With that, with great honor, Rabbi Samuel.

Thank you, Rabbi Herman, and my enduring appreciation to you and especially to the Orthodox Union at large for your exemplary leadership of our community.

Hello, everyone.

Today is Lagba Omer, an oasis of serenity, even joy, during the days of the Omer that we celebrate.

normally and normatively associate with mourning.

And here I share with you a conundrum, a difficulty, a question, and that is we mourn during this period between Pesach and Shavuot because we honor the memory and learn the hard lessons of the 24,000 students of Rabbi Akiva who perished during this time, according to the Gemara Yavamos, because they did not show each other due honor.

Their interpersonal ethics were lacking.

This is the