As difficult as it is for a Republican like me to acknowledge a Democratic success, and as tough as it is to give credit to Democrats for a "bipartisan" approach to Israel when they have strayed so far into the anti-Israel camp, Biden seems to have placed the US-Israel relationship back on a bipartisan foundation. This is no small achievement, and deserves to be acknowledged.
Back in 2008, I had a public debate with my Harvard Law School professor, Alan Dershowitz, in the pages of the Jerusalem Post, about whether Barack Obama would be good for Israel or not. Dershowitz suggested that Obama could lead the left into the pro-Israel camp; I argued that Obama would do the opposite, given his close association with anti-Israel radicals in the past.
I was right about Obama. But Dershowitz anticipated the path that Biden seems to have taken. It took a Donald Trump in between those two, to place the US-Israel relationship back on the right path and to orient the region toward peace. Biden largely recapitulated Trump's policies on his visit to Israel, with a few perfunctory nods toward Palestinian aspirations, but no concessions.
I still think Biden is a poor president, and I would much rather have seen a second Trump term. But Biden's trip to Israel allowed Democrats to embrace the pro-Israel label. Remarkably, Biden defied the extreme left of his party on Israel, though he is otherwise running the most left-wing administration in U.S. history. He undid much -- not all -- of the damage done by Obama. Very good.
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
