VaYechi - December 28, 2023

This evening I share part of the magnificent lecture by the Rav, Rabbi Yosef Soloveitchik which relates to our Torah portion, VaYechi, in which Yaakov blesses his grandchildren, and sets this as the paradigmatic blessing of parents and grandparents for their children and grandchildren till this day. The Rav then tells a now-famous and unusually revealing story about how he personally experiences this miracle, to leap over the gap of generations, which leads to the redemption of Israel. We also explore how the ending of Bereishit (the Book of Genesis) reveals its true theme - how to handle family conflict, which leads, according to Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, to the next chapter, the creation of the Jewish People in Shemot (the Book of Exodus). 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.