EPISODE · May 17, 2026 · 19 MIN
How Do You Choose a Rabbi? I Saw the Answer in Real Life | 10@9 | 2026.05.17
from Mining The Riches Of The Parsha · host Rabbi Michael Whitman
Last week I had the privilege of hearing Rabbi Herschel Schachter, one of the foremost authorities in Jewish law. And yet, we call him a Talmid Chacham - not just a Torah scholar, but a student of a scholar. For anyone who wants to grow in Torah, that may be the starting point: never stop being a student. At last week’s Rabbinical Council of America convention, Rabbi Schachter returned to the Mishnah in Pirkei Avot: “Acquire for yourself a rabbi.” But how do you actually choose? He offered clear criteria: someone who answers thoughtfully, who listens carefully - not only to the question, but to the person asking it - who lives with reverence for God, and who treats others with humility and respect. And then, in real time, I watched those very qualities come alive - in Rabbi Schachter, and in Rabbi Mordechai Willig. Not taught. Not abstract. In real life. Michael Whitman is the senior rabbi of ADATH Congregation in Hampstead, Quebec, and an adjunct professor at McGill University Faculty of Law. ADATH is a modern orthodox synagogue community in suburban Montreal, providing Judaism for the next generation. We take great pleasure in welcoming everyone with a warm smile, while sharing inspiration through prayer, study, and friendship. Rabbi Whitman shares his thoughts and inspirations through online lectures and shiurim, which are available on: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5FLcsC6xz5TmkirT1qObkA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adathmichael/ Podcast - Mining the Riches of the Parsha: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/mining-the-riches-of-the-parsha/id1479615142?fbclid=IwAR1c6YygRR6pvAKFvEmMGCcs0Y6hpmK8tXzPinbum8drqw2zLIo7c9SR-jc Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3hWYhCG5GR8zygw4ZNsSmO Please contact Rabbi Whitman ([email protected]) with any questions or feedback, or to receive a daily email, "Study with Rabbi Whitman Today," with current and past insights for that day, video, and audio, all in one short email sent directly to your inbox.
What this episode covers
Last week I had the privilege of hearing Rabbi Herschel Schachter, one of the foremost authorities in Jewish law. And yet, we call him a Talmid Chacham - not just a Torah scholar, but a student of a scholar. For anyone who wants to grow in Torah, that may be the starting point: never stop being a student. At last week’s Rabbinical Council of America convention, Rabbi Schachter returned to the Mishnah in Pirkei Avot: “Acquire for yourself a rabbi.” But how do you actually choose? He offered clear criteria: someone who answers thoughtfully, who listens carefully - not only to the question, but to the person asking it - who lives with reverence for God, and who treats others with humility and respect. And then, in real time, I watched those very qualities come alive - in Rabbi Schachter, and in Rabbi Mordechai Willig. Not taught. Not abstract. In real life. Michael Whitman is the senior rabbi of ADATH Congregation in Hampstead, Quebec, and an adjunct professor at McGill University Faculty of Law. ADATH is a modern orthodox synagogue community in suburban Montreal, providing Judaism for the next generation. We take great pleasure in welcoming everyone with a warm smile, while sharing inspiration through prayer, study, and friendship. Rabbi Whitman shares his thoughts and inspirations through online lectures and shiurim, which are available on: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5FLcsC6xz5TmkirT1qObkA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adathmichael/ Podcast - Mining the Riches of the Parsha: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/mining-the-riches-of-the-parsha/id1479615142?fbclid=IwAR1c6YygRR6pvAKFvEmMGCcs0Y6hpmK8tXzPinbum8drqw2zLIo7c9SR-jc Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3hWYhCG5GR8zygw4ZNsSmO Please contact Rabbi Whitman ([email protected]) with any questions or feedback, or to receive a daily email, "Study with Rabbi Whitman Today," with current and past insights for that day, video, and audio, all in one short email sent directly to your inbox.
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How Do You Choose a Rabbi? I Saw the Answer in Real Life | 10@9 | 2026.05.17
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