I am going to Israel on Sunday for a week -- my fourth trip in less than 6 months, and my third since the start of the war October 7.
I knew I would be back soon; the question was what I would focus on when I planned my trip. I soon found the answer: Argentinian President Javier Milei is going to Israel next week. So I am going to go as well, and cover his visit -- his first major foreign trip as president.
The trip is significant because Milei is one of the most pro-Israel leaders in the world at a time when Israel is worried about losing international support. For me, this is also a significant event because Milei brings together libertarian conservative thought on the one hand, with religious thought (and particularly Jewish thought, in which he is steeped, though Catholic himself) on the other.
I feel as though there is tremendous positive potential in the visible intersection of all of these strands. I want to be there to witness the trip -- as I have been there at other moments -- and write about it.
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
