I've been to many Republican conventions, but this is the first one at which it feels that victory is likely. It's an unusual feeling and worth savoring, because it is rare. In fact, I'm not sure we'll ever see a political week like this ever again.
Take the following recent sequence of events:
- Biden's debate collapse
- Calls by Democrats for Biden to drop out
- Trump survives attempted assassination after being shot
- Federal judge dismisses documents case against Trump
- Polls in swing states, and even some blue states, favor Trump
- Biden, trying to show stamina, comes down with COVID (I wish him well)
There is a profound sense of optimism in Milwaukee, as well as a feeling that the party is becoming more diverse while also coming together. And the theme of faith has also been consistent throughout the convention.
It feels like victory.
Highlights from the stage thus far: undoubtedly the Gold Star families of the 13 service members killed during the Afghanistan withdrawal; Peter Navarro, right out of prison, defiant against "lawfare"; Amber Rose on her political conversion; the Jewish religious student and the parents of an American-Israeli hostage.
JD Vance was solid, and took an interesting line: America is not just an "idea," as President Joe Biden likes to say; it is also a nation, a land, a people. I think that is the essence of "America First" populism, and it was refreshing to hear. His wife, Usha, is impressive, charming, authentic, and appropriately demure.
And President Donald Trump has yet to address the gathering. Tonight. Wow.
This week'd portion begins the book of Numbers. Interestingly, the Hebrew name for the book is "In the Desert," not "Numbers." The portion, which happens to be my bar mitzvah portion, focuses almost as much on the names of the princes of each tribe as the number of soldiers it fielded. It also focuses on the configuration of the tribal camps around the central Tabernacle and the Levites.
So why "Numbers" instead of "Names" or "Places"? The numbers are, to be sure, a unique feature of the opening of this Biblical book -- but they are not the focus of the rest of the narrative. The Hebrew focuses on the place where the events in the book take place, because essentially this is the narrative of the Israelites' wanderings from Egypt to Israel, across 40 years. We move from the giving of the Torah and the construction of the Tabernacle in Exodus and Leviticus, to the final valediction of Moses in Deuteronomy -- Bamidbar is the story of wandering that happened in between.
The question of ...
This week's portion begins with the laws of the Sabbath and the Sabbatical year, and the Jubilee year that restores all land to its original (tribal) owners. It also explores laws of property and labor that will apply in the Land of Israel, and the laws of vows and inheritance.
The Israelites are presented -- not for the last time -- with the essential moral choice that they must face, and the rewards for choosing well, along with the consequences for choosing poorly.
We learn that doing good things will earn God's protection from enemies. That does not mean that victims of terror, God forbid, were sinful. But it does mean that we can respond to evil by committing ourselves to a higher path.
This week's portion describes the major sacrifices that are to be offered by the Jewish people, including those that are offered only by the priestly Kohen class, and physical requirements of the people (men) who serve in that role.
Inter alia, there are interesting commandments -- such as an injection to treat animals with respect and care, first, by letting a mother animal nurse her offspring for a week before being offered in any sacrifice; and second, by refraining from slaughtering an animal and its offspring on the same day.
The commandments regarding animals remind us of the purpose of those regarding human beings: to uphold a divine connection, through ritual.
https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/111878/jewish/Rabbi-Isaac-Luria-The-Ari-Hakodosh.htm
