When Hashem charged Moshe with his mission to take the Jewish people out of Egypt, He told him (Exodus 4:17), (יז) וְאֶת הַמַּטֶּה הַזֶּה תִּקַּח בְּיָדֶךָ אֲשֶׁר תַּעֲשֶׂה בּוֹ אֶת הָאֹתֹת. 17) “And this staff you shall take in your…
Let’s talk about peaches for a moment. Soft orbs of juice and summer delight, peaches are everything that is right about fruit. Filled with so much juice that it’s almost impossible to keep your cheeks and chin clean while eating…
This coming Shabbat we begin the Torah’s second book, Shemot. After just a few verses, we learn of Levi’s death at age 137. This noteworthy “statistic” had extraordinary significance, for it marked the beginning of our slavery in Egypt. As…
The information presented below is based on an article by Jordan Weissman in The Atlantic magazine, which appeared on Dec 27, 2013. I had my first whole cup of coffee at the age of ten. Oh, how I savored that…
Parshat Pekudei תשפ"ד This week’s portion begins by telling us (Exodus 38:21) that Moshe gave a reckoning of all the gold, silver, and brass that was used in the Mishkan’s (Tabernacle) construction. (כא) אֵלֶּה פְקוּדֵי הַמִּשְׁכָּן מִשְׁכַּן הָעֵדֻת אֲשֶׁר…
Call me Nano-Man. I am the future. I laugh silently at the geek in front of me as he pulls a 5 pound laptop out of his carry-on, and places it its own basket in the security line at the…
Parshat Vayakhel תשפ"ד Parshat ויקהל - Vayakhel describes in detail how the artisan Betzalel and his helpers executed each of the instructions of how to build the Mishkan (the Tabernacle) and its components. Divinely conceived, it is reasonable to assume…
When I was about seven years old, I wanted to be a motorcycle-man. This was way before I would dream of becoming a basketball star, a pro-snowboarder, or a brilliant mathematician (O.K. so that last one never really happened). At the…
Parshat Ki Tisa תשפד This year, in shuls around the world, Parashat Ki Tisa will be read on Shabbat two weeks in a row! This coming Shabbat, it will be read for the first time as the portion of the…
Hello Everybody, Los Angeles International Airport, July 2029 As he stepped onto the curb, David waved Josh a hurried goodbye, hoping he’d get out of the airport before the five minute mark when he’d get hit with another $5.20 in…