There is so much happening at the moment in U.S. news... and yet my trip to South Africa is just three days away. I think I'm going to have to shift into South Africa mode in fairly short order.
Today I'm returning from a very interesting speaking journey to the Bay Area, where I addressed Republicans in Pleasanton. Speaking to Republican audiences in the midst of the pandemic is always interesting. People don't like masks or social distancing; handshakes are the norm. I don't think I've shaken more than half a dozen hands in two years; I've gone full fist-bump. There is a cultural rejection of the pandemic conventions among conservative audiences. Just interesting.
People are fired-up. I haven't seen Republicans this energized about an election since the 2010 Tea Party -- and people are savvier now than they were then. The "resistance," as such, feels more focused. I will also say this: the anti-tax movement is much stronger among Republicans than even the establishment media understands. You don't have to pander to it, but people are not interested in being lectured to about the vaccine. The safe ground is to oppose mandates -- though, when asked, I talk freely about my own choice to be vaccinated.
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
