I said in March 2020 that the right thing to do on coronavirus was take every reasonable precaution without shutting down our lives, and learning to live through the pandemic until it was behind us. The Democrats and the media, partly because of genuine fear but largely for political reasons, refused that common-sense approach. The pandemic was a unique opportunity to remove Trump through destroying the economy -- which had, until then, defied the left's "hopeful" predictions of recession -- and the social fabric. Some even insisted Trump step down or yield power to a panel of so-called experts.
A year into Biden, and the pandemic is worse than ever (in terms of cases, not deaths), and the Democrats and the media are suddenly telling us we can't go too far with restrictions; we have to learn to live with the disease; we can't destroy the economy. What changed? Well, for one thing, people are used to the danger and it's no longer quite as terrifying; but the real motivation, if I want to be cynical about it, is to protect Biden, who promised to end the pandemic. Now Democrats want us to put a brave face on it all, and move on.
It's the right approach, but it's two years, and trillions of dollars, and an unfair election, too late. We should have done this right from the very start.
This week’s portion launches the great story of Abraham, who is told to leave everything of his life behind — except his immediate family — and to leave for “the Land that I shall show you.”
There’s something interesting in the fact that Abraham is told to leave his father’s house, as if breaking away from his father’s life — but his father, in fact, began the journey, moving from Ur to Haran (in last week’s portion). His father set a positive example — why should Abraham leave him?
Some obvious answers suggest themselves — adulthood, needing to make one’s own choices, his father not going far enough, etc.
But I think there is another answer. Abraham (known for the moment as Abram) needs to establish his own household. This is not just about making one’s own choice, but really about choosing one’s own starting point. It’s starting over.
Sometimes we start over in fundamental ways even if much that surrounds us remains the same. Sometimes the journey we have to ...
The story of Noah is familiar; the details, less so.
Noah is often seen as an ambivalent figure. He was righteous -- but only for his generation. What was his deficiency?
One answer suggests itself: knowing that the world was about to be flooded, he built an Ark for the animals and for his own family -- but did not try to save anyone else or to convince them to repent and change their ways (the prophet Jonah, later, would share that reluctance).
Abraham, later, would set himself apart by arguing with God -- with the Lord Himself! -- against the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, saying that they should be saved if there were enough righteous people to be found (there were not).
Still, Noah was good enough -- and sometimes, that really is sufficient to save the world. We don't need heroes every time -- just ordinary decency.
Hi all -- as I noted last month, I'm going to be closing down my Locals page, at least for tips and subscriptions -- I may keep the page up and the posts as well, but I'm no longer going to be accepting any kind of payment.
Look for cancelation in the very near future. Thank you for your support!
