I was discussing the tragedy of the killing of 3 Israeli hostages today with a friend when I suddenly remembered the story of Jephthah, or Yiftach, in the Book of Judges in the Old Testament.
Yiftach is an outcast until the leader of the Jewish people ask him to help them defend themselves against invading enemies. He agrees, but also makes a fateful vow: to sacrifice the first creature that greets him on his return.
He is victorious, and when he returns home, to his shock and dismay his daughter races out of his home to greet him, rather than a farm animal, as he had expected. It is a tragic end to a heroic adventure.
The message of the story is unclear. Obviously one should not make careless vows, but Yiftach could not imagine that a human being would come out from his home, or farm, before an animal did.
The parallel to our present situation is that none of the soldiers in Gaza when the hostages were killed -- not even their commander -- understood that it was possible hostages would emerge in the open.
We are sometimes undone by our own expectations, by the way we choose to interpret reality. We need to be open to other possibilities and perspectives. If we are not, we may end up destroying ourselves.
This is the final edition of THE AGENDA -- finished a few days early!
This week's portion elucidates some of the first laws and principles of the Torah that follow the Ten Commandments, including -- a message particularly relevant to freed slaves -- the Jewish restrictions on indentured servitude.
God also provides the basic civil laws of Jewish society, governing almost every area of life -- in this one portion! -- as well as several basic principles of faith and religious observance. Moses then ascends Sinai for 40 days.
One of the laws God gives is the law against taunting a foreigner. This is different from allowing people to enter your land illegally; it is about showing respect, however, for people from other lands and other groups.
I am reminded of the importance of this principle because of the rhetoric lately attacking Elon Musk, a fellow South African-turned-American, for his foreign roots -- often by people who favor illegal immigration, ironically.
...
Since the Palisades Fire on January 7, my posts have been fairly sparse. I have just been so busy -- fighting the fire, covering the fire, helping neighbors, and launching a new podcast, "Three Homeless Guys," with two local friends.
Things are up and down. My family is still displaced, and we haven't resolved our living situation. We are awaiting answers from the insurance company (State Farm) on what they will cover, including alternative living expenses.
There are some incredible opportunities opening up -- more on that later -- and our kids are generally doing well, though this has been hard for them as well (especially the two middle kids, who miss their friends and their house).
The emotion of it all hit me yesterday. Today I feel wrung out. But I also feel that, in a way, going through the fire has been a process of refinement, of re-casting in a new mould, to face new challenges. And to win each new day.
So much to talk about, once again, as the Trump administration continues at breakneck pace. From DOGE chewing through the federal bureaucracy, to Marco Rubio heading out on his first missions for Trump, there's so much...
Special guests:
Assemblyman Carl DeMaio -- on the L.A. fires and reforming CA insurance
Matt Boyle -- Breitbart News political editor, on DOGE and confirmations
Jamie Paige -- founder of the Westside Current, on L.A. politics and the fires
Frances Martel -- Breitbart News foreign editor, on Rubio and Russia/Ukraine
Rob Hersov -- South African commentator, on SA's fight with the White House
Tune in: SiriusXM Patriot 125, 7-10 p.m. ET, 4-7 p.m. PT
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