Dear Rabbi, I am a PhD student in public health at Johns Hopkins. This past week I have been attending a Bioethics intensive course at Georgetown University and in a lecture a professor said something that seemed to be both anti-semetic and perhaps a misrepresentation of Judaism. I would like to find a polite way to explain to the professor how he could more accurately and more sensitively provide the same lesson to students in the future. In explaining that the moral requirement of "do not kill" takes precedence over all other moral principles- in some cultures that rank moral requirements- he specifically mentioned the Talmudic tradition as demanding this over all other considerations. He said- "I once had a Jew (note he, the professor, is a doctor referring to a jewish medical student) who didn't understand his own tradition. He was worried about coming into the hospital on the sabbath in order to save a life and I explained to him..." First, is this statement accurate? My thought is that a Rabbi would instruct a medical student to break the sabbath in order to save a life if no other doctors were available. But if the student is part of a team or a practice and his presence is not essential to save this patient, he can honor the sabbath. Also, there may be some issue with his getting paid to do this in the context of work. Perhaps he must waive his payment for services rendered. As a Rabbi, what are your thoughts? I hope to forward the professor your anonymous reply. I can't capture the professor's tone over email, but needless to say it was very abrupt and negative. And I felt offended by his abrasive way of saying, "a jew who didn't understand his own tradition." I wanted to wait however to have an informed and less emotionally charged response. Thanks and I look forward to discussing this with you further. Shabbat Shalom Lori

What holiday is shmini atzeret?

Why does toast always land jelly side down?

Rabbi, My son is an attorney, but I don't want to involve him. I am an art coach and help artists. A new artist told me he could help me with my plumbing and my patio. He asked that I give him cash as he needs it for supplies and labor and at the end he would give me all the receipts.  Each week, I gave him the amount he asked for. I believed him. This was over a period of 3 months. In April, he went to do a job in Oregon and I went away for Pesach.  There were still a few small things to do, like put back the gate he took off and other small things. Just know he was always happy and would tell many people how nice I am and how helpful I am with his art. I thought I was. Mid April, I asked him to finish and he left a message that "where did you get the idea that I would work for nothing. I expect a bunch of money."  I returned the call leaving a message that if I owed him money, he should say who much. I never cheat. I have always been honest.  He left a message that I didn't owe him anything, the job is done. His happy demeanor changed to anger. But I asked for receipts. They never came so I wrote a receipt  for the amount I paid him, mailed to him and enclosed a stamped addressed envelop.  I only asked him to sign it and return it. I did add that I wouldn't want to call an attorney. That should not be necessary. I got a phone message on my machine that I owe $2,500. After he said I don't owe anything. My question: with no receipts and the fact that he is unpredictable, should I pay the money just so I keep my good name.  I am very well known in the arts.  $2,500 is a lot of money and I feel I would be throwing it away, but if it means my good name, even though I am in the right, I would pay it. I have also been praying to HaShem that he will solve this dilemma, to rid my life of this bad person.   My question is: Does a Jew pay money that is said she owes, even though she does not owe it? Thank you so much,Rivka

Growing up in a Modern Orthodox environment the laws of Tzniut regarding arms, legs, and hair have always been clearly defined for me. However, the laws of Tzniut regarding the neckline seem to be slightly ambiguous. In elementary school, I was taught that the collarbone is the cut-off point for shirts, however since then I've seen many scrupulous women, who are 100% Halachic, wear shirts which go below the collarbone. Can you please clarify where the cut-off point is along with the Halachic sources? Thank you!