Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) delivered a great speech on Monday evening at the Ronald Reagan presidential library here in California. The news headlines are focusing on the fact that he compared Donald Trump to Reagan, pointing out that both had a shared appreciation for (Democrat) Andrew Jackson and his approach to citizenship and foreign policy. (Jackson has now been all but canceled by the Democratic Party, the party he himself founded.) Cotton also issued a warning to Russia and President Vladimir Putin, declaring that the U.S. would never recognize an inch of what the aggressor might conquer in Ukraine.
But what was most interesting about Cotton's speech, to me, was how he embraced the most popular and effective parts of Trump's legacy, while carefully and explicitly departing from Trump in important respects. For example, Cotton called Trump's criminal justice reform policies a grave mistake that have contributed to the crime and chaos on America's streets today. He didn't blame Trump for...
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
