EPISODE · Mar 15, 2026 · 17 MIN
The Haggadah's Strangest Line: Why Not Two Weeks Earlier? | Unlocking the Haggadah #6 | 10@9 | 2026.03.15
from Mining The Riches Of The Parsha · host Rabbi Michael Whitman
In the middle of the Haggadah, we suddenly encounter a bizarre idea: maybe the Seder should have taken place two weeks earlier. Why does the Haggadah suddenly suggest that the Seder might have taken place on the first day of the Jewish month of Nissan — two weeks before Passover? Why would anyone think that? And why raise the question when we are already in the middle of the Seder itself? The first of Nissan was a momentous day in Jewish history. The events of that day are what made the Exodus possible. In a profound sense, that day trumps the creation of the world as a turning point in history: it is the day the Jewish people earned God's respect and became God's partners — and two weeks later God takes them out of Egypt. In this series, Unlocking the Haggadah, we uncover the hidden structure of the Haggadah so that every paragraph leads logically to the next — and the entire Seder becomes a thoughtful conversation rather than a confusing collection of texts. 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
In the middle of the Haggadah, we suddenly encounter a bizarre idea: maybe the Seder should have taken place two weeks earlier. Why does the Haggadah suddenly suggest that the Seder might have taken place on the first day of the Jewish month of Nissan — two weeks before Passover? Why would anyone think that? And why raise the question when we are already in the middle of the Seder itself? The first of Nissan was a momentous day in Jewish history. The events of that day are what made the Exodus possible. In a profound sense, that day trumps the creation of the world as a turning point in history: it is the day the Jewish people earned God's respect and became God's partners — and two weeks later God takes them out of Egypt. In this series, Unlocking the Haggadah, we uncover the hidden structure of the Haggadah so that every paragraph leads logically to the next — and the entire Seder becomes a thoughtful conversation rather than a confusing collection of texts. 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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The Haggadah's Strangest Line: Why Not Two Weeks Earlier? | Unlocking the Haggadah #6 | 10@9 | 2026.03.15
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