This week's portion deals with the final three Plagues (Locusts, Darkness, and the Death of the Firstborn), as well as the Passover ceremony, and the Exodus.
One of my rabbis, whose family has been deeply affected by the Palisades Fire, wrote an extended contemplation of the plague of Darkness. He suggested that we try to uncover the light within the darkness in moments of difficulty.
I have just two thoughts to add about this week's portion. One is about the odd phenomenon of my house being spared from the fire. People have commented that it must have been because of my "mezuzot" -- the scrolls that Jews affix to almost every doorpost in the house in commemoration of the Passover blood. According to tradition, a mezuzah protects the house, just as the blood of the paschal lamb protected the Israelites from the Angel of Death in Egypt.
I don't know -- there are rabbis who lost their homes, and they certainly had mezuzot. Plus, I was missing one mezuzah that fell off a closet door. But who knows? It can't hurt to have the extra protection, for all kinds of reasons.
The other thought I have about this week's portion is about the experience of leaving Egypt in a rush. We, too, left our homes in a rush when we evacuated ahead of the raging, racing fire. Did the Israelites really know they were being liberated? Or were they racing to flee what they feared was a great danger, headed into something completely unknown?
I don't know, but it could explain their slow embrace of freedom in the desert. Something to think about.
https://www.chabad.org/parshah/torahreading.asp?aid=2492615&jewish=Bo-Torah-Reading.htm&p=complete
What an incredible week we have coming. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is here; confirmation fights continue; a trade war looms; the fire fallout goes on; plus, the Grammys and the insane Lakers/Luka trade.
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Tune in: 7-10 p.m. ET, 4-7 PT
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Hi all -- I apologize for being sparse with my posts here. I have just been so busy. I need to start putting up some of my best photos and videos here.
Give me a week or two and I hope things will be somewhat back to "normal."
The first show of the Trump Administration, Part II. What a week it has been. I wrote a book, The Agenda: What Trump Should Do in His First 100 Days. But the president has done most of what I suggested in the first week or so.
We'll talk about that. And we'll talk about the president's extraordinary meeting here in Los Angeles with the residents of Pacific Palisades -- including me -- to talk about the fire and the rebuilding effort. It set the tone for his future.
We'll also have some fun with one of Trump's more interesting orders, which is to release all of the files on the assassination of JFK, RFK, and MLK Jr. What could we expect to see inside them? Will there be revelations ... or just duds?
Special guests:
Tune in: 7-10 p.m. ET, 4-7 p.m. PT
Call: 866-957-2874