LF:
I have nothing against pictures. I have them. Not too handy with the camera, but I’ve taken some, too. My problem is that the situation got completely out of hand, and that we have sunk to where photos are the substitute for emulation, role models, and true spiritual growth. Washing hands is a requirement, and this mitzvah has tremendous merit. When someone spends an inordinate amount of time in hand washing, we may be dealing with an OCD issue. There are portraits in my home of several tzaddikim. But there is no preoccupation with them, as is found all too often in today’s world. That’s why the picture magazines sell (with a minimum of advertising). I will challenge that unless one is specifically seeking a message from each time they gaze at a photo, the impact will not be meaningful. And I do agree that pictures of tzaddikim are far better than the nonsense alternatives. And I do thank you for your interior decorating suggestion.