Secretary of State Tony Blinken dodged questions Tuesday about why Biden canceled the Keystone XL pipeline but is allowing Russia's Nord Stream 2 pipeline. (So much for all that garbage about being tough on Russia.) Blinken said that he could not comment on "domestic policy or politics." But the Keystone XL pipeline involves Canada, and in April the good Secretary gave a whole big speech about domestic energy policy, even mentioning "systemic racism." He also dodged questions about Iran's funding for terror groups like Hamas, making the nonsensical and irrelevant claim that Iran would be more responsible inside a nuclear deal than outside of it.
But as bad as Blinken was, the Republican questions were just as disappointing. Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) did a good job by asking about Keystone -- but he seemed only too willing to accept Blinken's answers about Nord Stream 2. Other Republicans also let Blinken off the hook on Keystone XL, when they really could have pinned him on his lame excuse about "domestic" policy.
I don't think fireworks are always helpful or effective, but Blinken spews such unbelievable nonsense that Republicans really ought to use these opportunities to point out the folly of his administration's self-destructive foreign policy.
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
