Southern states are now reporting that they are out of monoclonal antibodies, potentially lifesaving treatments for coronavirus, which the Biden administration decided to ration in September as a means to punish those states for refusing to impose vaccine and mask mandates. The left's best argument was that those states theoretically creating the problem of more infections should not get therapeutics ahead of states that did more to contain infections. The problem is that those states -- notably Florida -- actually had fewer infections than "blue" states that imposed mandates. Nobody can really claim they understand causation in the mess that is the coronavirus pandemic.
What is really happening is that the left is punishing conservatives for choosing a different policy in the approach to the pandemic. Biden is allowing Americans to suffer, and perhaps to die, out of spite. Health care is no longer a "right," but a political weapon, as it is in China and other totalitarian regimes. This is, bar none, the worst health care policy of any administration in American history.
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
