Rashi explains: There are numerous ways by which Hashem could have saved Noach; why, then, did he burden him with this construction of the Ark? So that the men of the generation of the Flood might see him employed on it for 120 years and might ask him, "What do you need this for"? And so that he might answer them, "The Holy One, blessed be He, is about to bring a flood upon the world". Perhaps they might repent:

For 120 years, Noach preached to the sinners of his generation but wasn't able to return even one person to the ways of Hashem. Today, on the contrary, right before the coming of Moshiach, there are thousands of ba'alei teshuvah; especially in Israel. What is most amazing though is that it doesn't take much to convince a totally non-religious person to become religious. It seems that they hear the footsteps of Moshiach approaching and want to be part of the big reunification of Hashem with His People which will take place soon.

Sometimes, even the slightest arousal is enough to make a person fully religious. The following story is recorded in Borechi Nafshi by Rabbi Zilberstein shlita.

Reuvain had a non-religious friend. No matter how much he tried, he couldn't get him to try out the religious lifestyle. One day, Reuvain was surprised to see his friend enter the synagogue with a kippah on his head; obviously looking for someone to guide him through the rituals. It didn't take long to realize that his friend had decided to become totally committed to the Torah and her ideals.

Some time later, Reuvain asked his friend just what it was that inspired him to change. He expected to hear that someone else had done a better job in convincing him than he had. But, to his amazement, his friend told him a very moving story. "I came out of work late one night, past midnight, and I noticed a cute little 4 year old religious boy walking down the street aside his father. The boy was crying. For some reason, I was curious to know why the boy was crying so I quickly caught up with them. To my amazement, I heard the child tell his father, 'Abba, our rebby in chaider told us that we must cry to Hashem and beg him to send Moshiach. I've been crying for a week already and Moshiach has not yet come. Tell me, Abba, how much longer do I have to cry?'

"The father caressed the young boy's cheek and told him, 'No one knows for sure, my son. We just have to keep on praying and crying until Hashem finally sends us the Redemption.'

"Somehow, this conversation touched me deeply in my heart. I began to think what it is that religious people are concerned with and what non-religious people think about.

"And the next thing I knew, I put a kippah on my head and headed for the synagogue."

P.S. I am very happy to inform my friends that our youngest child Tehilah just became engaged with a wonderful boy, Natan Newman. Mazal Tov.

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