Parshat Devrarim 5783
Devarim תשפ"ג This Shabbat we begin the fifth book of the Torah, דברים - Devarim. Otherwise known as משנה תורה - Mishne Torah - which means “a review of the Torah,” this book is unlike the other four. When Hashem…
Can I be Real with You?
Ha’azinu/Succos 5783
In October of 2018 a new store opened in the Santa Monica Place mall, the kind of shopping center where you can find a lot of Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Rolex, and Tiffany & Co, and not a lot of Old…
What keeps bankers up at night…
Parshat Vayelech- Yom Kippur
Let’s face an uncomfortable fact; your information is out there. Your name, date of birth, social security number, address, and probably some of your credit card numbers. The fifteen largest hacks of the 21st century compromised over 4.5 billion accounts in…
I think I know what the world needs…
Parshat Nitzavim – Rosh Hashana 5782
Much of the information in this article was gleaned from an article by PBS Health on May 15, 2015 Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis may go down in history as the most frustrated and frustrating doctor in history, but he certainly will…
Some pay for it, some call it torture…
Parshat Ki Tavo 5782
We do like our gyms, us Americans. With about 36,450 gyms spread out across the fifty states, there are more gyms in the USA than McDonalds, Wendy’s and Burger Kings combined! Bringing in over $27 billion a year, the gym,…
Do You Really Want Utopia?
Parshat Ki Teitzei 5782
In early 1973, a US researcher named John Calhoun found himself in the middle of a small city that had mysteriously died out. There was not a single resident remaining, despite it having a population of 2200 just two years…
Ki Teitzei 5782
Ki Teitzei תשפ"ב Moshe took a mere thirty-six days to teach the entire book of Deuteronomy to the Jewish people. As we near the book’s end, Moshe’s death and the transition to Yehoshua’s leadership is only days away. This means that…
Craving Some Humiliation?
Parshat Shoftim 5782
If you ever find yourself with a craving for humiliation, try the following: walk into any Hermes store, and ask the salesperson if they have any Birkin bags. What will follow is a full sizing up of you as a…
Parshat Shoftim 5782
Parashat Shoftim תשפ"ב The first verse in this week’s portion (Deuteronomy 16:18) instructs us: (יח) שֹׁפְטִים וְשֹׁטְרִים תִּתֶּן לְךָ בְּכָל שְׁעָרֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר יְדֹוָד אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לְךָ לִשְׁבָטֶיךָ וְשָׁפְטוּ אֶת הָעָם מִשְׁפַּט צֶדֶק 18) Judges and policemen you shall appoint in all…
Parshat Re’eh 5782
Parshat Reeh תשפ"ב This week’s portion discloses the secret to becoming wealthy. (It’s the oldest get rich scheme in the book!) The verse says (Deuteronomy 14:22): כב) עַשֵּׂר תְּעַשֵּׂר אֵת כָּל תְּבוּאַת זַרְעֶךָ הַיֹּצֵא הַשָּׂדֶה שָׁנָה שָׁנָה 22) You shall surely tithe the…