Question
My boyfriend and I recently moved to a new apartment. Most of the people who live are Orthodox Jews. We are not Jewish and feel somewhat out of place here. We want to be wanted and to get along with our neighbors. One Orthodox couple here has welcomed us as neighbors, went out of their way to greet us and made us feel at home here, and now they want us to join them for a Sabbath meal. They seem very open minded and are interested in being our friends.   But we have no idea what to expect at a Sabbath meal. We are nervous about accepting this invitation. We would like to know is there anything special we should do? What should we say to them? What type of food can we expect them to serve? How can we reciprocate? They told us to wear whatever we want, but seriously, should we dress any particular way?

Question
Shalom aleichem Rabbi Lauffer. Thank you for answering my last question. In the Artscroll "Pirkei Avos Treasury" they bring a story on the mishnah "All Israel has a share in Olam Haba." Someone asked the Chofetz Chaim if all Jews have a share in Olam Haba, why should they do Torah and mitzvos, since anyway they are guaranteed a share in Olam Haba. The Chofetz Chaim answered that it is analogous to a factory owner paying everyone, regardless of what they actually produced in the factory. But the one who did no work will have to sheepishly answer, when asked what he did in the factory, "I took a check." Is this story mentioned anywhere in the Chofetz Chaim's seforim or letters? And if so, which one? I know it is found in Moshe Yoshor's Hebrew biography of the Chofetz Chaim, but I would like to know if it is found in any of the Chofetz Chaim's seforim or letters that he wrote. Thanks a lot.

Question
Hello Rabbi, I am exploring the concept of 'coverings' as it appears throughout the Tanakh; however, I am a novice of Hebrew and was hoping you could clarify for me the scope of meaning for the word kippur, as in Yom Kippur. I know that kippur is most often translated as 'atonement', and carries with it the idea of expiation or cleansing from one's sins. I have also heard, however, that it carries with it the sense of 'covering', as in a covering over of one's sins, and that it may be related to the word kippah, as in the traditional Jewish head covering. Is 'covering' an acceptable translation of the word kippur? Many thanks for your time and consideration!

Question
I shouldn't go anywhere on Shabbat, but I should go to synagogue on Shabbat - I'm confused.

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Hi Rabbi, What is meant by the “atmosphere” of Shabbat? I’ve heard it used in terms of preparing for the “atmosphere” of Shabbat and refraining from doing certain things that are not in the “atmosphere” of the day. Thanks for this wonderful service and for your answer in advance.

Question
Please answer for me the meaning of the word Sabbath (Shabbat) in Hebrew. I have read that "Sha" means "The Eternal One," "Ab" is the root word for "Abba" or Father, and "bath" or "beth" means "house of" or "sign of," which would give the meaning of the word Sabbath as = "Sign of the Eternal Father." Is this right? And if not, please correct where it is wrong. For instance, could it be "bat" or "bet" instead of "bath"/"beth"? Thank you!