Fox News has come in for a lot of criticism lately, but right now it is the only network I can find, as I write this, that is airing a memorial in Escondido, California, to the 13 men and women who were killed in a terror attack during the chaotic evacuation of Kabul, Afghanistan 2 years ago -- one of the greatest military disasters in U.S. history.
The stories of the bereaved parents are heartbreaking. And they are furious at the Biden Administration. They feel that their children were not given enough protection; more than that, they feel that their sons and daughters have been dishonored by the president, the civilian leadership of the military, and the military commanders in charge.
These voices need to be heard. They have largely been forgotten, but they are raising an alarm about the lack of focus, the lack of purpose, that has taken over our military under Biden -- who began with a so-called political purge of the armed forces, and has continued with an indoctrination in LGBTQ propaganda that compromises readiness.
This week’s portion launches the great story of Abraham, who is told to leave everything of his life behind — except his immediate family — and to leave for “the Land that I shall show you.”
There’s something interesting in the fact that Abraham is told to leave his father’s house, as if breaking away from his father’s life — but his father, in fact, began the journey, moving from Ur to Haran (in last week’s portion). His father set a positive example — why should Abraham leave him?
Some obvious answers suggest themselves — adulthood, needing to make one’s own choices, his father not going far enough, etc.
But I think there is another answer. Abraham (known for the moment as Abram) needs to establish his own household. This is not just about making one’s own choice, but really about choosing one’s own starting point. It’s starting over.
Sometimes we start over in fundamental ways even if much that surrounds us remains the same. Sometimes the journey we have to ...
The story of Noah is familiar; the details, less so.
Noah is often seen as an ambivalent figure. He was righteous -- but only for his generation. What was his deficiency?
One answer suggests itself: knowing that the world was about to be flooded, he built an Ark for the animals and for his own family -- but did not try to save anyone else or to convince them to repent and change their ways (the prophet Jonah, later, would share that reluctance).
Abraham, later, would set himself apart by arguing with God -- with the Lord Himself! -- against the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, saying that they should be saved if there were enough righteous people to be found (there were not).
Still, Noah was good enough -- and sometimes, that really is sufficient to save the world. We don't need heroes every time -- just ordinary decency.
Hi all -- as I noted last month, I'm going to be closing down my Locals page, at least for tips and subscriptions -- I may keep the page up and the posts as well, but I'm no longer going to be accepting any kind of payment.
Look for cancelation in the very near future. Thank you for your support!
