This week, we'll be focusing on the 2024 election. I'll start with a few points.
1. The situation is exactly as I expected: a close race, with Democrats having a slight edge and Republicans needing some surprises. That is how it will always be, in any situation in which Republicans actually have a chance to prevail.
2. Kamala Harris has a losing strategy: left-wing running mate, no stated policies, rhetoric that insults half the country, pandering to the left, etc. She is not going for independents; she's mobilizing the Democrats' left-wing base.
3. Trump doesn't yet have a winning strategy. Winning, for Trump, means being able to motivate Trump voters to participate in a process they consider to be rigged, and giving them hope of achieving victory, as well as a vision of victory.
Right now, Trump isn't doing #3 yet. I offer my book, THE AGENDA, as a solution. But really -- Trump can win this thing. If he gets his act together.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/164821116X
Special guests:
Scott Johnson -- expert on Minnesota politics, founder of PowerLine blog
Dylan Gwinn -- Breitbart News sports editor, on the Olympics and the NFL
Charles Jacobs -- founder of the African-Jewish alliance, on the Middle East
Tune in: SiriusXM Patriot 125, 7-10 p.m. ET (4-7 p.m. PT)
Call in: 866-957-2874
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
