The First Tribes We Lost Were the Ones Furthest Away | 10@9 | 2026.07.09

The tribes of Reuven and Gad asked Moshe for permission to settle east of the Jordan River rather than enter the Land of Israel with the rest of the Jewish people. Moshe reluctantly agreed, but only after insisting on conditions designed to preserve their connection to the nation and to the Land. History tells a sobering story. Those tribes were the first Israelites exiled by Assyria, disappearing from Jewish history long before the others. Their downfall was not simply geography, but their separation reminds us that distance from the spiritual center of Jewish life carries real risks. Most of us live outside Israel for good and legitimate reasons. This week's parashah challenges us with a timeless question: if we live far from Israel, what are we doing to keep our connection to the Land, the Jewish people, and our spiritual identity alive? That question mattered in Moshe's day. It matters no less in ours. 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.