23 Jun CONVICTION IN AN AGE OF CONVENIENCE

According to Merriam-
Webster, a grifter is “a

person who swindles or
cheats others through
deception or fraud.”
The word comes from
graft, an old slang term
for dishonest gain. Traditionally, it referred
to a con artist, someone who manipulates
others for personal profit.
In recent years, though, the word has taken
on a broader cultural meaning. Today, a
grifter is often used to describe a public
figure who shifts principles, loyalties, or
convictions depending on what is most
useful or profitable at the moment. The focus
is no longer only on fraud, but on flexibility
without principles. The question becomes
less “What is true?” and more “What works
for me right now?”
We see this pattern across media personalities,
politicians, entertainers, and even religious
leaders. Positions and convictions once held
and stated with certainty are walked back
and abandoned. Yesterday’s critic is today’s
supporter and today’s supporter might be
tomorrow’s critic, all depending on what the
audience and opportunity want, what drives
engagement or helps the bottom line.

In today’s media world, too many
commentators shift positions to chase
clicks, followers, ratings, access, or political
influence. Just this week, Tucker Carlson,
after decades as one of the most prominent
voices on the right, announced that he is
leaving the Republican party, citing serious
disagreements over its direction and the war
with Iran. This isn’t a principled stand or
statement; it is just the latest pivot from a
person who can make your head spin with
how quickly and radically he changes his
opinions and loyalties.
While perhaps the most prominent example,
he is far from the only one. Megyn Kelly,
consistent with her recent ideological
shift, sharply criticized President Trump’s
approach to the Iran conflict, expressing
regret for voting for him and supporting
him. Until the opportunity to host Vice
President Vance on her show arose, and
then she suddenly became a supporter of
President Trump again. Changing one’s
mind is not the issue. Everyone can, and in
some cases should, change their mind when
appropriate. The question is what drives it,
conviction or convenience?
For this group of grifters, the pattern repeats
itself. Positions shift with public mood.

Strong statements are
softened when they
become inconvenient.
Judaism makes a clear
distinction here. There
is a place for honest
reassessment. We are
expected to think,
learn, grow and correct
ourselves when we are
wrong. But there is a
difference changing
because we have grown
or because we are
grifting.
Chazal describe Bilam,
the non-Jewish prophet hired by Balak to
curse Bnei Yisrael, as both highly gifted
and deeply corrupt. On the pasuk “–קם ולא
did again Never”—“בישראל עוד נביא כמשה
there arise in Israel a prophet like Moshe”
(Devarim 34:10), the Sifrei notes that while
no prophet like Moshe arose in Israel, such
a prophet did arise among the nations:
Bilam. His level of prophecy indeed
matched Moshe Rabbeinu. Yet the Mishnah
(Sanhedrin 10:2) lists him among those who
lose their share in the World to Come.
How does someone on that level fall so
far?
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks zt”l points to
the Gemara (Sanhedrin 105a), which
connects the name Bilam to בלא
עם”—without a people.” Bilam was
not rooted in anything. He had no real
loyalty or commitment. He was available
to be hired and his blessings and curses
could be purchased. We tend to think of
Bilam as someone specifically out to get
the Jews but there is no evidence that he
was guided by ideology, justice or moral
responsibility. He had ability, but not
allegiance.
In that sense, Bilam was the original
grifter. He had extraordinary gifts,
but no anchor. He attached himself to
whoever offered him the most benefit.
He was עם בלא, a man without a people.
Moshe Rabbeinu is the opposite. Hashem
בכל ביתי- נאמן” ,him about testifies
הוא”—“In all My house he is the most
trustworthy” (Bamidbar 12:7). Moshe is
defined by loyalty and faithfulness. He
stands with his people even when it is
difficult. He defends them when they
fail. He challenges them when they need
it. He does not leave them when things
are hard.
Moshe is not עם בלא. He belongs to his
people and they can rely on him. That
is the difference between talent and
character. Bilam only had talent. Moshe
also had trustworthiness, and in the end,

trust is what matters.
In a world where it is increasingly common
for public people, particularly those who
stand to profit, to adjust their positions
based on what is popular or useful, there
are still those who try to stay consistent.
Among the most visible Orthodox Jewish
public figures, Ben Shapiro has often
taken positions that come with criticism
and personal cost, especially in his public
defense of Israel and in maintaining an
openly observant Jewish identity in a very
public arena. Whether one agrees with
everything he says or not, someone who
continues to stand by his core commitments
to the Jewish people and Israel, even when
it is uncomfortable, inconvenient and even
dangerous, is admirable.
For him, and for any of us, sometimes it
would be easier to shift. It would be more
profitable, more comfortable, or more
accepted. But that has never been what
Torah life is meant to be.
Being a Jew is about consistency. About
showing up the same way whether it is
convenient and comfortable or not. It is
about being someone whose word can be
trusted and whose values do not change
with the moment. Moshe Rabbeinu is our
teacher in perpetuity not just because of his
brilliance and greatness but because of his
reliability, consistency, steadfastness, and
trustworthiness.
We may not stand to gain financially by
changing our appearance or our opinions,
but we do live in a world where there is
often a perceived benefit in minimizing the
visible signs of our Jewish identity or staying
quiet about our values and principles. The
temptation is to blend in, to avoid attention,
to say less and be seen less. But that is not
our calling.
Don’t be a Bilam who detaches from his
people when it is inconvenient or costly. Be
a student of Moshe Rabbeinu, who stood
with his nation and stood for truth, choosing
principle over profit and faithfulness over
favor.