Podcasts about mcgill university faculty

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Best podcasts about mcgill university faculty

Latest podcast episodes about mcgill university faculty

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
VaYakhel-Pekudei | 2026.03.12

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 13, 2026 51:41


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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
Did the Haggadah Get the ‘Wicked Child' Wrong? | Unlocking the Haggadah #5 | 10@9 | 2026.03.13

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 13, 2026 26:56


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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
Why the Haggadah Begins with Our Shame | Unlocking the Haggadah #4 | 10@9 | 2026.03.12

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2026 28:40


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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
Why the Rabbis Stayed Up All Night at the Seder | Unlocking the Haggadah #3 | 10@9 | 2026.03.11

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 11, 2026 34:21


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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
Why the Haggadah Seems So Disorganized | Unlocking the Haggadah #2 | 2026.03.10

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 10, 2026 19:24


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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
Why the Haggadah Doesn't Start with the Story | Unlocking the Haggadah #1 | 10@9 | 2026.03.09

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2026 12:58


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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
True Love Begins After Disappointment - A Lesson from Exodus | 10@9 | 2026.03.08

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 8, 2026 28:56


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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
Ki Tissa | 2026.03.05

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 6, 2026 50:12


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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
Why Some Jewish Moments Transform Us - and Others Don't | 10@9 | 2026.03.06

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 6, 2026 15:17


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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
Are You Your Body - or Your Soul? | 10@9 | 2026.03.04

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2026 22:05


One of the most puzzling subjects in the Bible is "tumah" and "taharah" — often translated (inadequately) as ritual impurity and purity. At its core is a profound spiritual claim: our true identity is the soul, the divine spark connected to God. The body is its garment, the vessel through which the soul acts during life. After death, the soul separates from the body. What remains is the garment the soul once wore. This helps explain the traditional Jewish reluctance to view the body before burial. Judaism insists on a radical distinction: the body matters deeply — but it is not who we are. 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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
How Do We Rejoice When Israel Is at War? | 10@9 | 2026.03.02

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2026 13:43


How do we celebrate the joy of Purim while Israel is at war and under attack? Rabbi Yosef Rimon suggests a crucial distinction: between true joy — recognizing the strengths we have and the miracles unfolding even now — and mere frivolity or silliness. This year, perhaps Purim asks more of us. The Talmud speaks of “joy with trembling.” Not denial of darkness. Not surrender to it either. But holding both at once — light and fear, gratitude and grief — and serving God through that tension. 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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
What Can We Do for Israel - and for Iran? | 10@9 | 2026.03.01

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2026 22:14


What can we, here, do for people in Israel during this painful conflict? And what can we do for people in Iran who long to live in peace — with their neighbors and with their own government? The Iranian people are not the Iranian regime. And ordinary Israelis are not looking for endless war. Rabbi David Stav, drawing on the Book of Esther, suggests a radical shift in perspective: we are not separate souls watching events unfold elsewhere. We are one soul in many bodies. What happens to them is happening to us. At the beginning of Esther, Mordechai's deepest concern is for one young woman, alone in a palace. By the end, that same concern ripples outward into peace for the entire Jewish people. The path to collective peace may begin with something smaller than we imagine: making peace with one person in our own lives. 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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
Send Mishloach Manot to Someone You're Angry At | 10@9 | 2026.02.27

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 27, 2026 11:48


One of the ways we celebrate Purim is by sending Mishloach Manot—gifts of food to friends. But what if the real purpose of this practice is not simply generosity, but reconciliation? This year, suggests Sivan Rahav Meir, consider sending Mishloach Manot to someone with whom you've had a falling out. It may feel uncomfortable. That may be the point. In doing so, we fulfill Esther's deeper strategy: “Go, gather the Jews.” Unity was her answer to danger then—and it remains our strength now. When we choose harmony over animosity, we don't just celebrate Purim. We protect one another. 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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
Purim | 2026.02.26

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 27, 2026 55:09


This evening I share an expanded version of a wonderful and brilliant presentation given last Shabbat at ADATH by Professor Shawn Aster. He traces the narrative arc of the Book of Esther which precisely parallels what is happening to Israel and the Jewish world today. And Esther holds the key to winning this internal and external battle. 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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
Why the Deepest Moments Don't Need Names | 10@9 | 2026.02.26

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2026 23:08


What does it mean when a name disappears? Using a moment from the Torah and real-life encounters with people in pain, this video reflects on why the deepest listening—and the deepest intimacy—often begins when we stop focusing on names and start hearing the human voice in front of us. 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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
“I'm Fine, Really” - The Lie Israelis Keep Telling | 10@9 | 2026.02.25

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2026 10:35


We tell the story of IDF officer Elkana Bar Eitan, who was seriously wounded in 2006. Living with constant, severe pain, he declined surgery and other treatment and carried on as if nothing was wrong. In 2023, he was called up again and returned to combat—afraid that if a medical committee knew the truth, they would stop him. Thousands of Israelis, and millions of people around the world, say the same words every day: “I'm fine, really.” Often, they're not. And they have many reasons for not telling the truth. If nothing else, this should make us more understanding—and more patient—when we hear those 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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
What Your Space Is Really Saying About You | 10@9 | 2026.02.24

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 24, 2026 14:09


Bruno Goppian designs display cases and exhibits for some of the world's leading museums. He says that whenever he enters a space, he asks a simple question: What story is this place trying to tell about its history, meaning, or purpose? Is the space welcoming the visitor—or leaving them to search for a connection? The Torah applies this same idea to the Mishkan (Sanctuary). Every object, measurement, material, and placement is described in detail so we can visualize the space and uncover the story God is telling when we enter it. As the rabbi of ADATH, I find myself asking these same questions about our own building. Every synagogue, school, organization—and every home—is telling a story. The real question is whether it's the story we intend to tell. 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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
The Strange Origin of Bible Chapters and Verses | 10@9 | 2026.02.23

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 23, 2026 22:30


We explore the surprising origins of the now-universal system of Bible chapters and verses—and why it was adopted in the first place. The history behind this system is unexpected, and its underlying logic is captured by a commonly misunderstood phrase: Occam's Razor. Once you understand this, you may never look up a Bible verse 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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
They Said I Was Naive - So I Brought Jews and Muslims Together Anyway | 10@9 | 2026.02.22

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2026 11:10


Last Friday at McGill Law School, I co-led a luncheon and public discussion with an Islamic Law scholar on Jewish and Islamic Law. What unfolded exceeded my expectations: a serious, animated, and deeply respectful exchange among people eager to understand one another. In this video, I reflect on that event - and on my lifelong effort to bring Jews and Muslims into meaningful conversation. There have been disappointments. There have also been remarkable moments of genuine connection. Some will say this work is naive. I believe it is necessary - now more than ever. 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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
Terumah | 2026.02.19

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 20, 2026 51:44


This evening we fail to identify the Tachash, whose skin covered the Mishkan (Sanctuary), but nonetheless derive a magnificent lesson according to Rabbi Moshe Sternbuch, about the multiple ways God wants to be served. We examine the financial and moral value of the precious gems donated by the Nesiim (the princes or heads of each tribe). And we derive the meaning of Shalom (peace) from the non-identical Keruvim (figures of cherubs) covering the Aron (ark of the covenant), also expressed by Rabbi Norman Lamm in the balance between the Shabbat lights and the Havdala candle. 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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
They Fly to India to Rescue Traumatized Israelis | 10@9 | 2026.02.20

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 20, 2026 25:31


While most Israelis fly to India to travel, two reservists are flying there to bring broken souls home. This morning I share part of an interview Daniel Gordis recently did with Tamar Friedman and Hezi Shohat, both IDF reservists, and social workers focusing on trauma. They saw the need to travel to India, which now receives more than 100,000 Israeli visitors a year, and provide immediate mental health first aid for those suffering there from trauma crisis. The numbers they help are in the thousands. And their motivation is to bring these people back to Israel, to recover, and to rejoin the greatest generation who will rebuild Israel. "It doesn't get more Zionist than that." 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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
When Giving Is Actually Receiving | 10@9 | 2026.02.19

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2026 22:47


One of the strangest Torah lessons is that the moment you give something away, you often discover you've actually received far more. This morning we share important sources and practical examples showing the truth at the beginning of our Torah portion, Teruma, that when we give, we often receive much more. Ruth expresses this when she says she helped Boaz, when in fact it was Boaz who gave to her generously. We learn this from a moving quote from Henri J. M. Nouwen, and a great story from Rabbi Berel Wein's guest making a 2 a.m. phone call to a potential investor. Sometimes, letting someone do a favor or kindness for you is the best favor you can do for them. So when you are given that opportunity to give to or help another, say thank you! 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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
The Strange Torah Secret About Giving | 10@9 | 2026.02.18

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 18, 2026 17:30


The Torah uses the word take when God clearly means give - and that single word changed how I understand generosity forever. This morning I point out the Torah's verb problem. When God tells the Jewish people to give material to build the Mishkan (Sanctuary), the text uses the word that means "take" when the context clearly means to give. I share an unforgettable experience in my life over 45 years ago, about my grandfather, Sam Margolin, and Rabbi Meir Chodosh, a great man of Torah wisdom and personal integrity. R. Chodosh taught both of us that the opportunity to give is sometimes the most valuable gift we receive. 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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
What the Torah's Architecture Reveals About Modesty | 10@9 | 2026.02.16

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 16, 2026 18:57


If modesty were only about how we dress, the Torah would not devote five entire sections to describing a Sanctuary. This morning we examine the level of detail with which the Torah describes the Mishkan (the modular Sanctuary that travelled with the Jewish People). Why does the Torah take five Torah portions to describe in minute detail every material, every object, and every dimension of every object? Only by knowing each of these details can we uncover a magnificent lesson applicable to all of us, an ethos of Tzniut, inadequately translated as modesty, but actually an entire way of being relating to dress, speech, and action. Tzniut is to reserve what is most beautiful for only the greatest intimacy. 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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
From the Altar to the Heart | 10@9 | 2026.02.15

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 15, 2026 17:14


For nearly a thousand years, the closest a Jew could come to God was through an altar of fire — and today, that altar lives inside the human heart. This morning we provide an overture to the large next section of Torah, which begins about 800 years of Jewish service to God through sacrifices, though it is hard for us to understand today how that would be meaningful. But it was, until it wasn't, and it was replaced by prayer. Though the vehicle has evolved, the promise of goal is in the present tense, and remains true today. Every time we pray, we are promised to be able to connect with God, to have God dwell within us. 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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
Mishpatim | 2026.02.12

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 13, 2026 30:17


This evening I share my spectacular experience teaching last May, 2025, at Bar Ilan University Law School, and the exhilarating exchange I had with my students on the (then theoretical) question of capital punishment for terrorists. This issue is now being debated in the Knesset, with strong support from the current Israeli government. We explore both sides of this complex issue from the military, intelligence, political, and Jewish Law perspectives. It's complicated. 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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
When God Takes Back What Was Never Ours | 10@9 | 2026.02.13

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 13, 2026 18:35


When something precious is taken from us suddenly, it is a tragedy - but Jewish law asks us to first ask a much harder question: was it ever truly ours? This morning we analyze the rather technical laws of an object given to another for safekeeping, including not misusing the object or ignoring the directions of the owner. The Rav, Rabbi Yosef Soloveitchik, brilliantly widens this to include everything we have, and our lives themselves, are given to us by God for safekeeping. This means we must follow God's instructions or else we have misused (actually stolen) what is not ours, but what is given to us temporarily for safekeeping by God. And this includes that God, at any time, may claim what is God's and take it from us, sometimes, tragically, without warning. 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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
Theodor Herzl Didn't Stay Secular | 10@9 | 2026.02.12

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2026 26:08


Most people think Herzl's story ends with politics—but if you read his last work carefully, it ends with something much more spiritual. This morning we examine a little-known but crucial fact of Theodor Herzl's spiritual growth from his essay, "The Jewish State, published on February 14, 1896, to his novel "Altneuland," published in 1902, especially its closing scene and the last word. According to Professor Csaba Nikolenyi, who gave me permission to share his recent presentation at ADATH, this is reflected in the non-eulogy eulogy given by Rav Avraham Kook when Herzl died in 1904. (For a fuller understanding please see my recording yesterday here: https://youtu.be/Gg6SYFD8pXU?si=ppXwWBy0A5kgV9ae.) This gives a new layer of meaning to Religious Zionism 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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
Two Forces That Must Unite Israel | 10@9 | 2026.02.11

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 11, 2026 28:03


Israel's deepest problem isn't external enemies — it's that two forces meant to build the nation together have drifted apart. This morning I share part of a speech given by Rabbi Avraham Kook, just two months after he arrived in Israel as Chief Rabbi of Jaffo (and later Chief Rabbi of Israel). This is a magnificent expression of R. Kook's worldview of Religious Zionism and his intense love for every Jew. He describes two forces within the Jewish People, Yosef and Yehudah, who must work in harmony to create the ideal Nation of Israel and lead to the ultimate redemption. We see clearly, tragically where we fall short today, and what we need to do to fix 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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
Is Tax Evasion Stealing According to Judaism? | 10@9 | 2026.02.10

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 10, 2026 24:55


If you underpay your taxes, Jewish law says you're not just breaking the law - you're taking money from your own family and neighbors. This morning we unpack the basic obligation for every Jew to give at least a minimal amount to Tzedakah (charity) to those in need, even if one has to beg or borrow for it. And this command is in the form of a tax. We survey the opinion of Rabbi Herschel Schachter that one who does not fully and accurately pay their taxes, regardless of whether they agree with how the funds are spent, is not only violating secular law (a serious Rabbinic prohibition) but also stealing from their family, friends, and community by requiring them to have to pay larger amounts for the services we all receive. 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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
The Obligation to Give - And How to Feel About It | 10@9 | 2026.02.09

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 9, 2026 21:50


Is giving to someone in need just about doing the right thing—or does the Torah care just as much about how you feel while doing it? This morning we analyze an ambiguous word in the Torah which could either mean lending money to a person in need is voluntary or obligatory - why the lack of clarity? According to Or HaChaim it is to give us the proper attitude when being generous and sharing with others in need. The attitude we have of joy or at least gratification at fulfilling our responsibility is the essence of the obligation to be generous with those in need. We should always feel and express thanks to the one who gives us the opportunity to help 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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
You Can't Just Pray: What the Torah Demands About Healing | 10@9 | 2026.02.08

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 8, 2026 24:10


If prayer alone were enough, the Torah would never have commanded doctors to heal. This morning we survey the complexity of the Biblical injunction, 'And the physician shall surely heal.' We discuss the theological implications, that we may not rely on God for healing but we must follow medical advice. And yet prayer is a component of all healing. Then we quote the Rav, Rabbi Yosef Soloveitchik who widens this to require our best effort to alleviate any suffering or injustice. And this is true for all of us, knowing we will never finish this task. 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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
Why “Do Not Murder” Needs Explaining | 10@9 | 2026.02.06

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 6, 2026 16:54


If murder is so obvious, why did God need to say it out loud? This morning we share one answer based on a touching story from Rabbi Paysach Krohn that expresses how embarrassing another in public is akin to murder. And we repeat the prohibition against MAID (medical assistance in dying) which Jewish Law considers to be murder, even though for a person in terrible pain it is understandable, and the majority of our society agrees with it. But we state clearly, it is still wrong. 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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
Yitro | 2026.02.05

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 6, 2026 40:50


This evening we explore the approach of the fox vs. the hedgehog and describe how Yitro was a hedgehog and how we should emulate that, based on an essay by Rabbi Zohar Atkins. We explore the two ways Yitro wanted to reduce Moshe's burden. And we share the insight of Rabbi Yaakov Galinsky on the commandment not to covet, with an emotional story that should hit home for all of us. 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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
What Your Feet Teach About Approaching God | 10@9 | 2026.02.04

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2026 21:36


This week's Torah portion Yitro, is chronologically challenged. We know the revelation at Sinai happened about seven weeks after leaving Egypt. But when did Yitro visit? Lot's of opinions, no clarity. And the two curious commandments at the end of the portion - no metal to cut the alter stones, and a ramp instead of steps - when were they given, especially as they would not be relevant for about 500 years? But from here we derive a magnificent lesson in how we approach God in prayer, and the lesson comes from our feet. 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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
An Apple I Didn't Eat - and a Tree I Had to Plant | 10@9 | 2026.02.02

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 2, 2026 21:20


In honor of Tu B'Shvat, today's Jewish holiday that celebrates the fruits of Israel, I share a story about Rabbi Yosef Rimon deciding not to eat a perfectly good apple in New York City, and Rabbi Avraham Kook planting a sapling in Israel with a curious level of emotion and reverence. Taken together we understand that the fruits and trees in Israel are not only physical items, but spiritual entities in physical shells. 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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
Can the Torah Regulate Modern Accounting? | 10@9 | 2026.02.01

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2026 19:26


Can a text written thousands of years ago really regulate modern accounting—or might it demand even more integrity than today's rules do? This morning we survey the Biblical accountants – Joseph and Moshe – and review the many Biblical requirements for accountants and auditors to follow, including accurately valuating the fair value of businesses so as not to cheat potential investors or buyers; only signing a document that is free of any falsehood, either by commission or omission, and many other common scenarios. We draw on an article in The CPA Journal written by Harold Gellis, Kreindy Giladi, and Hershey H. Friedman. Every profession and every area of life can be uplifted by the wisdom and ethics of Judaism. 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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
B'Shalach | 2026.01.29

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 30, 2026 27:54


This evening we analyze as objectively as I can the most crucial moral question facing the Jewish People today. Should we, or should we not celebrate the downfall of our enemies. We survey the main issues and sources on this question, which has vital application to us today. The earliest source relates to our Torah portion, B'Shalach. There is a large group of respected, authoritative voices on each side of this debate, going back millennia. At the end I share my strong opinion, after reconsidering this anew as I prepared this presentation. 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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
What If All Your Work Was Already Done | 10@9 | 2026.01.30

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 30, 2026 23:25


What would your mind feel like if, just for one day, you truly believed that all your work was complete? This morning we delve into an insight from Rabbi Yosef Kanefsky on the quality of rest on Shabbat. It is not just desisting from certain kinds of work, but feeling deeply as if all my work during the past six days is complete. It never is, but we are to imagine it so, to remove any thoughts on Shabbat of work, mundane tasks, worrying, or anxiety. And we need to have the same consideration for others, to not raise with them discussions about work or problems that might intrude on their enjoyment of Shabbat. If we can do this, we can reach the highest enjoyment of the holy 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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
If Prayer Feels Empty, This Is Why | 10@9 | 2026.01.28

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 29, 2026 30:48


If prayer sometimes feels empty mechanical - this idea might change how you Daven forever. This morning we unpack the layers of meaning in the prayer Az Yashir (the song sung by the Jewish People when God split the Red Sea and the Jewish People crossed on dry land to safety). We learn why it is vital that we say this prayer every day. In fact, without this song, prayer is meaningless and ridiculous. 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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
How One Small Act Can Change a Nation | 10@9 | 2026.01.27

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2026 19:21


This morning we express gratitude for the return of the body of Ran Gvili for burial in Israel. This hero was the last remaining body killed and held by Hamas. I share a story from Rabbi Meilech Biderman about how little spiritual investment is needed for great spiritual returns. We demonstrate with a tribute to Rabbi Uri Lupoliansky, who recently passed away. From very humble beginnings ( of the loan of a single vaporizer) decades ago, he created an empire of kindness in Yad Sarah, one of Israel's largest non-profits, dedicated to providing medical equipment and medical services for over a million Israelis, and has been emulated around the world. 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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
Miracles Make People Weaker - Here's Why | 10@9 | 2026.01.26

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 26, 2026 19:44


This morning we ask why aren't there open miracles today like the splitting of the Red Sea? We analyze the passage where God commands how to collect and eat the Mon (Manna from heaven which the Jewish People ate during their 40-year journey through the desert), and why Moshe was angry they did not follow God's instructions. A profound answer from Rabbi Mair Simchah of Dvinsk in Meshech Chochmah explains Moshe's anger and answers our question - we are much better off without open miracles 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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
10@9 Inside Israel's New Normal - January 25, 2026

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 25, 2026 11:34


This morning we survey the heightened tensions in Israel due to threats of an Iranian missile attack. We review the instructions given this past Friday from Israel's Home Front Command Center, which indicated, at that time, there were no raised alert levels, and continued with its "normal" instructions, which include continuous knowledge of different alert signals from different enemies, knowledge and preparation for immediate emergency protection if needed, and an ongoing possible threat to life if these instructions are not carefully followed. And this is now normal for everyone in Israel. 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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
Moral Conduct Changed Israel's Enemies | 10@9 | 2026.01.21

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 21, 2026 13:29


This morning we investigate the morally dubious command for each Jewish person to "borrow" from their Egyptian friend (?) silver and gold. But they weren't returning it. We present the approach of Netziv (Rabbi Yehuda Tzvi Hersh Berlin) that this was to elicit the events at the splitting of the Red Sea. Then we quote Rabbi S.R. Hirsch, who writes this attests to the high moral quality the Egyptians now realized the Jewish People exhibited, and they then felt bad at mistreating them, and offered these gifts as a symbolic attempt to rectify their terrible actions. Every year at our Seder, this must be part of the story we tell, and commit ourselves to emulating this today and every day. 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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
When I Lost My Voice, I Learned How to Pray | 10@9 | 2026.01.20

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 20, 2026 17:57


This morning I describe a period I went through nineteen years ago with problems in my vocal chords, culminating in surgery, which was slowly and gradually successful over time. I share what it was like to not be able to speak for a while, and how I have tried hard, till this day, to not take my ability to speak for granted. But the worst impact was not being able to pray properly, which is by saying the words aloud, since I had to speak no words for a time. We explain why this is a requirement of prayer. And we learn a lesson from Paro (of all people!) in how to pray deeply and consciously. 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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
Why the Torah Focuses on Brothers & Sisters: Lessons for Modern Families | 10@9 | 2026/01/19

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 19, 2026 16:19


This morning we survey the impact siblings in the Torah have on each other, both positive and negative, and try to understand what the Torah is teaching us about the significance of birth order in family dynamics. Much of what we learn is now supported by the most recent research on these two topics, as presented by Susan Dominus in a recent article in the New York Times Magazine. 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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
10@9 Montreal's Genius from Dukla - January 18, 2026

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 18, 2026 22:17


This morning we pay tribute to the life and character of Rabbi Pinchas Hirschprung (born in Dukla, now part of Poland), a towering and unique leader in the Montreal Jewish community for decades, whose Yartzeit was last Friday. I share a bit about his early life, and how he came to Montreal. Then I share stories from his family and closest students about the true focus of his life - his kindness and openness to every person. 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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
10@9 How I Endured an MRI - 10@9 - 2026.01.16

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 16, 2026 15:56


This morning we present a profound, crazy-simple understanding of Kotzer Ruach (limited spirit, literally limited breath - which precluded the Jewish people from hearing Moshe give them the wonderful news of the impending Redemption). This insight, from psychologist Dr. Miri Avneri, has had a deep impact on my life. I tell the story of the "episodes" I had, and how I endured an MRI. 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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
VaEira | 2026.01.15

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 16, 2026 50:21


This evening we investigate when it is permissible to schedule a non-urgent surgery on Friday, in spite of a general prohibition to do so. Rabbi Yosef Rimon gives practical and sensitive guidelines that are especially relevant here in Montreal, and in many other places. Through this rather technical discussion, Rabbi Rimon is clearly attuned to protecting both physical and emotional well-being. We survey the disappointing response of the Jewish People to Moshe's noble and grand statements of God's promises, and we derive what all of us need, to be able to dream and look toward a future we are seeking. I share part of an article in last week's Montreal Gazette on the ravages among young people (and not so young people) of e-device overuse and even addiction. Finally we offer two different layers of meaning to God granting us the Land of Israel as in inheritance, as opposed to any other legal transfer of ownership. 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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha
10@9 I Waited 8 Years to Hear This - January 15, 2026

Mining The Riches Of The Parsha

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 15, 2026 10:23


This morning I share a moving story from Rabbi YY Jacobson. We analyze two ways of saying goodbye (one of them from our Parsha), the distinction the Talmud makes between them, and the explanation of that distinction by Rabbi Avraham Kook. We end by demonstrating this principle with a quote from Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk (the Kotzker Rebbe). 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 (rabbi@adath.ca) 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.