Rabbis Gone Wild

This has not been, to say the least, a banner year for the Rabbinicprofession. Almost every month - or is it week?! - some new scandal hits theheadlines, giving rabbis - and by extension, all of Judaism- a black eye. And these are not just minor offenses, like getting a bittipsy at the Shabbat kiddush, or forgetting if the eulogy is for a man or awoman, or even taking a few liberties with the Discretionary Fund. No, theseare actually culpable crimes we are talking about, peccadilloes that scrapethe bottom of the Cholent pot, from voyeurism to adultery to larceny forstealing synagogue funds to pay off blackmailers ready to reveal an illicitliaison with an underage boy congregant. With an occasional game of nakedsquash thrown in for good measure.The net effect of these incidents, while they certainly represent the vastminority of the clergy, is to cast a shadow over the rabbinic professionspecifically, and create an air of cynicism regarding religion in general.After all, if those who purport to be God's messengers have such failingsand foibles, how can they preach to others as to how to live their lives?