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Certainly, everyone’s primary responsibility is to build an “ark” for himself and his family, to try, to whatever extent possible, to protect his household from the spiritual deluge that threatens us. But our obligation does not end there. We must not make the same mistake that Noah made, and save only ourselves and our family. We must assume responsibility for all our fellow Jews threatened by the floodwaters of modern society. “ Etz haim hi – It is a ‘tree of life’” (Mishleh 3:18). Why is Torah called a “tree of life”? When somebody is drowning, a bystander can save him by throwing him a log or branch that floats in the water. Torah is the “tree,” the log, that we can and must extend to our beloved brothers and sisters who are “drowning” in the “flood” of decadence. It is our obligation to try to rescue them with Torah. Today, we are all lifeguards. We all have people around us who are “drowning” and whom we need to rescue. Some readersmight, understandably, wonder what this has to do with them. After all, most people aren’t rabbis, teachers, or outreach professionals. How can they work as spiritual “lifeguards,” handing the “tree of life” to our fellow Jews who are “drowning” in our secular, Gd-less culture? I draw these readers’ attention to the prayer we recite each and every morning before Shema , in which we beseech Hashem for the wisdom and ability “ lilmod ulelamed lishmor vela’asot – to learn, to teach, to observe, and to perform” the Torah’s precepts. This prayer is recited not only by rabbis and teachers, but by all Jews, each day. We all ask Gd to help us learn and observe the Torah – and also to teach the Torah. We are all expected to be teachers. We are all lifeguards! All of us can teach in some way. Even if we do not teach directly, we can teach by example, and we can teach by showing the people around us the beauty and joy of Torah life. When we conduct ourselves honestly and ethically, whenwe speak pleasantly and courteously, we are teaching. When we demonstrate the Torah’s values, when we model the Torah’s ideal of piety and goodness, we are teaching. We are doing our part to draw our fellow Jews out of the “floodwaters” so they can find spiritual refuge with us, in our safe haven of Torah life. And, of course, we can open our wallets, and support the efforts to teach and inspire. We can help fund the institutions and organizations that run classes and lecture series, that reach out to Jews thirsting for inspiration, and that publish Torah material. We must all do our share to reach out, to help rescue as many fellow Jews as we can. As important as it, of course, is to protect ourselves and our families, let us never forget the rest of Am Yisrael , and do what we can to extend to them the “ etz haim ,” to lift them from “floodwaters,” and to help them live spiritually rich and meaningful lives as precious links in our glorious tradition. In Loving Memory of Ezra ben Senyar, A”H 800.366.2217 sales@franklingroupusa.com www.franklingroupusa.com integrated marketing & printing solutions COME IN FOR YOUR CAMP FORMS! Events 16 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE