Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

We can pray in any language, using any words, at any time, from any place. Yet the fixed prayers many of us say every day contain a hidden danger: repetition can become routine. The weekday Amidah is nearly identical three times a day, with only slight changes depending on the season or the nature of the day. And at least for me, there are far too many times when I suddenly realize I said the wrong words almost automatically, without enough attention or presence. Rabbi Meilech Biderman analyzes a fascinating Talmudic passage about one of those small seasonal changes, and draws from it a deeply encouraging lesson: even a distracted or imperfect prayer may still carry enormous spiritual power. And if prayer said half-awake, distracted, or imperfectly can still reach heaven - imagine what is possible when we truly bring our minds, hearts, and souls into the words. 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.

This evening we search for how we will make it through hearing (the second half of) this week's Torah portion, BeChhukotai, and what saves us are the first three words. We then explore the final, climactic blessing God bestows on us, with three brief explanations from The Rav, Rabbi Yosef Soloveitchik, Rabbi Yitzchak Hutner, and Bailey Newman quoting Mr. Rogers. 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.

The common translation in this week’s Parsha, Behar, is to support our fellow in need. But Rashi understands the Torah differently: not merely to support someone after they fall, but to strengthen them before they fall. Sivan Rahav Meir explains that when we notice someone beginning to decline - that is precisely the moment we are called to help. In finances, relationships, raising children, and even caring for our own health, the Torah teaches a profound truth: the sooner we respond, the greater the chance of healing and recovery. Waiting for crisis is often waiting too long. 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.

I recently started watching "The Pitt," and I am deeply impressed. The acting, writing, and storylines are exceptional. What especially stayed with me is how human the show feels. Noah Wyle seems to have grown into the perfect role - experienced, compassionate, exhausted, imperfect, and believable. The series manages to be both entertaining and thoughtful, especially in its treatment of mental health, suffering, forgiveness, and end-of-life issues. I also discovered the Hawaiian practice of Ho'oponopono - and realized I have been practicing something very similar for more than 40 years without ever knowing its name. If you are watching The Pitt - or decide to start - I would genuinely love to hear what you think. 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.

10@9 Why the Torah Supports Free Markets - But Doesn’t Trust Them - 2026.05.04 by Rabbi Michael Whitman

Yirmiyahu and Zecharia both prophesized about the Geula, the final redemption. In some cases even their language is almost identical. We analyze a passage from each and note how Yirmiyahu's words were changed in the Brachah we make for Sheva Brachot at a Jewish wedding. We examine how Rabbi Akiva comforted his colleagues with the prosaic words of Zecharia. We explore the dialectic in every step of the Pesach Seder - even Marror expresses both slavery and freedom simultaneously. Zecharia speaks to us, today, in a way Yirmiyahu and every other prophet do not. Thank you, Zecharia. You have brought joy to our lives. Thank you. I was honoured to be a guest speaker at a TBDJ series on Tanach on this topic. 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.

Today is Lag B’Omer. We are taught that we celebrate because there was a pause in the deaths of Rabbi Akiva’s 24,000 students. But why would we celebrate that nothing terrible happened? Rabbi Yaakov Ruderman reveals a deeper meaning. Rabbi Akiva, already an old man, lost everything - his students, his life’s work, his entire legacy. In the face of unimaginable grief, he made a decision that changed Jewish history: he began again. With just five remaining students, he rebuilt what had been lost - and more. Lag B’Omer is not a celebration of what stopped. It is a celebration of what came next. It is the quiet, unbreakable Jewish refusal to give up. It is the voice that has carried us through loss after loss, generation after generation - a voice we have heard again so powerfully in our own time: We will dance again. 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.

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks spent decades thinking deeply about economics. Across his writings and teachings, he articulated a Torah worldview that both affirms free markets - and places deep limits on them. In a thoughtful essay in Lehrhaus, Jared Rutner surveys this vision, much of which emerges from this week’s Torah portion, Behar. The Torah supports competition, private ownership, and wealth creation - yet surrounds them with moral and legal constraints that prevent abuse and protect the vulnerable. The result is a striking balance: freedom and restraint, prosperity and responsibility. Why does the Torah endorse markets - and at the same time refuse to fully trust them? And what does that mean for how we live today? 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.

Today I want to share a conversation I haven’t been able to shake. Shlomo Katz, a beloved musician in Israel, was told something many of us hear: yes, antisemitism outside Israel is frightening - but Israel itself is more dangerous. HIs response was not political. It was not statistical. It was something deeper - something spiritual, something almost impossible to fully grasp from the outside. In this week’s parsha, Behar, God says about the Land of Israel: “The land is Mine.” This is not just geography. It is presence. It is belonging. It is living within something sacred. It is being held within God’s embrace. Israel is the place where the Jewish story unfolds, where we live with God in a way that is impossible to experience anywhere else. 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.

Today is Pesach Sheni - the “second Passover,” an often overlooked moment in the Jewish calendar. Though it is no longer practiced today, its message is as urgent as ever. In the Torah, Pesach Sheni emerges in a way unlike any other mitzvah. A group of Jews, unable to bring the Korban Pesach, refuse to accept their loss. They cry out: “Why should we miss out?” In response, God does something extraordinary and unprecedented - God creates a new Mitzvah, a second chance that had never existed before. This yearning - this refusal to let a Mitzvah slip away - comes alive in a powerful and unforgettable story from the consecration of a cemetery in Amsterdam. Pesach Sheni challenges us: Do we truly long to do what is right? Or do we quietly accept missed opportunities? Sometimes, the difference between missing out and receiving a second chance… is how much we want it. 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.

This evening we discuss the general Mitzvah of helping those in need, expressed in our Parsha by "Peah" - leaving the corners of your field for the needy to harvest for themselves. A peculiar detail of this Mitzvah teaches us a magnificent lesson about when not helping is really helping. We discuss Pesach Sheni, the second-chance Pesach, which is tonight and tomorrow, 14 Iyar. The main point for us is not the second chance, but the spiritual refinement of grasping for any and every opportunity to perform a Mitzvah. 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.

There are many names we have used to describe ourselves throughout Jewish history - Children of Israel, People of Israel, Nation of Israel, and many more. Each name reflects not only who we were in a particular moment, but something eternal about who we are. Rabbi Moshe Taragin explores these different identities and explains why today, more than ever, “Am Yisroel” - the Nation of Israel - captures who we are and who we aspire to be. What does it mean to think of ourselves not just as individuals or a religion, but as a people with a shared story and destiny - especially today? Am Yisroel Chai! 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.

A teacher of very limited means suddenly realized, in the middle of teaching his class, that something his wife had just thrown away contained a huge sum of cash - money that wasn’t even his. Moments later, he confirmed the worst: it had already been taken by the garbage truck. The money was gone. And yet, he calmly returned to his classroom and continued teaching. When asked how he was able to go on after such devastating news, his answer reveals a powerful truth about why we are sent challenges - and how we can face them with strength and clarity. 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.

Ben Sasse, former U.S. Senator, is facing pancreatic cancer - and speaking with unusual clarity about what truly matters. In a thoughtful conversation with Ross Douthat, Sasse reflects on AI, repentance, honoring the Sabbath, prayer, and even gratitude in the face of illness. This video asks a simple but startling question: What if we learned how to live from those who know their time is limited? Perhaps the path to a fuller life begins with seeing it as finite - and choosing to live with greater presence, purpose, and gratitude. 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.

An apparently redundant word in this week’s Parsha, Emor, opens the door to a profound insight into how we teach children. Through a close reading of the text, we uncover a powerful approach for parents, grandparents, teachers, and anyone who serves as a role model - not just what to teach, but how to teach it in a way that builds, uplifts, and endures. This is a message about shaping not only what children know, but who they become. 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.

Here is an unexpected and deeply moving example of what it truly means to “love your neighbor as yourself” - emerging from Israel in a time of war. Israeli women have created a breast milk bank for the babies of mothers who have left their homes to help protect and defend the country - ensuring that even in their absence, their children are nourished and cared for in the most intimate way. This is the kind of creativity that often emerges in Israel during times of crisis - not only resilience, but a deep and practical commitment to caring for one another. It’s more than a beautiful story. It’s a living example of what love can look like when it becomes action - thoughtful, resourceful, and profoundly human. 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.

There are two purposes behind the beautiful, widespread practice of lighting Shabbat lights each Friday night: To create Shalom Bayit - a home filled with peace, warmth, and harmony - and to elevate the moment through blessing, intention, and heartfelt prayer. Rabbi Moshe Sherer, who devoted his life to serving the Jewish people, never forgot a moment from his childhood - when he quietly listened as his mother lit Shabbat candles, whispered her prayer, and shed a tear. These candles do not only light our homes - they illuminate our inner lives, our hopes, and our deepest relationships. This video explores the meaning behind a ritual so many of us know, and invites us to experience it with greater awareness, intention, and holiness. 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.

This evening we analyze the little-known Mitzvah of Kisui HaDam (please look it up) and derive a very relevant lesson for each of us not only to do Mitzvot, but how to do them. Then we analyze the justice of judging others favorably, with a great story from Rabbi Meilech Biderman about how often the most unlikely explanation is actually the truth. 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.

Several days ago, two Israeli soldiers serving in Southern Lebanon committed a deeply offensive act - desecrating a Christian statue. There is no excuse, no justification, and no minimizing what they did. What followed matters just as much: swift, unequivocal condemnation from Israel’s leadership, including the Prime Minister and the IDF. The soldiers were arrested, the statue was replaced by the IDF, and the IDF apologized in person to the local community. This is what accountability looks like. In this video, I also share highlights from yesterday’s inspiring Israel rally in downtown Montreal, along with an unexpected and meaningful conversation I had with a pro-Palestinian protester. Because loving Israel means telling the truth about its failures - and taking pride in how it responds to them. 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.

Many ask: how can we celebrate Yom HaAtzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day, amid struggle, uncertainty, and fatigue? Rabbi Moshe Taragin offers a powerful perspective - travel back to 1948, and imagine how that generation would see us today. Despite everything, they would want us to feel deep pride in what has been built. Rabbi Chaim Sabato adds a poetic insight: we may be too close to the moment to fully see it, but we are living amidst the blinding light of a historic redemption and the restoration of Jewish sovereignty. We are all on the same journey - sometimes slower, sometimes painful - but always moving forward. Today, we celebrate not because everything is perfect, but because something extraordinary is unfolding. 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.

Today is Yom HaZikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day for fallen soldiers. Israel commemorates its fallen with an intensity that is difficult to fully grasp from the outside - a national experience of grief, gratitude, and memory that touches every life. Few works capture this more powerfully than “The Silver Platter” by Natan Alterman. Each time I read it, I am moved to tears of gratitude and awe for the young men and women who gave - and continue to give - their lives so that the State of Israel can not only endure, but flourish. Without their sacrifice, Israel would not exist. The transition from Yom HaZikaron immediately into Yom HaAtzmaut, Israel's Independence Day, is not incidental. It is designed to allow us to experience and appreciate the loss and the joy, the dark and the light, the pain and the beauty which coexist for Israel at every moment. Today asks something of us: to feel both. To carry the weight of what has been lost, and at the same time, to recognize the miracle that continues because of it. 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.

Is there spiritual value in doing what God asks - even if we only do it partially? Does God measure us by a single standard, or does God see each person differently? In this video, Rabbi Yosef Rimon presents a perspective that may challenge your assumptions - and leave you feeling seen, not judged. An emotional story shared by Rabbi Herschel Schachter captures this idea in a way that may move you to tears of awe and gratitude. A powerful reflection on how much God cherishes not just our successes, but our struggles, our doubts, and even our setbacks. 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.

The Secret of Rashi’s Greatness: He Said "I Don’t Know" | 10@9 | 2026.04.19 by Rabbi Michael Whitman

A significant shift may be emerging from within the Religious Zionist movement in Israel. In recent months, respected Israeli Religious Zionist voices - many of them strong supporters of the settlement movement in Yehuda and Shomron - have begun speaking out against Jewish violence toward Arabs. This video briefly addresses the rise in such violence, but focuses on this new and potentially important internal response. Is this the beginning of a broader change? Are we approaching a tipping point on one of Israel’s most urgent moral challenges? For the sake of Israel, I hope so. 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.

This evening we find the connection between last week's Parsha and this week's through two stories about putting as much care into what comes out of our mouths as what we put into them. We examine the opportunity of being alone (not lonely), and see this as one of the magnificent goals of Shabbat, the purpose of pauses, and letting things sink in. 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.

My love for Israel is deep and fierce. My desire for Israel to be better flows directly from that love. This issue is not new. Many of us have been speaking about it for years. But in the past two months, something has changed - both in intensity and in kind. A significant and largely overlooked story is unfolding in Israel, in two parts, concerning violence by Jews against Arabs in Yehuda and Shomron. It has received less attention than it deserves, overshadowed by the war with Iran and ongoing attacks from Hezbollah. Today, I present two primary sources. The first is an interview with Elisha Yared, who identifies himself as a leader of the Hilltop Youth. He describes his worldview, his strategy of what he calls “initiated friction,” his desire to increase Arab emigration, and his tensions with Israel’s military and intelligence institutions. The second is a document recently delivered to Israeli security officials titled: “Summary of the Past Month in the Struggle Against the Arab Enemy in the Holy Land.” It details incidents including reported injuries to Arabs, arson against mosques, destruction of Arab property, uprooting of olive trees, and attacks on Arab villages. My goal is simple: to present these voices as clearly and fairly as possible - in their own words. Tomorrow: the response. 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.

David Lazarus is 50 years old, a husband and father of three, living with a progressive, terminal illness. For years, he believed visiting the sick was simply a good deed. Now, from the inside, he understands it very differently. In his essay, David shares what actually helps a person who is ill - and what, despite good intentions, can make things harder. His insights are simple, practical, and deeply human. If you’ve ever visited someone who is sick - or will - this will change how you show up. 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.

Today is Yom Hashoah - Holocaust Remembrance Day. We tell the story every year. We say: never again. And yet, the question lingers - has the world actually changed? Drawing on the haunting words of Elie Wiesel, we confront a painful possibility: that memory alone does not transform humanity. But if memory is not enough - what is? Through the story of Cathy Lawi, a trauma specialist in Israel, we explore two radically different responses to helplessness - shaped by histories from France and Iraq - and what they reveal about how people rebuild after devastation. And then, one final image: A 97-year-old survivor, Dov Landau, dancing at his great-grandson’s wedding. In one moment, he lifts his sleeve - revealing the number etched into his arm in Auschwitz. In the next, he continues to dance. What does it mean to remember - not just the past, but the responsibility it places on us now? This is not just about history. It’s about what we do with it - this year. 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.

Every morning, near the end of Shacharit, we say Shir Shel Yom—the Psalm of the Day, once sung by the Levites in the Beit HaMikdash. It feels like a closing note. Something we say and move past. But it’s not random—and it’s not just a memory of the Temple. Each day’s psalm was chosen with precision. Each one reflects a different dimension of the world—and a different way we are meant to live within it. What if your week isn’t just a cycle of days… but a structured opportunity to imitate God? In this video, we explore how Shir Shel Yom quietly shapes the spiritual architecture of your week—and how it can transform the way you step into each day. Once you see it, you won’t say it the same way again. 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.

I was asked a simple question: Why are there three Rothko prints behind me? That question opens into something much deeper. Mark Rothko was born Jewish, and many have tried to read his work through that lens—seeing in it echoes of the Holocaust, the Temple, or even Kabbalah. But I’m not convinced. In this video, I briefly trace Rothko’s life and then set those interpretations aside—not because they’re impossible, but because they may be missing something more essential. Instead, I turn to what Rothko actually said and wrote… to how he constructed his paintings… and to what decades of living with his work have taught me. This is a personal attempt to answer a different question: Not what Rothko meant—but what his paintings do. And why they continue to hold me. 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.

At first glance, Sh’foch Chamatcha—“Pour out Your wrath”—feels like a jarring note near the end of the Seder. Why introduce anger at the very moment we should be moving toward redemption and joy? But in its deeper context, this is not a call to vengeance—it is a declaration of vision. We open the door not in fear, but in hope. It is an invitation: a call to all peace-seeking people and nations to join us. As God says, “My house shall be a house of prayer for all nations.” Those who choose peace are welcome. Only those who cling to violence exclude themselves. And that clarity leads us to the true climax of the Seder: Hallel. After everything we’ve experienced—slavery and freedom, questions and struggles, memory and meaning—we arrive at a place where praise is no longer scripted. It is real. We are ready for it. We want it. The Seder is no longer something we are observing. It has become something we are living. And in the final words—so often sung with a beautiful melody—we are reminded: this is possible. The Seder can be understood. It can be felt. It can change us. That is my hope—for myself, and for you. When the Haggadot are closed, something vital remains open. 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.

This is my 10@9 for Monday, March 30, 2026 Though every section of the Haggadah holds both slavery and redemption - as we explored yesterday - the real question is this: What are you meant to feel when the Seder ends? That question turns on a subtle but critical debate about the final passage of Maggid. How much of the story do we tell - and where do we stop? We explore the approach of Rabbi Tarfon, and why Rabbi Akiva insisted we go further. Because this is not just a technical dispute. It shapes the emotional trajectory of the entire Seder - and what you carry with you into the world afterward. At a time when many feel uncertain or discouraged about the Jewish present and future, the Haggadah quietly insists on something radical: You must end with hope. In this series, Unlocking the Haggadah, we uncover the hidden structure of the text so that each paragraph leads to the next - and the Seder becomes a coherent, meaningful conversation. In the final episode, we’ll explore the climactic conclusion of the Haggadah—and of this entire journey. 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.

There is a clear chronological arc to the Haggadah. We begin as slaves. We end as free people. But beneath that story lies something far more unsettling - and far more powerful. At every single moment of the Seder, from Karpas to Hallel, we are experiencing both slavery and freedom at the same time. Not sequentially. Simultaneously. Why would the Haggadah be structured this way? And what does it mean for how we understand freedom - not just then, but now? In this episode, we explore this hidden layer through two familiar moments: Charoses and the Hillel sandwich - and uncover a deeper emotional truth at the heart of the Seder. Because real freedom is more complicated—and more fragile—than we like to admit. In this series, Unlocking the Haggadah, we reveal the underlying structure of the Haggadah so that each part flows into the next—transforming the Seder into a meaningful conversation rather than a disconnected collection of texts. In the next episode, we explore a historic disagreement within the Haggadah that still shapes how we see the world today. 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.

Why does the Haggadah give two different—and seemingly contradictory—reasons for eating Matzah? One appears near the beginning of the Seder. The other comes near the end. And they don’t seem to say the same thing. This isn’t just a textual question—it goes to the heart of what freedom actually means. In this episode, we uncover why these two explanations both exist—and how, when taken together, they redefine the freedom we celebrate on Passover. In this series, Unlocking the Haggadah, we reveal the hidden structure behind the Seder so that each part connects into a deeper, more meaningful conversation. In the next episode, we explore a historic disagreement within the Haggadah that still shapes how we experience the Seder today. 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.

This evening we discuss the significance of and practice of Eruv Tavshilin, a practice allowing us to prepare for Shabbat on Friday which is Yom Tov, which we will do this Wednesday. We examine the elusive paragraph in the Haggadah of Ha Lachma Anyah (this - Matza - is the bread we ate as slaves), and how this is connected with inviting guests to our Seder. Then we explore the special Haftorah for this Shabbat, the prophecy of Malachi, and how it is related to the Afikomen at the Seder. 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.

When was the last time you stopped and counted - not your problems - but your blessings, one by one? Why does the Haggadah spend time counting miracles - 60, 240, even 300? It feels like the kind of passage designed to lose the room. But what if this “technical” debate is actually pointing to one of the central goals of the entire Seder? In this episode, we uncover how the rabbis are teaching us not to count miracles - but to notice them. To break redemption into its smallest parts and recognize each one. This is the deeper meaning of Dayanu: not just a song, but a discipline of gratitude - appreciating every step, every layer, every element of every gift. And more than that: the Seder quietly asks us to add our own list. What are the blessings in your life right now? Because this is what transforms the Seder from history into experience. This is how we reach the goal: “to see ourselves as if we are being redeemed tonight.” Miss this - and the Seder is just storytelling. See it - and it becomes yours. In the next episode, we explore a historic dispute in the Haggadah that still shapes how we live today. 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.

We have a striking practice at the Seder: when we mention the Ten Plagues, we remove a drop of wine from our glass - diminishing our joy in recognition of the suffering of the Egyptians, even our enemies. And yet, at the very same Seder, many of us use finger puppets for the plagues, place toy frogs on the table, and sing playful songs about Pharaoh in pajamas. So which is it? Are we meant to restrain our joy at the downfall of our enemies - or to celebrate it? This is not a trivial question. It cuts to the heart of how Judaism understands justice, compassion, and the moral cost of victory - then, and in the complex and often painful realities we face today. We explored this tension at length in Mining the Riches of the Parsha (January 29, 2026), and I return to it here to take a clear and principled stand. 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. In the next episode, we turn to Dayanu and discover why it may be one of the most misunderstood - and central - sections of the Haggadah. 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: / @rabbimichaelwhitman Instagram: / adathmichael Podcast - Mining the Riches of the Parsha: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast... Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3hWYhCG... 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.

Many people get lost when the Haggadah begins its detailed commentary on the four Torah verses describing the Exodus. At this point in the Seder, the method feels unfamiliar—and many quietly start counting the minutes until dinner. But this “Midrashic” method isn’t random or obscure. It blends literal, metaphorical, and allegorical interpretations in a way that is designed to provoke discussion, disagreement, and personal insight. In other words, this is the moment the Haggadah stops being something you read - and becomes something you discuss and debate. In this episode, we show how this section invites participation and helps each person see the Haggadah as relevant to their own life and experience. In Unlocking the Haggadah, we reveal the hidden structure of the text so every paragraph leads logically to the next - turning the Seder into a genuine conversation. In the next episode, we’ll explore the surprising insights this Midrashic method draws out of the Torah verses themselves.

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.

The Passover Haggadah is not just a script for telling the story of the Exodus. It is also a framework for discussing the Jewish story in every generation — including our own. One of the most powerful passages is “V’Hi She’amdah,” the paragraph that reminds us that in every generation there are those who rise against the Jewish people — and that God has protected us again and again. In Israel, many people sing these words to the famous melody of Yonatan Razel. It is often sung at weddings — sometimes even in bomb shelters during times of war — expressing the deep Jewish certainty that despite every danger, we will endure and ultimately triumph. In this episode of Unlocking the Haggadah, we explore why this paragraph may be the moment at the Seder when we talk about what is happening to Jews today — in Israel and around the world. 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. In the next episode, we’ll unlock the next piece of that structure. 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.

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.

At the Passover Seder, we are taught to respond differently to four types of children. Each one asks a different question, and each one needs a different kind of answer. But the Haggadah’s response to the “wicked” child is deeply puzzling. Why does it sound so harsh? Why do we seem to insult a child who is simply asking questions? Many people feel uncomfortable when they reach this moment in the Seder. Drawing on the teachings of R. Tzaddok HaKohein, we explore a very different approach. The presence of this child at the table is itself a sign of hope. Questions and doubts are not enemies of faith — they are invitations to conversation. We also share a remarkable story from the first Jewish prayer service in Buchenwald, just days after the end of World War II, which reveals what it truly means to respond to doubt with sensitivity and compassion. In this series, Unlocking the Haggadah, we uncover the hidden structure of the Haggadah so that each paragraph leads logically to the next - transforming the Seder from a confusing collection of texts into a thoughtful and meaningful conversation. 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.

This evening we discuss our ability to choose the perspective we take on anything that happens, and where we see this in our Parsha. We analyze why the command to build the Mishkan must follow the Parsha of Mishpatim, because we cannot serve God with funds or objects we obtain unethically. And we provide a sweeping view of the narrative arc of the Book of Exodus, based on an essay by Ezra Sivan, that compares and contrasts the two national building projects, one at the beginning of Shmot and one at the end. And the difference between them is Shabbat. 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.

When the Haggadah begins telling the story of the Exodus — our national birth narrative — it starts in a surprising place. Before describing redemption, it reminds us of our lowest moments: that we were slaves, and that our ancestors were once idolaters. Why begin the story there? Because the Seder is not just about remembering the past. It is about learning how to see our own lives - recognizing the blessings we have today, and understanding how every personal story becomes part of the larger story of the Jewish people. In this series, 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.

Why does the Haggadah tell the story of rabbis staying up all night at their Seder - before the story of the Exodus even begins? According to Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, this moment is not only about the past. It is about how to create a meaningful conversation around the Seder table. The story shows how many voices can participate in the discussion while avoiding the kind of arguments that divide families and communities. In this series, 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.

The Passover Haggadah begins in a puzzling way. Before the story of the Exodus even starts, we encounter invitations to strangers, weird foods, and a story about five rabbis whose Seder lasted all night. It can feel random. But it isn’t. These opening moments are carefully designed to create something essential for the Seder: not a reading, but a conversation. The Haggadah wants everyone at the table to participate — to ask questions, challenge ideas, and bring their own voice. That is why the Seder begins by creating an atmosphere of curiosity, comfort, and discussion. The more perspectives at the table — different ages, languages, and levels of knowledge — the richer the experience becomes. Only once everyone becomes a questioner are we ready to begin telling the story of the Exodus. In this series, 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: / @rabbimichaelwhitman Instagram: / adathmichael Podcast - Mining the Riches of the Parsha: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast... Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3hWYhCG... 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.

Many people attending a Passover Seder feel puzzled or bored by the Haggadah. The text can seem long, confusing, and difficult to follow. In this series leading up to Passover, we will unlock the structure, meaning, and goal of the Haggadah so that each section begins to make sense and lead naturally to the next. The first key is surprising: the Haggadah is not simply a text to be read. It is a carefully designed educational experience meant to guide us step by step toward a profound goal. And like any great learning experience, it does not begin with answers. It begins with curiosity, wonder, and questions. By the end of this series, 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 keeps a relationship alive after disappointment? The Torah’s most important relationship—between God and the Jewish people—nearly collapses at the Golden Calf. Yet strangely, it becomes deeper afterward. The Book of Exodus begins with one kind of relationship between God and the Jewish people—and ends with another. After the catastrophe of the Golden Calf, the original relationship of command, obedience, and punishment breaks down. In its place emerges something deeper: a relationship sustained by loyalty, patience, and love, even after disappointment. The Torah suggests that this is the foundation of every enduring relationship. We will sometimes fail each other. We will sometimes struggle to understand each other. Yet love grows precisely when we remain committed on the other side of disappointment. As Paul Weinfeld wrote: “True love begins on the other side of disappointment.” What might it mean to stay committed on the other side of disappointment? 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.

All the utensils of the Mishkan (Sanctuary) are described together across the previous two Torah portions. Yet in this week’s portion, Ki Tissa, one item appears by itself: the Kiyur, the basin where the priests washed their hands and feet before beginning the sacred service. The message is striking. Even the priests could not simply begin a holy act. They had to prepare themselves first. The same is true for our deepest Jewish experiences. If we arrive at a Passover Seder knowing nothing about it and having done no preparation, we may enjoy the evening - but it will not transform us. Jewish practice quietly insists that holiness begins before the moment itself, when we prepare to meet it. What would change if we prepared for our Jewish moments the way the priests prepared for theirs? 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.

This evening we compare Rabbi Yehuda Amital's foundational story of the crying baby, with Moshe being disappointed with Yehoshua for misunderstanding the crying of the Jewish People. We tell the story of Tylenol package tampering and the revolutionary change it brought about as a modern day example of the main lesson to learn from the Golden Calf debacle. And we explore two sources and reasons for the requirement to start Shabbat at least 18 minutes earlier than necessary. 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.