This week's portion covers a diverse array of subjects: the symbolic adornments of the Tabernacle; the service of the Levites; the pillars of cloud and fire that guided the people; the manna from Heaven; and the story of Miram's gossip.
The latter is fascinating. Miriam is stricken with tzara'at -- often translated, rather inadequately, as "leprosy" -- for gossiping about her brother's wife, who was not originally Jewish. This is the Biblical basis for the prohibition on gossip.
That prohibition, called "lashon hara" -- "evil tongue" -- applies not only to talk that is slanderous, but to speech that is true. It creates a moral and ethical dilemma for a journalist like me: it is necessary that I write about other people!
I think that journalism, and writing more generally, can be squared with this principle by conducting it in a spirit of good intentions. That means refraining from gratuitous attacks and pointless coverage, and aiming toward higher goals.
This week's show will be slightly different from the norm: we'll focus on clips and topics, rather than guests -- and that, hopefully, will mean more input from the callers (unless you are all watching football on opening weekend).
Topics:
- The state of the economy
- The fight against crime
- The midterm election fight
- The struggle for peace between Russia and Ukraine
- The airstrike on the Venezuelan drug cartel
- The attempt to sink Kennedy
- The war in Gaza
- The case against Harvard
- The Trump presidency
Tune in: SiriusXM Patriot 125, 7-10 p.m. ET / 4-7 p.m. PT
Call: 866-957-2874
This week's Torah portion includes several laws about conduct in civic and personal life, the common theme of which is boundaries -- setting bounds to what one may do at home, at work, and even in the battlefield.
One noteworthy passage concerns Amalek, the evil nation that attacked the Children of Israel as they made their Exodus from slavery to freedom. Deuteronomy 25:17-19 commands Jews to obliterate Amalek's memory.
The South African government accused Israel of genocide on the basis of a story about Amalek in the Book of Samuel, in which King Saul was commanded to wipe out the entire evil Amalekite nation.
Because Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu quoted this week's portion -- "Remember what Amalek did to you" (25:17), the South African government claimed he was commanding soldiers to commit genocide.
It was an absurd and malevolent misreading of the Bible and of Jewish tradition. The commandment, as observed by Jews today, is to remember the evil of Amalek and fight ...
