So... it comes down to this.
The basic issue is the economy -- but it's more than that. It's the fact that voters have no trust in President Joe Biden to deal with inflation and the other economic issues we face. He's totally owned by the left, which seems to see economic destruction as a feature, not a bug, in the plan.
Democrats are hoping voters are motivated by fear of losing access to abortion, fear of Trump, and fear of what might happen to "democracy" if the GOP wins.
I've never lived through an election in which it was so clear that Republicans had the upper hand throughout the race -- not just in one house, but in both. It almost makes one wonder whether something might go terribly wrong.
Really, this is a necessary backlash to restore some balance in government -- and then, finally, we will begin to confront directly the challenge -- and the hope -- that Trump still represents for the American political system.
We should not forget that the far greater challenge is what left-wing ideology and policies represent. America cannot survive "wokeness." But it is not going to be defeated in just one election. This is a first step -- but the woke cohort will not go down without a further fight.
Conservatives should enjoy the next 48-72 hours. What happens next will be difficult, and there will be no easy answers. The only Republican independent from Trump, Tom Cotton, has bowed out. So Trump is it. Until, perhaps, not.
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
