This week's Torah portion recounts the story of the giving of the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai. Curiously, though, it is not named "Sinai," or "Ten Commandments," or even "Moses," but "Yitro," or "Jethro," referring to the father-in-law of Moses, who helped him delegate judicial authority.
The Ten Commandments include an injunction to honor your mother and father. It does not mention mothers- or fathers-in-law. Therefore it is even more curious that the portion is named for an in-law. It could be a sign that in-laws are to be included in the general category of honored parents.
Another possibility is that the Torah is telling us that in-laws have a different, but no less important, role to play. We all know the jokes about fraught relationships with in-laws; these can be difficult relationships, and usually lack the intimacy of relationships between biological parents and children.
At the same time, in-laws can offer their own unique insights, and are worth learning from, even if there is some emotional distance -- and even if, as in this case, Jethro is from a different group, and practiced (at one point) a different religion. The Torah is telling us that in-laws deserve a special kind of respect.
I should have noted in my message about the weekly Torah portion that this week is Shabbat Chazon, the Sabbath of Vision. We are about to mourn -- but see through that pain to something better that lies beyond, on the other side.
Wishing you the best vision -- and an incredible reality to follow. It happens!
We begin the final speech of Moses to the people of Israel before they enter the Promised Land. He relates the ups and downs of the years of wandering in the desert, before, finally, the people have the merit to enter the land itself.
This Sabbath always precedes Tisha B'Av, the Ninth of Av, the saddest day on the Jewish calendar. It is the anniversary of the destruction of both of the Holy Temples, and a catch-all for many calamities that befell the Jewish people.
A word on Tisha B'Av. This year I am leaving for an overseas trip during the afternoon of the holiday -- in the middle of a fast day. Not idea, but there was no other choice. But my flight is in the afternoon, which is significant.
We relax some of the harsh, mournful customs of the day in the afternoon. We start to pray normally; we sit on regular chairs; we start to have hope again in the redemption that will, one day, lead us all back from exile to our home.
I'll be taking a trip to a land where an important part of ...
President Trump is in Scotland, playing golf and making big trade deals -- a major deal with the EU, in fact. Meanwhile, there is a global outcry about humanitarian aid to Palestinians (not about the Israeli hostages, mind you).
On top of that, Democrats are at their lowest polling numbers ever -- so they are trying to win control of the House by redistricting in the middle of a 10-year Census cycle. Oh, economic optimism is up, so they have a tough road.
And Tulsi Gabbard's revelations about the Russia collusion investigation make it clear that Obama's lieutenants lied to Congress. How deeply was he himself involved? The media continue to ignore the evidence, but we certainly won't.
Special guests:
Nick Gilbertson - Breitbart News White House correspondent, on EU deal
Frances Martel - Breitbart News foreign editor, on Trump abroad and Russia
John Spencer - urban warfare expert, on humanitarian aid and war in Gaza
Bradley Jaye - Breitbart News congressional correspondent, on the ...
