Sharing Jewish Law, One Halachic Post at a Time

Every day, thousands of people visit the popular Facebook page “Halachic Questions” to find answers to their Jewish law concerns. The page, which has grown to about 43,000 members over the past two years, offers not only halachic answers but also eye-catching guides that simplify key topics. Surprisingly, the person behind this initiative is not a rabbi, but a 25-year-old ba’al teshuva (someone who returned to religious observance) and a business student at the Ono Academic College's Haredi campus.

In an interview with Hidabroot, the page's administrator shared the story behind the project and his careful, respectful approach to Jewish law.

“Before holidays, especially Pesach, people get overwhelmed. They think kashering their kitchen is impossible, or that halacha is too hard,” he explained. “Our posts make it all clearer. When you explain it step by step, they realize it’s much more doable than they thought.”

His journey started at age 17, when he began submitting questions on the “Ask the Rabbi” forum on the Tapuz website. As he learned more both on his own and during three years in a yeshiva for ba’alei teshuva, he began answering some of the simpler questions himself. After returning to the online world, he saw that Facebook had become the central space for public conversation, and that’s when he created the “Halachic Questions” page.

“For many people who are secular or just beginning to explore Judaism, there’s no one around to ask. They’re not going to call a rabbi, or even know one. But they’re already on Facebook so we meet them where they are,” he said. “We also offer the option to ask anonymously, which helps people feel more comfortable.”

The page is run by two people. He handles most of the halachic answers, while his partner focuses on graphic design and publishing halachic guides that summarize basic laws in clear, visual form. These guides have become one of the page’s most appreciated features.

But how does someone who isn’t a rabbi feel comfortable giving halachic answers?

He responds thoughtfully. “Chazal [our Sages] said that someone who isn’t qualified to rule halacha and still does so is acting arrogantly. But there’s a difference between inventing rulings and quoting directly from halachic sources. I never answer from memory or personal opinion. I always double-check everything in the sefarim [Jewish legal books], even if I’ve answered the same question many times.”

He often relies on the widely respected Yalkut Yosef, a halachic work based on the rulings of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef. When a question is beyond his ability, he turns to local Torah scholars or submits the question to rabbis online including those at the Hidabroot site.

“There’s no shame in asking a more experienced person. The goal is to give people reliable answers and help them grow,” he said.

The halachic guides, beautiful, colorful images that explain mitzvot (commandments) and practices are another way the page shares Torah. Each guide focuses on a different topic, like Shabbat, tefillin (phylacteries), Rosh Chodesh (the new Jewish month), or the laws of the Sukkah. So far, they’ve created around 30 guides.

“People don’t always want to read long texts, especially online. We follow the advice of our Sages, teach in a concise and clear way. A guide is easy to understand, and people can save it and refer to it again,” he said.

The guides are based entirely on halachic sources, mostly from Yalkut Yosef, and they’ve been widely shared and printed. Hidabroot has even included some in its weekly Shabbat bulletin. The response has been enthusiastic, many people request permission to distribute the guides in their communities and the page manager happily agrees.

The page also shares daily videos from Hidabroot rabbis and inspirational Torah content, which he says many viewers look forward to. “It’s clear the Torah has a place online. People want to learn and they just need a way in.”

This thoughtful, responsible approach, combined with a deep sense of mission, has helped one young man turn a Facebook page into a powerful tool for Jewish growth and connection. With every question answered and every guide shared, more people are discovering that halacha isn’t about fear or restriction, it’s about clarity, meaning, and a path back to Hashem.