A friend came up to me at the Kotel and asked me to send an audio message to a Bar Mitzvah boy who stopped learning. The boy just lost a friend in the war, and now he says since his friend won't be at the bar mitzvah, he is not going to do it.

     I sent this message to the boy, "No one knows why bad things can happen to a good person, not even Moshe knew why! But you stopping your Torah learning because your friend was killed gives our enemies an extra victory; one, they killed your friend, and two, they killed your Torah studies!

     "When a Jew learns Torah, the Jewish people are strengthened. You, stopping your learning and your bar mitzvah preparations gives our enemies an extra victory!

     "Don't let them win! Have a wonderful Bar Mitzvah celebration. It will strengthen us, and because of your extra effort, it will be like your friend is there with you."