Cake, Fruit and Wine: A Guide to Al Hamichya and the Other Mei’ein Shalosh

By: Rabbi Dovid Heber

Spring 2026

While much is written regarding the halachos of Birkas Hamazon, there are also important halachos regarding the recitation of Mei’ein Shalosh. Mei’ein Shalosh is commonly referred to as Al Hamichya because that is the most recited version. Mei’ein Shalosh means “a similar abbreviated version of three” referring to brachos containing snippets of three of the brachos of Birkas Hamazon, which Biblically is three blessings.[1]

Few people realize that there are 238 different variations of Mei’ein Shalosh,[2] a number that has the gematria of the word vayevareich (and he blessed). The various possible combinations of foods (e.g., cake and wine, cake and fruit from Israel) add up to 17 variations. This number is multiplied by 14 possible special day combinations[3] to arrive at 238. Let’s examine the intricacies of the halachos of Mei’ein Shalosh.

The Three Different Mei’ein Shalosh

Al Hamichya – said after eating a shiur […]

Handling With Care: Boneh in the Kitchen

By: Rabbi Chananya Jacobson

Spring 2026

Boneh, the melacha of building, is not just for the lumberyard. It has many applications in the kitchen. Cheesemaking and churning butter are boneh.[1] Shaping egg salad and smoothing chopped liver can be boneh as well.[2] It can even apply to household appliances: according to some poskim, attaching a magnet to a refrigerator on Shabbos with the intention of leaving it there long-term is prohibited because of boneh.[3]

Recently, STAR-K certified a line of Gaggenau ovens without handles. Instead, they open electronically at the push of a button. In Sabbath Mode, this feature is deactivated and the door must be opened without mechanical assistance. The manufacturer offers a detachable handle to make opening the oven easier.

If these handles snap or suction into place, they should not be attached on Shabbos, as a semi-permanent attachment may violate the prohibition of boneh. (They should also […]

Too Close For Comfort: A Halachic Guide To Shaving

By: Rabbi Mordechai Frankel

Spring 2026

The Torah forbids men to use a razor to shave the pei’as hazakein, which are the corners or edges of the beard. There are many opinions regarding the exact location of these corners, which are not delineated in the Gemara. Therefore, to fulfill all opinions, the Shulchan Aruch (Y.D. 181:11) states that a G-d-fearing person should not use a razor on any area of his beard.

This prohibition is found twice in the Torah: In Vayikra 21:5, the Torah forbids giluach – shaving, while in Vayikra 19:27, it forbids hashchosa – destruction. From this, Chazal explain the prohibition as the complete removal of the hair (hachchosa) with an implement that is commonly used for shaving (giluach).

A man is therefore permitted to cut his beard with scissors, which does not completely remove the hair. He may also pluck his hair with tweezers or use depilatory cream, as these are not common […]

What Is Brewing with Kosher Beer?

By: Rabbi Tzvi Rosen

Spring 2026

No one would argue that we are living in the Age of Information, one that has greatly benefited the kashrus world. Thirty years ago, we did not have access to the information highway known as the internet because the highway was still under construction. Ferreting fact from fiction was the mainstay of our research process, one that involved finding the right people to speak to who could share their expertise so that we could create reliable kashrus standards for the tzibur.

In that era, our knowledge of the kashrus of beer and liquor was very much in its embryonic stage. Few, if any, beers carried reliable kosher certification. Using the information then available to us, we developed an educated kosher beer policy which stood the test of time for three decades. In 1996, the Kashrus Kurrents published its first beer article, “Is Something Kosher Brewing?”

But today, we are light years […]

Rei’ach Nicho’ach: Grillin’, Griddlin’ and Smokin’ K’Halacha

By: Rabbi Zvi Holland

Winter 2026

The intoxicating smell of raw meat sizzling on a grill, accompanied by the smoky pungency of a well-tended fire, is an intensely appealing sensory experience. From the moment the meat hits the heated surface and begins to sear, natural sugars and amino acids in the meat react with each other to trigger the “Maillard reaction” – more commonly known as caramelization – which releases a heady, irresistible aroma and an explosion of flavor. When done well, the barbecuing process produces involuntary gastronomic reactions in all who experience it.

The sensory reactions described above are actually an integral component of korbanos. The Gemara in Zevachim (46b) learns from the word rei’ach that the korbanos must be cooked on the mizbei’ach because precooked meat does not provide the rei’ach experience. Even the cooking technique prescribed for the edible parts of the korban had to be the very best option. This explains why […]

It’s a Strange Bird: An Insider’s Look Into Kosher Egg Laying

By: Rabbi Tzvi Rosen

Winter 2026

The incredible edible egg. Eggs are, indeed, incredible. They can be hard boiled, soft boiled, fried or scrambled and are an essential ingredient in baking. Eggs give challah a shining glow. When my mother a”h was not feeling well – and when all else failed – she drank a gogel mogel, two raw eggs mixed with honey … and it did the trick.

Then there’s the reproductive aspect of eggs: when they hatch into chicks who mature into hens, we are afforded sumptuous varieties of poultry delicacies that are staples of our Shabbos tables. These are all excellent outcomes of Hashem’s incredible creation.

But are all eggs equal? More importantly, are all eggs kosher? As we shall soon explain, the incredible edible egg is, in some cases, incredibly inedible from a kashrus standpoint.

The Kashrus of Eggs

The Shulchan Aruch (Y.D. 86:1) teaches that the simanim for a kosher egg are that its […]

Kitchen Countertops: Scratching Beneath the Surface

By: Rabbi Mordechai Frankel

Winter 2026

“I would like to purchase a countertop which can be kashered for Pesach. What should I buy?”

“I moved into a house, and the previous owner was not Jewish. Can I kasher the countertop?”

The answer to these questions and variations thereof depends on the material from which the countertop is made. We will begin by addressing which materials can be kashered and which cannot; then describe the kashering process; and finally, conclude with guidelines for countertops that cannot be kashered.

Countertop Materials

Kitchen countertops can be made from a host of different materials. Some materials can be kashered, and some cannot. (See the chart in Fig. 1.)

With regard to stone countertops, there are two basic types:

► A natural stone slab – This is one large piece of natural stone. The slab is mined whole and left intact.

► An engineered stone composite – This consists of stone fragments which have been pressed and […]