanim.  The indices truly open up the sefer to the thousands of psakim found in the sefer. The wide range of topics cover the underlying issues in great depth and give a wonderful introduction and background to the essential issues at stake.  Rav Forchheimer includes a new take on the shtender question (Siman 23):  Can other items be placed on it?  Is it considered a tashmish of kedusha (See OC 154:3) [directly servicing an item of kedusha] which would make it forbidden to do so or is it permitted because it is a tashmish detashmish?  Rav Forchheimer rules that if the shtender was purchased for making the home look pretty – it would be permitted.  If it was purchased for the use of seforim exclusively and not to make the home decorative– it would be forbidden. Rav Forchheimer tackles the sugya ofMezonos bread (Siman 26) – where he cites the Mishna Brurah who rules that if the taste of the juice and sweet additives are detectably more prominent than the taste of the wheat, it is considered mezonos – notwithstanding the view of the Maharsham who follows a majority.  Rabbi Forchheimer informs us of the reality that in contemporary bakeries the breadlike products do not have a strong taste of the juice.  He further writes that the whole concept of is only when eaten alone but in a sandwich the bracha remains HaMotzi. Rabbi Forchheimer rules on the basement sump-pump issue when flushing on Shabbos – giving us a “construct heter” to use it [until we develop a technological solution – GE where are you?].  It is interesting what he might say on the electric well-pumps that kick in whenever the reserve emoties.  They are an issue in the Catskills, in many homes in Lakewood and in Monsey, and now in apartments houses in New York City.  Is there more of a problem or an equal problem? In Siman 21, Rav Forchheimer also deals with Jewish communities undergoing gentrification. Is selling a shul in a neighborhood where there is no longer a minyan even on Shabbos a problem?  What is to be done if one know that it will end up being purchased by a bais tiflus?  Although seemingly a very challenging halachic problem, Rav Forchheimer conceives of a “construct heter” that would permit it under certain conditions.  For many communities, this issue is quite pressing. Moving to the Choshain Mishpat section, in CM Siman #167, Rav Forchheimer rules that, although one cannot purposefully hit a car parked incorrectly, but if the car was parked incorrectly and there was no room to maneuver – then the one who hit that car is technically exempt. In Siman 121 Rav Forcheimer deals with a  case of a woman holding […]

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