Question:
1) I have a flight, and I can even daven before neitz alone nice and calmly, or after neitz on the flight sitting down, with little kavonah, perhaps a minyan, perhaps not, when should I daven?
2) I have an auntie who is not so frum and fights in the Isreali Army, before she goes into Lebanon my family is making a special video and we have all been asked to say a nice message. Is taking part a problem of chanufah [flattery]?
3) I have a Jewish friend in Chutz La'aretz who works for a non-Jewish company. The company is taking part in a cricket game. The night before the game, the boss sent an email out to all the employees telling them to make sure to wear rainbow shoelaces (I don't fully understand this, but apparently it shows support to a certain type of free way of living life). My friend doesn't want to do this, as he feels showing support to something which is so wrong is chanufah, however, he doesn't want to be fired. What do the rabbonim recommend?
4) I made a berachah on a banana and it fell on the floor and I don't want to eat it. Must I eat it anyway to save a berachah levatolah?
Answer:
Hello,
- It is better to daven after alos then on the plane when it is hard to concentrate. See O"CH 89-8.
- Do you really mean your auntie? Regardless it is not chanufa, and maybe she should not be in a fighting unit in the army, however the specific action of going to Lebanon, is nt an aveiro. On the contrary, we should encourage her and have hakaras hatov to her, for protecting all of us, by risking her own life. So by all means, yes encourage her, as she is actually doing us a favor.
- This is a tough situation. Maybe you are not so knowledgeable, but the colorful emblem is unfortunately the symbol of the gays and those who unashamedly desecrating the mitzvos of the Torah. We may not dress that way as that is real chanufa.I would suggest that your friend, call his boss, and explain to him that it is contrary to his religious beliefs, and he can either show up with regular shoelaces, or if his boss prefers, he just won't show up. It is highly doubtful that he will get fired, because if his boss does do that, he will be in for all sorts of legal issues for denying religious freedom.
- Just eat a drop of it, from a part that is still clean, (of the inside of it).
Best wishes
