Why do we have so many boys and girls going off the derech?
ANSWER:
First of all let's say the opposite: why are so many good children on the derech? I always say the same thing. I was once invited to speak to a gathering of frum girls–bais yaakov girls. Two thousand girls were sitting there, two thousand frum girls! And later I thought that it's nothing, there are two thousand girls in this place, two thousand in that place, Baruch Hashem, Baruch Hashem, there are many frum children everywhere today. So many thousands of people today are raising their children in the right way. Here is a frum school of girls; ten buses are lined up outside, Baruch Hashem. So let's concentrate on that! Of course it's a pity some of them go off the derech, but first of all let's appreciate the tremendous metamorphosis, the tremendous mahapeicha, a revolution is taking place. The Am Yisroel is increasing and multiplying, and very very many people are becoming frummer and frummer, Baruch Hashem, we rejoice in that.
When we see frum Jews, give them a brocho: Hakadosh Baruch Hu wants them to increase and multiply. That's His main desire, that Am Yisroel should increase and multiply. And so certain things have to be done, but now is not the place, in order to make the schools more effective in training the boys and girls in yiras shomayim, in how to live successfully. Some boys are not capable of learning Gemara, they need more mussar, more hashkafa, certain changes have to be instituted, no everything is not perfect. Nevertheless, right now, we should concentrate our minds and thank Hakadosh Baruch Hu on the great happiness when we see the Jewish nation is increasing.
By the way, in Eretz Yisroel that's the main worry of the reshaim; the reshaim are very much concerned. They see that if they don't do something extreme, soon the frummer will take over everything. They're like Pharaoh; he said pen yirbeh, so Hashem said, kein yirbeh!
Good Shabbos To All
This is transcribed from questions that were posed to Harav Miller by the audience at the Thursday night lectures. To listen to the audio of this Q & A please dial: 201-676-3210
Important Numbers
