Trump will be the next president.
That was clear from the debate; it was clear to me, even before, that he was very likely to win. I just couldn’t see people tolerating what Biden is doing for much longer.
Now Trump has to win because we, as Americans, not only reject violence (do we really?), but because we defy tyranny, including the tyranny of the mob.
Trump’s raised fist after surviving the assassination attempt represents everything we are as Americans. He moved out of politics and into history and myth.
Now the question is how to ensure a secure and peaceful election; how to help the opposition adjust to reality; and how to govern after Trump’s victory.
I’m working on that last bit…
This is my first broadcast from the new office and studio in Washington, DC, where I'll be for a couple of years my neighborhood back in L.A. cleans up -- and as we follow the Trump administration from a little closer up than usual.
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This week’s portion tells the grand story of the prophet who tried to curse people of Israel and instead ended up blessing them.
I am reminded that these portions continue to be relevant anew, as this particular reading lent the title for Israel’s recent 12 Day War against Iran, “Operation Rising Lion.”
This week's portion includes the commandment of the red heifer -- one of the classic "irrational" commandments whose fulfillment is an expression of faith. It also includes the regrettable episode in which Moses strikes the rock.
I referred to this story in a wedding speech last night. Why was Moses punished for striking the rock in Numbers, when he struck the rock without incident in Exodus -- both for the purpose of providing water to the people?
The answer is that in the interim, the Jewish people had received the Torah, which is like the marriage contract between the people of Israel and God. In a marriage, you do not resolve things by breaking boundaries, but through love.
The additional reading, from Judges Chapter 11, is the story of Jephthah (Yiftach), a man whom the leaders spurn, but to whom they must turn to save the nation. The parallels to our present political circumstances are striking.
Shabbat Shalom and Happy Fourth of July!
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