We end the Torah with Moses's final blessing to the Children of Israel before he passes away and is buried in a secret location on Mount Nebo, ending the Torah (and setting the stage for the Book of Joshua and all the great deeds therein).
Then we begin again, starting the Torah from Genesis: "In the beginning...". This is a common starting point for Judeo-Christian belief -- though there are some fascinating Christian interpretations of even the first few words that mark a point of departure.
The portion continues until just before the story of Noah. Along the way, we meet the longest-living person in the Bible -- namely, Methuselah, who lived 969 years. No one quite made it to 1,000 -- a Heavenly day.
Why did Methuselah live that long? Not necessarily through his own merit. His father, Enoch, is described as one of the few righteous men of that era. But he himself only lived to the age of 365, relatively short for that time in the Bible.
It is in the nature of parenthood to exhibit a sense of self-sacrifice. One cannot live only for one's children; one must live for oneself as well, as best one can. But on some level the idea that our children will exceed us is our greatest hope.
This week, we are tackling two major areas of contention between the Trump administration and Democrat governors: fighting crime, and redistricting. The president is sending the National Guard to blue cities -- and blue states are trying to stamp out Republican representation. Is this a civil war situation?
Special guests:
- Bradley Jaye -- Breitbart News congressional correspondent, on redistricting
- Tom Manza, California Business and Industrial Alliance, on Gavin Newsom
- Jon Fleischman, veteran California political expert, on the special election
- Dan Backer, veteran political lawyer and consultant, on corruption
- DJ Mark Anthony, on a recent visit to Rome and visiting Pope Leo XIV
Tune in: SiriusXM Patriot 125, 7-10 p.m. ET / 4-7 p.m. PT
Call: 866-957-2874
This week's portion is the last of the month of Av -- also known as Menachem (Comforter) Av -- which begins in mourning and ends in celebration and anticipation of the New Year and the process of repentance and renewal.
In a similar vein, the portion features Moses offering the Israelites a choice between a blessing and a curse. They are masters of their own fates: if they obey God's commandments, they receive the blessings -- and vice versa.
The key commandment is to reject idol worship. There is said to be something magnetic about the practice of worshiping idols in the new land, such that it would be constant moral battle, both individually and collectively, in the land.
Nowadays, according to Jewish tradition, humanity has lost the urge for idol worship (and the antidote, which is divine prophecy) -- but there are several near substitutes, such as lust or excessive appetites for worldly pleasures.
We are wired for compulsive behaviors, bad habits, and even addictions. These ...
We have so much to talk about this week -- Trump's efforts to negotiate peace through negotiation, and Gavin Newsom's efforts to divide Americans through gerrymandering. We'll also talk about Playboy leaving LA and California.
Special guests:
Frances Martel - Breitbart News foreign editor, on Russia & Ukraine
Bradley Jaye - Breitbart News congressional correspondent, on Newsom
Harmeet Dhillon - DOJ Civil Rights Division chief, on the fight against DEI
Jessica Vaugn - Playboy model on political commentator, on California
Tune in: SiriusXM Patriot 125, 7-10 p.m. ET, 4-7 PT
Call: 866-957-2874
