Power Outage in Ukraine: Is the Electric Oven Bishul Akum?

Anash.org feature: Dayan Levi Yitzchok Raskin, Rov of Anash in London, explores interesting Torah questions and halachic dilemmas including bishul akum concerns after a power outage, challos placed in the oven by non-Jewish help, bracha on a store mezuzah, and mezonos over bread.

The following issues are discussed by Rabbi Raskin in this week’s episode:

1. In Eretz Yisroel it is prevalent that at [the daily] Birchas Kohanim, the Chazan, when prompting the Kohanim word for word, does so in an undertone. Whereas elsewhere, the Chazan says his part in a regular tone. What’s the Chabad take on this?[1]  
2. A question from Ukraine:  We are suffering frequent power cuts. Our communal kitchen is manned by non-Jewish staff. In order to address the issue of Bishul Akum, I normally switch on the electrical ovens at the beginning of the day. Now, when power is restored, is it necessary for me to relight the ovens?[2]
3. In our nursery, we made Challos. For some reason, a non-Jewish helper placed the Challos in the oven. What is the status of the Challos and of the baking tins?[3]
4. A Jewish man is living with a non-Jewish woman. He is keen to put up a Mezuza, and she is equally keen. Does it make any difference – re. saying a brocho – if the house is her property?[4]
5. When affixing a Mezuza to the door of a shop, is a brocho said?[5]
6. In error, I said the brocho Mezonos over bread that is actually Hamoitzee; do I now need to say the correct brocho?[6]
7. What if I only realized my mix-up after having recited Al haMichya; do I now need to recite the full bentshing?[7]

To listen to Panorama of Halacha on a podcast, click here.

1. [1]  בס’ שבת כה בנדו”ד.
2. [2] ראה יו”ד מד.
3. [3] בשו”ע יו”ד סי’ קיב ש”ך סק”א משמע דלא מהני עריכת ישראל. וכן מפורש בערוך השלחן שם סעיף י.
4. [4] הערה בקי.
5. [5] ראה אגרות.
6. [6] שליחות כ 96.
7. [7] שליחות כ 96.