It was good to see Trump at the Ohel on Monday, the holy gravesite of the late Lubavitcher Rebbe, of righteous and blessed memory (as we say). I remember suggesting in 2016 that he visit; Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump went before the election.
I went myself on Election Day and had an incredible experience: the note I wrote to place on the grave was picked up by a sudden, gently breeze and placed gently on the gravesite. Later, I ran into a long-lost cousin inside.
I was a bit surprised to see Ben Shapiro with Trump. He was very anti-Trump in 2016 and still can be quite harsh in criticizing him. But he's a very identifiable Jewish figure with a huge audience and it seems to have worked for Trump.
It was good to see Trump praying, reciting the Psalms. (I forgot to recite mine yesterday, because I kept putting it off -- a reminder to do what is needed as soon as possible.) May we all merit God's blessings as we enter the new year.
This week's show will be slightly different from the norm: we'll focus on clips and topics, rather than guests -- and that, hopefully, will mean more input from the callers (unless you are all watching football on opening weekend).
Topics:
- The state of the economy
- The fight against crime
- The midterm election fight
- The struggle for peace between Russia and Ukraine
- The airstrike on the Venezuelan drug cartel
- The attempt to sink Kennedy
- The war in Gaza
- The case against Harvard
- The Trump presidency
Tune in: SiriusXM Patriot 125, 7-10 p.m. ET / 4-7 p.m. PT
Call: 866-957-2874
This week's Torah portion includes several laws about conduct in civic and personal life, the common theme of which is boundaries -- setting bounds to what one may do at home, at work, and even in the battlefield.
One noteworthy passage concerns Amalek, the evil nation that attacked the Children of Israel as they made their Exodus from slavery to freedom. Deuteronomy 25:17-19 commands Jews to obliterate Amalek's memory.
The South African government accused Israel of genocide on the basis of a story about Amalek in the Book of Samuel, in which King Saul was commanded to wipe out the entire evil Amalekite nation.
Because Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu quoted this week's portion -- "Remember what Amalek did to you" (25:17), the South African government claimed he was commanding soldiers to commit genocide.
It was an absurd and malevolent misreading of the Bible and of Jewish tradition. The commandment, as observed by Jews today, is to remember the evil of Amalek and fight ...
