In the aftermath of 9/11, we were constantly told by the media and by Democrats that dissent was the highest form of patriotism. They (we, since I was still a Democrat) were worried that the attack would work to Bush's benefit.
21 years later, we are constantly told by the media and by Democrats that dissent is a form of treason. And this year, we were told that Trump supporters and Republicans are the same as, or worse than, the 9/11 terrorist hijackers.
This was the theme on countless Sunday morning news panels, and all over social media, from talking heads but also from national leaders like Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris. So much for the unifying symbolism of 9/11.
It's possible that the "talking points" went out at some point, either from the Biden Administration -- fresh off his awful Philadelphia speech -- or from one of the left-wing institutions where power really lies under this government.
But given the way the left thinks about the world, it was almost inevitable that they would try this tactic. Skeptical of patriotism when in opposition, the left embraces it opportunistically as a weapon against its opponents when in power.
This really is a low point in American history -- not just because of our divisions, but because the left is so far-gone down the rabbit hole of its own ideology that all it has is the kind of demagoguery we are forced to live with on a regular basis.
This week'd portion begins the book of Numbers. Interestingly, the Hebrew name for the book is "In the Desert," not "Numbers." The portion, which happens to be my bar mitzvah portion, focuses almost as much on the names of the princes of each tribe as the number of soldiers it fielded. It also focuses on the configuration of the tribal camps around the central Tabernacle and the Levites.
So why "Numbers" instead of "Names" or "Places"? The numbers are, to be sure, a unique feature of the opening of this Biblical book -- but they are not the focus of the rest of the narrative. The Hebrew focuses on the place where the events in the book take place, because essentially this is the narrative of the Israelites' wanderings from Egypt to Israel, across 40 years. We move from the giving of the Torah and the construction of the Tabernacle in Exodus and Leviticus, to the final valediction of Moses in Deuteronomy -- Bamidbar is the story of wandering that happened in between.
The question of ...
This week's portion begins with the laws of the Sabbath and the Sabbatical year, and the Jubilee year that restores all land to its original (tribal) owners. It also explores laws of property and labor that will apply in the Land of Israel, and the laws of vows and inheritance.
The Israelites are presented -- not for the last time -- with the essential moral choice that they must face, and the rewards for choosing well, along with the consequences for choosing poorly.
We learn that doing good things will earn God's protection from enemies. That does not mean that victims of terror, God forbid, were sinful. But it does mean that we can respond to evil by committing ourselves to a higher path.
This week's portion describes the major sacrifices that are to be offered by the Jewish people, including those that are offered only by the priestly Kohen class, and physical requirements of the people (men) who serve in that role.
Inter alia, there are interesting commandments -- such as an injection to treat animals with respect and care, first, by letting a mother animal nurse her offspring for a week before being offered in any sacrifice; and second, by refraining from slaughtering an animal and its offspring on the same day.
The commandments regarding animals remind us of the purpose of those regarding human beings: to uphold a divine connection, through ritual.
https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/111878/jewish/Rabbi-Isaac-Luria-The-Ari-Hakodosh.htm
