And Greater than Pearls is Her Worth…Vayigash 5778
Ten years ago, I visited China for the first and so far only time. The purpose of the trip was to attend the dedication celebration of a Torah scroll a friend of mine had purchased for the Chabad of Pudong…
Let Them Eat Latkes…Mikeitz Chanukah 5778
Recently, we had a Chanukah party at my house. I was busy preparing for an important lecture, so I was hoping to stay out of the kitchen entirely. (I’m really good at scheduling lectures whenever I know there will be…
Bitcoins for Shabbos….Vayeshev 5778
With Bitcoin recently hitting a high of about $19,300 per coin, it’s finally time to talk about Bitcoin. What is it? Where does it come from? What is the blockchain? Is it a scam? How does it work? And why…
How I Don’t Want to Die…Vayishlach 5778
Dying, like birth, is something best done alone. And while in birthing there are occasional Buy One Get One Free twin deals, when it comes to dying, if two people are dying together it is usually the result of a…
Let Them Drink Pumpkin Spice Latte…Vayetzei 5778
“Let them eat cake!” Allegedly uttered by the young Queen Marie Antoinette of France, those infamous words are considered to be the penultimate example of willful naiveté, apathy, and economic hubris all wrapped into one succinct package. It didn’t bode…
Stop Being a Control Freak! Toldot 5778
I can’t wait for the self-driving car. I can’t wait to get into my car, which will know where I’m going because it’s connected to my calendar, and take out a book and start reading, or take out my laptop…
For Free Pizza, Go To….Chayei Sora 5778
I remember seventy-six cent gas. Just saying that makes me feel like a dinosaur, but I do remember gas selling for seventy-six cents a gallon. I had a good buddy who lived down in Memphis, and he once took a…
The United Nations on My Table….Vayera 5778
“Mommy,” calls my six year old as she heads down the stairs, “What’s for dinner?” Evidently, a few seconds of foreknowledge makes all the difference when it comes to the dinner menu. “Lasagna, salad, and fresh fruit,” calls back my…
More Dangerous than a Nuclear Weapon, More Common than Pumpkin Spice Latte…Lech Lecha 5778
Little Boy, the atom bomb dropped on Hiroshima, used one hundred and forty one pounds of enriched uranium to produce its big bang. With improved technology, today’s nuclear bombs can be created with thirty five pounds of Uranium-235 or even…