Just got back from boxing class. This is my favorite sport at the moment, both to do and to watch. (Mayweather will win tonight, by the way.) I’ve always liked boxing, but I only took it up about four years ago, after running wasn’t quite doing it for me, and my wife teased me about needing to keep up with the ripped sailors at her Navy base (she’s in the reserves). I joined a fantastic gym called Gloveworx, which is run by Leyon Azubuike and his incredible staff. They endured through the pandemic — through shutdowns, riots, vandalism, you name it. It’s a place full of positive energy. The challenge is incredible. The regular workouts are hard enough, but sparring — which I haven’t done much of since COVID — is brutal. It’s you against someone at least as strong as you are, and probably stronger, pushing you to go beyond your limits. The key to survival is to rely on the fundamentals — keep your fists up, keep moving, remember your footwork, use your hips, and never turn your back. There are great people at the gym — including celebrities, actual boxers (active and retired), fitness professionals, and local moms from school. I am here about 2-3 times per week, usually after watching the White House press briefing or recording a podcast.
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
