Why Tell the Exodus Story So You Feel Like You Were There | Unlocking the Haggadah #8 | 10@9 | 2026.03.17

The Haggadah does something strange. Instead of telling the Exodus story directly, it builds the entire narrative around a passage spoken 40 years later. Why? That unexpected choice reveals two hidden goals of the Seder: not just to understand what happened - but to experience it as if it happened to me; and to arrive at genuine, heartfelt gratitude. In this series, Unlocking the Haggadah, we uncover the hidden structure of the Haggadah so that every paragraph leads logically to the next — transforming the Seder from a confusing collection of texts into a meaningful conversation. In the next episode, we’ll explore the unique and often misunderstood interpretive method the Haggadah uses — and why it matters. 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.