Rabbi's Desk

A group of more than 20 of my family members recently got together in Las Vegas to celebrate the 60th birthday of my dear aunt. While there, I found myself in the poker room at a hotel on the Strip. As I sat, I noticed I completed the “minyan” of 10 adult poker players at our table.

In poker, each player holds concealed cards. They are cards that no one can know but the player himself. As the game proceeds, players learn about the potential value of others’ hidden cards based on the actions they take at the table. Often, the winner of the pot would never need to show his cards. Based on his actions and behavior, all the players would conclude that his hand was the best, folding theirs without ever having seen his. It fascinates me that the winner is not always the player with the best cards; often, it is the one who plays his hand as if he is holding aces....