Question
Shalom aleichem Rabbi Lauffer. Thank you for answering my last question. If one’s mother asks him to carry her purse so that she can walk unencumbered, would he be allowed to wear the purse over his shoulder, or would this be forbidden on account of lo silbash, as it is a lady’s purse? If this would be forbidden, would he be allowed to simply carry the purse in his hands, or would this also be forbidden? Thanks a lot.

Question
Dear Rabbi, I just came back from my first Orthodox Jewish funeral. I didn’t understand a lot of the service, but I was really moved and inspired by being there. What do you suggest is the message I should take from this experience? Thank you.

Question
Dear Rabbi, when I sit down at my desk and start the workday is there a prayer I should be saying right then? What I’m trying to ask is: How does a person bring God into one’s personal workplace?

Question
I know a lot of people do it. But is it actually wrong or sinful to intentionally refuse to work for a parnassa and instead spend much of one’s time learning Torah if doing so puts a strain on one’s family or community?

Question
It seems to me the world is not a very safe place. Terrorist attacks, car accidents, sickness and other depressing things. I am curious: What place in the world would you, as a Rabbi, advise me to live in for safety? Thanks.

Question
Dear Rabbi, Is there a problem with a kohen flying on a plane transporting a dead body? Truth is, passengers usually don’t know the plane has one. The one time I found out was when a plane I was on landed and they announced they were stopping to ceremoniously drop off the body of a soldier killed while on duty. That soldier was not likely Jewish. But all airlines, El Al included, do transport corpses, usually without letting passengers know.

Question
Dear Rabbi, If some people have a Yiddish rather than a Hebrew name that is used for ritual purposes (e.g. getting an aliya, praying for the sick), can one have an English name for ritual use? What makes it so a Yiddish name can be used, but no one uses English names ritually? And what if someone only has an English name, but none in Hebrew or Yiddish? Can that person (or their son) receive an aliya under an English name?