Hypocrisy

Parshas Korach

Posted on June 8, 2010 (5770) By Rabbi Berel Wein | Series: Rabbi Wein | Level: Beginner

Tragedy follows tragedy in the book of Bamidbar. The unwarranted complaints of the people regarding the food in the desert and the false report regarding the Land of Israel that was discussed in last week’s parsha end in plague, punishment and disaster. This week’s parsha describes the rebellion of Korach and his cohorts against Moshe and the supremacy of Torah within Jewish society.

It seems that there is a latent death wish that lurks within Jewish society that does not allow it to free itself from repeating terrible mistakes over and over again. The generation of the desert saw miracles, even G-d’s presence, so to speak, on a regular basis and nevertheless constantly escalates its defiance and rebellion against its special role in human civilization.

It really is a form of regret on the part of many Jews in the desert to having accepted the Torah carte blanche at Sinai. This group did not intend to be a chosen people. The plaintive cry of “let us just return to Egypt” is really a cry that “we wish to be just like all other peoples!” And it is a situation that repeats itself in almost every generation of Jewish life.

The struggle within Jews and Jewish society in all ages is whether to accept its G-d-given role as a “treasure amongst all nations” or to somehow renounce all pretense of being a special people. The choices are not really portrayed as being that stark. Rather, it reflects itself in a continuum of Jewish observance, adherence to Jewish values and the willingness to remain proudly Jewish in a world that is hostile to Jews, a Jewish state and Judaism itself.

Korach wraps his personal animosity towards Moshe and his frustration of not achieving the recognition that he feels is due him within a cloak of holiness and altruism. Hypocrisy always abounds, especially amongst those that judge others. The self-righteous give righteousness itself a bad name.

The claims of Korach which he speaks in the name of democracy, that all the people are holy and worthy of leadership, resound in classical correctness. They are hard to argue against and certainly have great public resonance and appeal. The problem with Korach’s appeal and words is that they are basically fraudulent.

Moshe’s stature is determined by G-d and has been vindicated throughout the ages of Jewish history. There are no truly unbiased people in the world. But there are those that, at the very least, recognize their bias and attempt to deal with it honestly and intelligently. Hypocrisy is the attempt to cover up the bias with false nobility of purpose and affected altruism.

Hypocrisy is a reprehensible character trait, far greater in potential destructiveness than is open hate itself. This is what made Korach so dangerous and why Moshe’s determination to publicly expose and punish him so strident and insistent. The tragedy of Korach lies not only his own personal downfall but rather in the havoc and confusion that it created in the Jewish society. It is a situation that repeats itself today as well.

Shabat shalom,
Rabbi Berel Wein

The Easy Way In

Parshas Korach

Posted on June 8, 2010 (5770) By Rabbi Naftali Reich | Series: Legacy | Level: Beginner

How do you put down an insurrection? Sometimes, all it takes is calling their bluff. Moses had to face just such an insurrection in the Desert. Korach and his followers challenged the royal authority of Moses as the divinely ordained leader of the Jewish people and the right of Aaron to serve as the High Priest.

“All the people are holy,” Korach and his followers declared. “Why do you place yourselves above them?” Surely, they contended, Hashem would want the power and the privilege spread about more equitably.

How did Moses respond? By challenging them to a test. On the morrow, Korach and each of his followers were to take a pan of incense and approach the Mishkan to perform the daily burning of the incense ritual. If Hashem accepted their offering, they would be vindicated. But if their claims were unjustified, they could expect to die. Sure enough, when the rebels brought the incense the next day, they were incinerated.

Why did Moses choose this particular ritual as a test of divine favor? The Midrash explains that the burning of the incense is the most exalted and important part of the divine service, and therefore, it is also the most devastating if its integrity is violated.

The commentators also discern another dimension in the choice of the burning of the incense as the test of divine favor. The rebels wanted to usurp the hereditary priesthood of Aaron because they felt they were equally qualified. And what were their qualifications? That they considered themselves as knowledgeable as Aaron about the intricacies of the temple service.

Therefore, Moses directed their attention to the burning of the incense. Although the production of the incense was an intricate and arcane process, the actual burning of the incense was very simple and straightforward, far simpler than the service of the animal sacrifices or the meal offerings. Clearly, Aaron’s qualifications for this service were not any specialized knowledge or training. Rather, it was his many years of selfless dedication to Hashem, his transcendent spirit and his all-embracing love for the people that earned him the privilege of wearing the priestly vestments.

The service itself may have been easy, but getting to the required level of worthiness was not. It required a lifetime of effort. Unfortunately, the rebels had to learn the hard way that there is no easy way in.

A famous sage was traveling by wagon from town to town. In each place he stopped, crowds greeted him with great honor. Some people asked for his blessing, while others asked for his advice. The sage responded to each person kindly and quickly.

“I want to ask a favor,” said the wagon driver once they were back on the road. “Never in all my life have I received honors such as you receive in each town we visit. Before the next town, could you change clothing and places with me? The people will think I am the sage, and they’ll shower me with honors. I will give them blessings, and I will give them advice. For once in my life, I would like to experience that feeling.”

“As you wish,” said the sage.

They changed clothing and places, and sure enough, the people in the next town greeted the disguised wagon driver with adulation.

One man pushed through the crowd. “I need your advice desperately,” he said to the sage, and he went on to describe his problem.

The wagon driver tried to think of an answer, but every solution only seemed to create more problems.

Suddenly, he had a flash of inspiration.

“This is really a very simple question,” he said. “In fact, it is so simple even my wagon driver knows the answer. Why don’t you ask him?”

In our own lives, we are often ready to criticize those in positions of leadership and authority, whether it be the rabbi, the school principal or anyone else in a similar position. From a distance, what they do may seem easy and uncomplicated, and we, of course, see with perfect clarity where they could use improvement. But appearances are deceiving. They spent many years preparing for those positions, and we are not qualified to second-guess everything they do. Better that we should turn that powerful lamp of scrutiny on ourselves and become the very best that we can possibly be.

Text Copyright © 2010 by Rabbi Naftali Reich and Torah.org.

Rabbi Reich is on the faculty of the Ohr Somayach Tanenbaum Education Center.

To Balance the Ego

Parshas Korach

Posted on June 19, 2014 (5774) By Rabbi Berel Wein | Series: Rabbi Wein | Level: Beginner

In the entire biblical narrative of the sojourn of the Jewish people in the desert of Sinai, the tribe of Levi is not mentioned as being a participant in any of the rebellions and mutinies of the Jewish people against G-d and Moshe. The tribe of Levi stood firm in its faith and loyalty during the disaster of the Golden Calf and rallied to the side of Moshe to stem that tide of idolatry.

In the complaints mounted against Moshe and G-d about water and food, the tribe of Levi is not to be found. The tribe of Levi did not participate in the mission of the spies and explorers of the Land of Israel and there is opinion that it was not included in the decree that that generation would die in the desert and never see the Land of Israel. Yet this seemingly impeccable record is tarnished by the events described in this week’s parsha.

Here, apparently, the tribe of Levi, through Korach and his supporters, are the leaders of a very serious rebellion against the authority of Moshe. Moshe himself is a Levite and when he criticizes the behavior of the tribe of Levi – “is it not enough for you to be the chosen servants of the Lord in your Levite status that you must insist that you will also be the priestly class of Israel?!” he certainly does so with heavy heart and great bitterness. In effect he is demanding to know what happened to turn the holy tribe of Levi into a rebellious group whose punishment would be their being swallowed up by the earth.

One of my favorite truisms in life is that one is never to underestimate the power of ego. The Great War of 1914-18 was in a great measure caused and driven by the egotistical whims of some of the main monarchs of Europe who were then in power. The Talmud records for us that the evil but potentially great King of Israel, Yeravam ben Nvat, was offered by G-d, so to speak, to stroll in Paradise alongside King David and G-d Himself, again, so to speak.

The Talmud tells us that Yeravam refused the offer because King David would have preference of place over him on that walk in Heaven. The message and moral that the Talmud means to convey with this story is how dangerous and tragic an inflated ego can be to one’s self and, if one is in a position of leadership and authority it, may affect others as well.

Korach and the tribe of Levi fall victim to their inflated egos. Their sense of self is now far from reality and responsibility. One cannot be without ego and self-pride. Yet these attributes must be tempered by perspective, logic and a sense of loyalty and obedience to the word of G-d. That,  in my opinion. is the basic lesson of this week’s parsha.

Moshe’s overriding sense of modesty diminishes the drive of his own ego and he is able to say “would that all of G-d’s congregation could join me as prophets.” Korach, consumed by his unjustly inflated ego, destroys himself and many others in his quest for positions that do not belong to him nor is he worthy of having.

Shabbat shalom

Rabbi Berel Wein

Gentle Reminders

Parshas Shlach

Posted on May 31, 2010 (5770) By Rabbi Naftali Reich | Series: Legacy | Level: Beginner

The universal image of the devout Jew is a praying figure wrapped in a tallis, but it is not the tallis that is significant. Rather, it is the long fringes on each of its four corners. At the conclusion of this week’s Torah portion, we read that these fringes were to be dyed a particular shade of blue called techeiles. What was the significance of this particular shade of blue?

The Talmud explains: “Because techeiles is reminiscent of the sea, and the sea is reminiscent of the sky, and the sky is reminiscent of the Kiseh Hakavod, Hashem’s celestial throne.” Wearing techeileth, therefore, draws the mind to thoughts of Hashem and is a source of constant inspiration.

The questions immediately arise: Why do we need any memory devices at all to remind us of Hashem? Why doesn’t the Torah simply command us to think of Hashem continuously?

Furthermore, why does the Torah choose techeiles which reminds us of Hashem in such a roundabout way? Why doesn’t the Torah simply choose a color directly associated with Him?

The commentators point out that our natural tendency of people is to connect what we see with whatever is dear to our hearts. Thus, a businessman spotting a piece of paper on the ground will think of the problems of waste disposal, the new technologies, the investment opportunities in companies active in this field. A policeman spotting the same piece of paper will think of the littering laws, zero tolerance policies, litterbug fines. An environmentalist will think of the tree that was cut down to produce this piece of paper which was so casually discarded. The businessman, the policeman, the environmentalist may all have been walking along absorbed in totally unrelated thoughts. But that little deviation from the ordinary, the simple piece of paper lying on the ground, pulls each one out of his reverie and sets him off in his own individual direction along the route that is dear to his heart.

In this light, the commentators explain the rationale behind techeiles. The Torah does not make unrealistic demands of us. The Torah realizes full well that no matter how spiritual we want to be, no matter how much we would like think of Hashem, we still live in the mundane world. We have to earn a living and pay the mortgage and take care of the children, and we cannot realistically expect to keep our minds focused on Hashem at all times.

If, however, we truly yearn to be connected with Him, if we harbor a strong love for Him deep in our hearts, then a few gentle reminders here and there will bring Him squarely back into our thoughts. Therefore, the Torah does not simply command us to think of Hashem at all times. It is too much to expect of us amid the sea of distractions in which we live. Instead, the Torah tells us to keep a symbol with us at all times, a symbol which will remind us of Hashem with just a brief glance.

To accomplish this purpose most effectively, the Torah does not choose a symbol directly associated with Hashem. Rather, the Torah chooses a fairly simple symbol which can insinuate itself easily into the mad rush of daily life, a shade of blue that reminds us of the sea. But once the chain of thought is set in motion, our natural tendencies take over. That flash of blue sets us to thinking, and if there is a true love for Hashem deep in our hearts, our thoughts will naturally turn to Him. If the heart is set in a good direction, the mind is sure to follow. But the converse is also true.

A great sage was visiting an art gallery, and he saw a large redfaced man protesting vigorously in front of a colorful abstract painting.

“How can you display such lewd art?” the angry man yelled.

Intrigued, the sage drew closer and looked at the painting.

“My good fellow,” he said. “This is a wonderful painting. It is a warm representation of a mother soothing a distraught child. The lewd images you see on the canvas are a reflection of the lewd images that occupy your own mind.”

In our own lives, we are all caught up in the dynamics of our daily existence, continuously distracted by financial, familial, social, emotional and all sorts of other concerns that make up the fabric of our lives. Under these circumstances, it is very easy to forget about Hashem. But if He has a permanent place in our hearts, if deep down we recognize and acknowledge that life has no meaning without a strong relationship with Him, then we will inevitably find myriad symbols everywhere that will nudge us gently back on track and bring Him back into our thoughts.

Text Copyright © 2010 by Rabbi Naftali Reich and Torah.org.

Rabbi Reich is on the faculty of the Ohr Somayach Tanenbaum Education Center.

The Common Thread

Parshas Shlach

Posted on June 3, 2010 (5770) By Rabbi Label Lam | Series: Dvar Torah | Level: Beginner

But the men who ascended with them said, “We cannot ascend to that people for it is too strong for us!” They brought forth to the Children of Israel an evil report on the Land that they had spied out, saying, “The Land through which we have passed to spy it out, is a Land that devours its inhabitants! All the people we saw in it were huge! There we saw the Nephilim, the sons of the giant from among the Nephilim; we were like grasshoppers in our eyes, and so we were in their eyes!” (Bamidbar 13:31-33)

What does it say about the spies that they included in their report that they felt- “like grasshoppers” in “their own eyes” and in “their eyes”? What type of subjective evidence is this? How do they know how they are perceived in the eyes of the inhabitants? What does it matter? What was their tragic flaw? Maybe we can determine from the cure, from the medicine prescribed at the very end of the Parsha what was the fault, the disease at the beginning.

HASHEM said to Moshe saying: “Speak to the Children of Israel and say to them that they shall make for themselves Tzistzis on the corners of their garments, throughout their generations. And they shall place upon the Tzistzis of each corner a thread of turquoise wool. It shall constitute Tzitzis for you that you may see it and remember all the Commandments of HASHEM and perform them; and not explore after your heart and after your eyes after which you stray. So you may remember and perform all My Commandments, and be holy to your G-d. I am HASHEM your G-d, who has removed you from the Land of Egypt to be a G-d unto you; I am HASHEM. (Bamidbar 14:37-40)

It seems, the remedy involves “seeing” or “perceiving” differently. That’s the part of the psyche that needs continuous prompting. Tzistzis are for all generations and for some reason are meant to remind of HASHEM’s Mitzvos and that we were taken from Egypt!

This past Shevuos at a hotel program there was a symposium about “Jewish Outreach”, and the floor was open for questions. A fine gentleman raised his hand and asked the ensemble of Rabbis in the front of the auditorium, “While walking home from Shul on Shabbos I sometimes see a Jewish neighbor who is involved in a garage sale. He’s not doing anything related to Shabbos. What should I do Rabbis? Should I wish him a “good Shabbos” or just leave him be and walk on by?”

The Rabbis exchanged glances until one felt compelled to answer. He cleared his throat and hesitatingly said, “Let me tell you a story! A few years back I was walking in Kew Gardens in Queens on Shabbos on my way to Shul when my eyes met a man in a cherry picker high up amongst the wires doing his work. I said to him, “good Shabbos” and a conversation ensued. Since then we have become the best of friends. He became Shomer Shabbos and now his entire family is involved in the learning and teaching of Torah.” The Rabbi stopped abruptly, “That’s all I’m gonna say!” The answer was clear and definitive and the audience was sufficiently impressed with the possibilities in simply wishing someone a friendly “good Shabbos”, but that’s not the end of the story.

Later this Rabbi who gave the answer came over and told me an amazing and curious piece of information. The fellow who asked that question was the man in the cherry picker. Amazing! How can someone forget a true historical fact like that?

The Torah tells us the very same thing, so to speak, “Don’t worry about managing results! Honor the process! That’s the nature of partnerships- being to you a G-d. You remember to do all the Mitzvos-what you are Commanded to do, and remember daily I took you out of Egypt. You stay focused on your job and I’ll do Mine. That just may be the common thread!

DvarTorah, Copyright © 2007 by Rabbi Label Lam and Torah.org.

Appreciate the Present

Parshas Behaaloscha

Posted on June 8, 2017 (5777) By Rabbi Berel Wein | Series: Rabbi Wein | Level: Beginner

The Torah reading of this week emphasizes to us the rule in life of seizing the moment of opportunity. Moshe tells the Jewish people that “we are traveling now to the place that the Lord has promised” to give to us as our national homeland. But this proposed victorious march somehow unravels. There is an incident with Yitro, the father-in-law of Moshe himself, who does not agree to accompany his adopted nation to its destination, the Land of Israel. Moshe’s entreaties to him are of no avail. He has what to him are legitimate, if not even holy reasons to return to his home and abandon Israel. His behavior makes an impression, albeit only subconsciously on the psyche of the Jewish people in the desert. Their optimism and self-pride is weakened. They begin to complain about their present conditions in the desert. Having given up on their future, they can think only of their present.

One’s present is always frustrating and fraught with problems. Now, the manna that fell from heaven daily is no longer an acceptable menu. When one is in a bad mood no food can taste good in one’s mouth. A wife may have prepared the tastiest gourmet meal for her husband’s supper, but if he arrives in a foul mood carrying his work’s problems home with him, then the meal will somehow be unsatisfying. The complaints regarding the manna will lead directly to the disaster of the spies that will appear in next week’s Torah reading. And the result of that debacle is that Moshe’s grand march to the Land of Israel will never take place for the generation that escaped Egyptian bondage and lived under miraculous conditions in a vast wasteland.

Every human being, and nations as well, has moments of opportunity that are present to be grasped. No opportunities in life are permanent except for the ever present ability to repent and improve. Opportunities that we allow to pass us by will, in the main, never return. This is true in commerce, personal health, family relationships and all other areas of life as well.

The rabbis in Avot taught us that every person has “his hour” – his particular opportunity for advancement and accomplishment. The wise and holy person recognizes such moments and opportunities and acts immediately upon them. The fool and the lazy let these opportunities escape them. Rabi Akiva said that one should never procrastinate or postpone Torah learning for the opportunity may not arise again. Judaism is about action, optimism, and enthusiasm.

The national tragedies that the Torah deals with in this week’s reading and in next week’s parsha as well all stem from weakness of self and demoralization. If we do not believe in ourselves then nothing can be good, even manna from heaven.  A generation of complainers and naysayers eventually becomes a generation of tragedy and doomed hopes. Our generation has been blessed with many great opportunities, not the least of which is the ability to study Torah and to live in the Land of Israel. These opportunities should be grasped and treasured.

Shabat shalom.

Rabbi Berel Wein Rabbi Berel Wein- Jewish historian, author and international lecturer offers a complete selection of CDs, audio tapes, video tapes, DVDs, and books on Jewish history at www.rabbiwein.com

Text Copyright © 2007 by Rabbi Berel Wein and Torah.org

 

. They said, “Has HASHEM spoken only to Moshe?! Hasn’t He spoken to us too?!” And HASHEM heard. Now this man Moshe was exceedingly humble, more so than any person on the face of the earth. HASHEM suddenly said to Moshe, Aaron and Miriam, “Go out, all three of you, to the Tent of Meeting!” And all three went out. HASHEM descended in a pillar of cloud and stood at the entrance of the Tent. He called to Aaron and Miriam, and they both went out. He said, “Please listen to My words. If there be prophets among you, [I] HASHEM will make Myself known to him in a vision; I will speak to him in a dream. Not so is My servant Moshe; he is faithful throughout My house. With him I speak mouth to mouth; in a vision and not in riddles, and he beholds the image of HASHEM. So why were you not afraid to speak against My servant Moshe? The anger of HASHEM flared against them and He left. The cloud departed from above the Tent, and behold, Miriam was afflicted with Tzaraas, as snow. Then Aaron turned to Miriam and behold, she was afflicted with Tzaraas. (Bamidbar 12:1-10)

Like forensic scientists we are invited to this subtle crime scene to figure out, after the fact, what had occurred. With help from Rashi and the Sages we begin to unravel the facts of the case. Miriam and Aaron assumed Moshe was on their level of prophecy. They expressed sincere concern about his extra measure of piety that he had separated from his wife Tzipora. What they failed to realize is that he was on call and needed to be ready to receive a prophetic message 24/7.

Only after the matter is spelled out to Aaron and Miriam is the punishment meted out. We have an open window into and a model of “the ways of HASHEM”. Rashi tells us, “After He had informed them of their transgression, He issued a decree of excommunication against them. All the more so, should a mortal not become angry with his friend before he informs him of his offense.” — Rashi

Why should a person explain the nature of the violation before expressing anger and carrying out a punishment? Maybe the answer is too obvious already. 1) Firstly, it slows down the action reaction of response. 2) A punishment is not an act of vengeance for the past, but rather it is an educational tool for the future. If someone does not have clarity on what they did wrong, correcting behavior becomes a mission impossible. 3) If the recipient of the penalty does not understand the nature of his crime not only will he not learn a lesson but he will feel resentment, assuming the chastisement was arbitrary or an abuse of power. They will begin to doubt the judgment of the authority or worse their own perception of reality. 4) Wrongly assuming one understands the reason for your upset can lead to a total breakdown in the relationship. This happens all the time!

Norman Raymond Frederick Maier was an American experimental psychologist who was famous for inducing neurosis in rats by switching the reward and punishment trigger. Every time the creature figured out which door would deliver a prize the next time that door gave a shock. The door that had been booby-trapped to deliver a shock was then converted into the door that delivered a treat.

In search of food, the rat approaches each door cautiously not knowing whether it will receive a jolt or a goody. Professor Maier describes how the rat eventually sits equidistant from the two doors and resigns to starve rather than risk getting zapped. At this point even I begin to feel sorry for the poor rat.

Life is filled with teachable moments. Everyone has a need to know “why” so they can make sense out of a situation and figure out a better “how”. Then even an affliction can be filled with meaning and feel like a hug. Kids who come to my office know already that they are not in trouble- that is if they learn a lesson and improve. If HASHEM, the ultimate authority, truly deserving of absolute trust spells out the reasons first, then we mere mortals must not bust the trust.

 

The Repetitive Trap

Parshas Behaaloscha

Posted on May 25, 2010 (5770) By Rabbi Naftali Reich | Series: Legacy | Level: Beginner

Aaron felt slighted. The princes of the tribes had all brought offerings in honor of the dedication of the Mishkan, while he had been omitted from participation in the event. The Almighty, however, reassured him that “yours is greater than theirs.” Aaron would be given the high honor and privilege of performing a duty of transcendent importance, not only during the dedication but for always. He and his descendants after him would kindle the seven lamps of the golden Menorah every single day.

Lighting the Menorah was far more than the simple act of illuminating the physical space of the Sanctuary in which it stood. Every morning, when Aaron ignited the seven holy flames, he also sparked a new outflow of incandescent spiritual illumination that lit up the world. The Menorah was the prism through which the divine light concealed in the physical world shone forth into the open, where it could be perceived by people of high spiritual achievement and sensitivity.

The Torah then proceeds to make a very strange comment (8:3), “And Aaron did it . . . as Hashem had commanded Moses.” What is the point of this statement? Our Sages explain that the Torah is praising Aaron “shelo shinah,” that he did not alter the nature of the service. But why would we have thought that Aaron would disobey Hashem’s command and alter the service? And why does he deserve praise for not doing so?

Some commentators resolve this problem by an alternate reading of the word shinah, which can also mean repetition. According to this interpretation, the Sages were praising Aaron for not being repetitive. The physical aspect of the kindling of the Menorah did not vary in the slightest from day to day, and Aaron could easily have fallen into a mechanical routine, performing the service by rote. But he did not.

Every single day, Aaron brought a freshness to the kindling service. He always found new insights into the divine light concealed in creation, an endless flow of new aspects and nuances of the manifestation of the divine in the world around us, and he gave them expression through his act of kindling the Menorah. For this he deserved immense praise.

A great rabbi passed away, and the congregation invited his son to take his place. The deceased rabbi was famous for his sharp insight and wisdom. He initiated many innovations into the synagogue practices. He revamped the system of adult education, introducing refinements in the educational philosophy and the nature of his sermons and lectures. He also upgraded the community’s benevolent and charitable programs.

The congregation assumed that the new rabbi would be delighted with what his father had accomplished, especially since it would make life much easier for him. But to their dismay, as soon as he was installed as the new rabbi, he began making drastic changes. He reevaluated and restructured the educational system again and made numerous modifications in all the synagogue programs.

“Why are you doing this?” one of the congregants asked him. “Your father was highly successful. Why change so many things? Why don’t you follow in your father’s footsteps?”

“Oh, but I am following in my father’s footsteps,” said the new rabbi. “My father never imitated other people. He always insisted on thinking for himself. I am exactly the same. I will also not step in and do what has already been done without expressing my own insights and originality.”

In our own lives, we cannot allow ourselves to fall into the trap of becoming repetitive in our religious practices. Life is full of mystery, surprises and unprecedented opportunities for finding the divine light in the world around us and giving it expression through our own deeds. No two people are alike, no two days, no two moments. If we seek out their special qualities and address them with spirituality, we can find inspiration and closeness to Hashem every day that we live upon this earth.

Text Copyright © 2010 by Rabbi Naftali Reich and Torah.org.

Rabbi Reich is on the faculty of the Ohr Somayach Tanenbaum Education Center