Thank you for taking time out of your life to answer questions. I recently read Rabbi Kushner's book When Bad Things Happen to Good People. I understand his logic on free will and how prayer shouldn't be about asking for things like God is Santa. He mentions that he prays for patience, wisdom, and understanding before he counsels his patients. My question is how can you distinguish from the two types of prayers? You are still asking for something whether it is pious or selfish. If Kushner is not "asking" but praying that he will be patient and understanding then doesn't prayer become meditation?

Is a person a good person because they want to be a good person or do they have to actually do good deeds to be a good person?

1) When we daven or say tehillim for a sick person, why do we specifically use the name of the mother? 2) In shul, when they do hagbah and gelilah, people raise the pinky while saying "v'zot hatorah..." and then kiss their pinky. Is this halacha? a minhag? or has no root at all? does it need to be the pinky and does it need to be kissed afterwards? 3) The concept of chazarat Ha'shatz - why was it created? Was it said at one point in time instead of the personal shmoneh esray?

I don't know if this is an appropriate question for this forum, but I saw the billboard and thought I would give it a try. My question is, what is the best way for a person to deal with drug addiction in a relationship? Thanks for your help.

Hello there, I am in the process of converting to Judaism and would like to know your views on Jesus. Thanks very much for your help. I currently have Maurice Lamm - To Be A Jew but have questions, unanswered.