Friday is the last day of Passover; the holiday lasts into an eighth day in the Diaspora, which happens to coincide with the Sabbath this year. The final day of the festival, whether seventh or eighth, is devoted to honoring the Messiah.
In the Christian tradition, Jesus is the Messiah; hence the Easter festival. In the Jewish faith, the Messiah has yet to come, because much of what the Messiah is meant to deliver -- such as peace on earth -- has yet to happen.
Regardless, some Jewish communities observe a special festive meal on the final day of Passover -- not exactly a seder, the orderly dinner that launches the festival, but a special meal with its own teachings and associated traditions.
For my family, this Sabbath marks the first full Sabbath without my mother-in-law, Rhoda Kadalie. We are sponsoring a meal (a "kiddish" ) at the local synagogue in her honor and memory. It will be the first of many such occasions.
This week, we are tackling two major areas of contention between the Trump administration and Democrat governors: fighting crime, and redistricting. The president is sending the National Guard to blue cities -- and blue states are trying to stamp out Republican representation. Is this a civil war situation?
Special guests:
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This week's portion is the last of the month of Av -- also known as Menachem (Comforter) Av -- which begins in mourning and ends in celebration and anticipation of the New Year and the process of repentance and renewal.
In a similar vein, the portion features Moses offering the Israelites a choice between a blessing and a curse. They are masters of their own fates: if they obey God's commandments, they receive the blessings -- and vice versa.
The key commandment is to reject idol worship. There is said to be something magnetic about the practice of worshiping idols in the new land, such that it would be constant moral battle, both individually and collectively, in the land.
Nowadays, according to Jewish tradition, humanity has lost the urge for idol worship (and the antidote, which is divine prophecy) -- but there are several near substitutes, such as lust or excessive appetites for worldly pleasures.
We are wired for compulsive behaviors, bad habits, and even addictions. These ...
We have so much to talk about this week -- Trump's efforts to negotiate peace through negotiation, and Gavin Newsom's efforts to divide Americans through gerrymandering. We'll also talk about Playboy leaving LA and California.
Special guests:
Frances Martel - Breitbart News foreign editor, on Russia & Ukraine
Bradley Jaye - Breitbart News congressional correspondent, on Newsom
Harmeet Dhillon - DOJ Civil Rights Division chief, on the fight against DEI
Jessica Vaugn - Playboy model on political commentator, on California
Tune in: SiriusXM Patriot 125, 7-10 p.m. ET, 4-7 PT
Call: 866-957-2874