Reeh תשפא A student recently asked me, “There are two major types of social systems, democracy and socialism. What social system does the Torah recommend?” I answered him that the Torah’s social system is neither, as it operates on a different…
The beast lumbering by my van’s window had a face as large as a pizza pie, and a body that weighed as much as a small car. Its gait was clumsy and graceful all at once, massive muscular haunches dutifully…
Parshat Ekev This week’s portion contains, according to all opinions, the only Torah-mandated ברכה - blessing, namely, the ברכת המזון - Birkat Hamazon, the Grace after meals, which is derived from the verse in (Deuteronomy 8:10): ספר דברים פרק ח י) וְאָכַלְתָּ וְשָׂבָעְתָּ וּבֵרַכְתָּ אֶת יְדֹוָד…
ma·chine: noun, often attributive \mə-ˈshēn\ A: a constructed thing whether material or immaterial B : an assemblage of parts that transmit forces, motion, and energy one to another in a predetermined manner (2) : an instrument designed to transmit or modify…
Vaetchanan תשפא The Talmud (Makot 23b) teaches us that Hashem gave the Jewish people 613 מצות - commandments. דרש רבי שמלאי: שש מאות ושלש עשרה מצות נאמרו לו למשה ...אמר רב המנונא מאי קרא תורה צוה לנו משה מורשה תורה בגימטריא שית מאה…
What would you say if I told you that the US agricultural system is dependent on millions of unpaid slave laborers that almost no one knows about? What if I told you that they are crammed into the back of…
Most of the information in this article was found in an article by Travis McDade in the September 2020 edition of the Smithsonian Magazine. Deep in the “if you know, you know” section, is the word INCUNABLE. To 99.9%…
This is a rerun from a previous Shabbos email, that came out exactly eight years ago. I hope you enjoy! I introduced my wife to the pleasures of good sushi on our seventh date. In just a few hours, my…
Parshat Ki Tavo תשפ This week’s Torah portion Ki Tavo is famous for the תוכחה - the Tochacha. (No English word adequately captures the meaning of Tochacha, but its meaning will become clear as we go along.) The Tochacha comprises…