Halachic Questions to Rabbi Kasimov Led to a Second Volume

by COLlive reporter

The role of every rov centers on answering halachic questions and guiding his congregation: what to do, what to avoid, and how to live their lives in accordance with Torah. For a rov in Crown Heights with a following that spans the globe, that role, and the volume and scope of questions that come with it, is magnified many times over.

Just over six years ago, Rabbi Tuvia Kasimov was appointed as a moreh tzedek in Crown Heights. Initially, his responsibilities focused on questions of taharas hamishpacha, filling a critical need in that area. Very quickly, however, he became a central address for many in the Crown Heights community, and far beyond, seeking halachic guidance and clarification on a wide range of topics spanning both halacha and daily life.

As his role expanded, so did the questions. Businessmen in Crown Heights, shluchim stationed across the globe, anash in outlying communities, and individuals from all walks of life began turning to him with inquiries relevant to their unique circumstances. With a broader circle of influence came an increasingly diverse range of topics.

Each question received careful attention. Some required brief, definitive responses, permitting or prohibiting a given action. Many others called for more in-depth analysis, exploring the underlying sugyos, tracing the discussion from the Gemara through the Shulchan Aruch, and examining the rulings of halachic authorities throughout the generations.

Over time, these accumulated responses were compiled into the first volume of Divrei Tuvia, featuring shailos u’teshuvos addressed to Rabbi Kasimov alongside his written answers. The sefer was met with wide acclaim: rabbonim praised its depth and clarity, while laymen appreciated the rare glimpse into the reasoning behind the halachic decisions Rabbi Kasimov so skillfully presents.

In the year and a half since its publication, and following his more recent appointment as moreh hora’ah of Empire Shtibel in Crown Heights, one of the neighborhood’s prominent and established shuls, the volume of questions posed to Rabbi Kasimov has increased even further.

These new questions and responses have now been compiled into Divrei Tuvia, Volume Two. This latest volume presents 70 responsa spanning all four sections of the Shulchan Aruch, addressing questions posed by community members much like you, the reader.

“In this work, as in Volume I, I recorded the questions I received and set down the halachic analysis and its related discussions. When necessary, I sent the written response to the questioner,” Rabbi Kasimov writes in the introduction. “For each and every question, I consulted with my rabbeim shlita, clarifying every detail. I am deeply grateful to them for guiding me through shimush chachamim and for imparting a clear and structured approach to hora’ah: how to approach each question, and how to respond not only to the question itself, but to the person asking it.”

Among the topics discussed are: including a boy under bar mitzvah in a minyan; if an Aron Kodesh is placed in the wrong direction; inviting Yidden who may drive on Shabbos; asking a non-Jew to turn on a light in shul on Shabbos; using a walker on Shabbos; receiving an epidural; a non-Jew lighting a menorah; conducting business involving non-kosher items; questions related to Instacart purchases; tevilas keilim for various utensils; halachic considerations for therapists, website builders, and restaurant owners; as well as discussions on taharas hamishpacha, bris milah, mezuzah, and many more.

Like the first volume, this second installment carries the approbations of prominent rabbonim from Lubavitch and beyond, including Rabbi Y. Wosner, Skver Rov of Montreal; Rabbi Moshe Brandsdorfer, Av Beis Din of Heichal Hora’ah in Yerushalayim; Rabbi Leibel Schapiro, Rosh Yeshiva and Rov of Lubavitch in Miami; Rabbi S. Y. Schwartz, Debretziner Dayan; Rabbi U. Eskstein, Belz Rov of Boro Park; Rabbi Yosef Braun, Member of Crown Heights Beis Din; Rabbi P. Steinberg, Rabbi Emeritus of Young Israel of Queens Valley; Rabbi S. Felder, Dayan in Beis Medrash Govoah of Lakewood; Rabbi Boruch Hertz, Rov of Lubavitch in Chicago; and Rabbi Dovid Meir Drookman, Rov of Kiryat Motzkin, Eretz Yisroel.

“I am deeply grateful to Hashem for enabling me to reach this milestone, and more broadly, for entrusting me with the role of teaching and guiding in Torah,” says Rabbi Kasimov. “I also extend a special thank you to the Crown Heights community, and to the many others who submitted their questions, through which these responsa, and ultimately this sefer, came into being.”

Both volumes of Divrei Tuvia can be purchased in seforim stores and online here.