Today, we'll look ahead to a busy legislative week. The fight over the $3.5 trillion "reconciliation" bill continues, as Democrats try to slip in amnesty provisions in the midst of an unprecedented wave of migration at the southern U.S. border. We're still reeling from the revelation on Friday that the U.S. killed an innocent man -- and 9 other civilians -- in an airstrike Aug. 29: was it just to save face for the Biden administration's disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal? Don't look to JCOS Chairman Gen. Mark Milley for answers; he's defending his calls to his Chinese counterpart in the closing days of the Trump administration. And Biden is at the beach -- after rationing Regeneron, a lifesaving monoclonal antibody treatment for coronavirus, from seven southern states in what seems to be an act of brazen political retaliation for rejecting mask/vaccine mandates. France has recalled its ambassador -- for the first time ever -- in a blow to Biden's claims to have restored relations with U.S. allies. Is there anything left of the Biden presidency? The fiscal battles ahead in Congress may well decide.
Special guests:
Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY) - on Afghanistan, and on beating leukemia
Rep. Greg Murphy (R-NC) - on the reconciliation battle in the House
Breitbart News' Brandon Darby - on the crisis at the southern U.S. border
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Call in: 866-957-2874
This is the portion that all journalists should love: the Torah tells the story of the 12 spies, only two of whom tell the truth when the other ten shade it in a negative away (perhaps to suit a political agenda that is opposed to Moses).
It's not that the ten "lying" spies misconstrue the facts about the Land of Israel; rather, they interject their opinions that the land is impossible to conquer, which strikes unnecessary terror into the hearts of the people.
We have many examples of such fake news today -- from the Iranian propaganda outlets spreading false claims that they are winning the war, to California politicians spreading false horror stories about ICE raids in L.A.
The people realize, too late, that they have been fooled, and once they are condemned to die in the desert, they try to rush into Israel -- only to be defeated by the inhabitants, as the spies predicted that they would be.
But as consolation, God gives the people new commandments -- focused on things they must ...
This week's portion discusses the procedure for lighting the menorah, the holy seven-branched lamp, in the Tabernacle (and later the Temple). It also describes an episode where the people crave meat, and God punishes them by giving it to them in excess. We also read the story of Miriam, Moses's sister, who is punished with the spiritual skin blemish of tzara'at for speaking about her brother, thus violating the prohibition against lashon hara (evil tongue).
I heard a fantastic sermon this week about the lighting of the menorah: that while only the priests were qualified to clean and purify the menorah, anyone could light it. A reminder that each of us can inspire others along the way.
This week we study the vow of the Nazirite; a reminder that sometimes trying to be too holy is excessive, and the best we can do is to be the best that we are.
https://www.chabad.org/parshah/torahreading_cdo/aid/2495720/p/complete/jewish/Naso-Torah-Reading.htm
