Question
This is a topic that has gone to the US Supreme Court, and now I am faced with it myself. I have a startup business that I run out of my home making invitations for weddings and other events. I’ve been running it singlehandedly for less than a year. I’ve done it for Jewish and non-Jewish weddings alike and even some intermarriages all without thinking of that as an issue. Now for the first time ever, I got a request for invitations from two Jewish gay men who are planning to marry each other. And this issue has suddenly struck me. Is it permitted for me to take them on as a client?

Question
I read of a custom to bless one’s children on Friday night. Would you please tell me a little more about this practice? Thank you!

Question
From before the time I was born, my father was a very observant religious man. He put on tefillin every day, went to shul regularly, studied Torah, and taught me to be who I am now. He was very kind and scrupulously observed every mitzvah he possibly could. Sadly, my father now has dementia. This has affected his personality. Today, my father rails against the very religious principles he once practiced. And he uses a lot of profanity in reference to the beliefs his demented mind has taken on. He says the most terrible things about G-d, the Torah, and Halacha. Anyone observing Jew would be disgusted by what he’s saying. And he has stopped practicing too. During Shabbos, he turns lights on and off, watches TV, and makes phone calls. We have tried, but we can’t control him. He can be quite combative. If he was still driving, he’d be driving on Shabbos too. If he had access to food of his choice, he’d be eating treif. My father now lives with us because he can no longer live by himself. We have hired part-time care for him so we can have our lives and our sanity. We like to have Shabbos guests. But when we have people over, we can’t stop him from behaving like this at the Shabbos table. Some of our friends understand the nature of his condition, but others cannot comprehend what’s really going on and think he is just a self-hating Jew. They do not realize what he was like in the past before he developed this irreversible condition. We like having Shabbos guests over, but we find him an embarrassment. We don’t want to turn away anyone from our home. And we don’t want to exclude him either. How do you think we should manage this?

Question
Dear Rabbi, My son is marrying, God willing, in November, and we have heard of a pre-marriage ceremony called "The Breaking of the Plate." Would you be so kind as to share the significance of this ceremony as well as the actual performance (ritual)? Thank you.

Question
Dear Rabbi, My husband and I are in our upper 50s. We have been happily married for over 30 years. We tried but couldn’t have children when we were young and couldn’t adopt either because we couldn’t afford to. We have always felt and still feel an emptiness because we never had any children. This emptiness has grown as more time has passed and many of our relatives are gone. Now we are financially in a better position and we would very much love to adopt some children, but we cannot ignore the fact that we are older. We are for the most part in good health. We have asked a lawyer, and legally we can adopt if an agency is willing to approve us. What is your advice as a rabbi when it comes to middle-aged people adopting children?    

Question
Dear Rabbi, At a Jewish wedding the groom places the glass under his foot and smashes it into several pieces. What is the significance of this act? I have a friend who is soon to be married and he asked me this question. Thanks so much for this service!

Question
Rabbi, I am a 70-year-old fit Jewish divorced woman who has had two heart attacks within a year. I light candles, partake in some study and observe all holidays. I have one son, single, 27, a mature physics PhD student who is now taking a more active role in his mother's life, a good relationship. I am no longer a candidate for stents and bypass and was told that I have 3 years to live. Rabbi, what questions do I ask myself to make each day count more?

Question
70 year old fit Jewish divorced woman has had 2 heart attacks within a year. Lights candles, partakes in some study and observes all holidays. One son single 27 mature physics phd student who is now taking a more active role in mother's life, a good relationship. Woman no longer candidate for stents and bypass. Told 3 years to live. What questions do I ask myself to make each day count more?

Question
Does one who fails to conceive children naturally, despite their best attempts, fulfill the mitzvah to be fruitful and multiply if they adopt children and raise a family of one or more adopted children?