Kosher Food for Thought

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Boundaries That Matter

In this week's Torah reading for Sukkot, we are commanded to dwell in sukkot for seven days so that future generations will remember how G-d sheltered the Israelites during their journey through the wilderness. A sukkah is defined as much by its limitations as by its structure. The walls must meet specific requirements. The schach must provide shade, but it cannot become a permanent roof. The structure must be suitable for dwelling, yet it cannot become a permanent dwelling. A sukkah is valid not because we intend it to be kosher, but because it conforms to clearly defined limits. Jewish law does not rely on assumptions. The walls must meet minimum dimensions. The schach must meet specific requirements. Openings beyond certain limits require correction. The sukkah exists because its boundaries are defined, measured, and enforceable. That principle feels particularly relevant in light of a recently disclosed incident involving an autonomous AI research agent. According to reports, t...

Silent Drift, Baseline Decay, and the Problem of Unmonitored Systems

In Parashat Ha'azinu, Moses presents a sweeping historical prophecy that charts the rise and decline of a people. The narrative is striking because it does not describe a sudden collapse brought on by an external enemy. Instead, it portrays a gradual internal deterioration. The Torah describes a community that achieves abundance, grows comfortable, and slowly drifts from its foundational values, "Jeshurun grew fat and kicked... they abandoned the G-d who made them" (Deuteronomy 32:15). Classical commentators emphasize the subtle nature of this decline. Ramban notes that the tragedy of Jeshurun is not a dramatic rebellion but a gradual drift so incremental that people fail to recognize it until the consequences become unavoidable. What begins as a minor deviation eventually becomes a profound departure from the original standard. This dynamic closely mirrors one of the most significant challenges in production artificial intelligence, model drift. When large language model...

Rosh Hashanah and the Problem of Uncontained Agency

This Shabbat coincides with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. As we reflect on themes of accountability, responsibility, and divine sovereignty, we also encounter one of the most difficult and profound narratives in all of Torah: the Akeidah, the binding of Isaac. The story unfolds with remarkable simplicity. Abraham receives a command, rises early, prepares for the journey, and ultimately places Isaac upon the altar. The text offers little commentary on Abraham's thoughts or emotions. Instead, it draws our attention to a critical moment: just as the act is about to be completed, an angel calls out and stops him. That intervention matters. The Akeidah is not simply a story about faith or obedience. It is also a story about limits. Abraham acts with complete commitment, yet the narrative reminds us that even the most devoted servant of G-d does not operate without boundaries. The command to stop was just as authoritative as the command to go. The test was never about whether Abrah...

Trusted Handshakes and the Invisible Chain of Identity

In this week's combined Torah portion, Parashat Nitzavim-Vayeilech, Moses gathers the entire nation for a dramatic final assembly. He doesn't just address the leaders. He explicitly includes everyone: "your heads, your tribes, your elders, your officers... from the woodcutter to the water drawer" (Deuteronomy 29:9-10). He then takes it a step further, extending the covenant to "those who are not here with us today" (29:14). Rashi explains that future generations were included in this covenant as well, reinforcing the idea that Jewish identity is not merely an individual credential. It is a continuous chain of trust and mutual responsibility linking past, present, and future. This ancient concept of a shared chain of trust highlights a major real-world security failure that recently unfolded between Dropbox and Lenovo. Many technology systems rely on "federated login," where one organization trusts another to verify a user's identity so they can...

Unacknowledged Sources and the Ethics of AI Data Training

In this week’s Torah portion, Parashat Ki Tavo, the Torah commands the ceremony of the First Fruits (Bikkurim). When bringing their harvest to the Temple, farmers were required to make an explicit, public declaration, “An Aramean tried to destroy my father...” (Deuteronomy 26:5). The classical commentator Rashi explains that this ritual was fundamentally about hakarat ha-tov, recognizing your roots and openly acknowledging the foundational sources that made your final product possible. Rambam (Maimonides) highlights that you could not simply present the end result, you had to trace its origin. In Jewish ethics, absorbing the quiet labor of others and presenting the final outcome as entirely self-generated is spiritually and legally flawed. This ancient principle of acknowledging original sources cuts to the heart of a massive, ongoing tech battle, the high profile copyright lawsuits against Meta and other AI giants over data scraping. Big Tech companies harvested massive datasets (mill...

Guardrails and the Duty to Fix Hidden Hazards

In this week’s Torah portion, Parashat Ki Teitzei, the Torah introduces a fundamental rule for safety and personal responsibility, “When you build a new house, you shall make a guardrail (ma'akeh) for your roof, so that you do not bring bloodguilt upon your house if anyone falls from it” (Deuteronomy 22:8). The classic commentator Rashi explains that this rule isn't just about roofs. It applies to any predictable hazard on your property, like an unfenced pit or a broken staircase. Rambam (Maimonides) takes it a step further in his code of Jewish law, noting that building a guardrail isn't just a good idea; leaving a known danger unfixed actively violates the commandment to protect human life. In Jewish law, neglecting a known hazard makes you responsible for the damage it causes. This timeless lesson about fixing hidden hazards mirrors a major issue in the tech world today. Recently, cybersecurity researchers discovered a critical flaw in widely used cloud software, the und...