This morning we discuss the wide-ranging category of Ono'at Devarim, causing pain through words, which is so ubiquitous all around us. We give examples which are subtle and non-intuitive, such as how to respond to a favor done for you that you don't need, or a story told to you that you already heard, and the imperative to call someone the way they want to be called (name, nickname, pronoun), even if they change their mind. And the way to achieve this is simple: we must think before we speak, if I was the other person and this was said to me, how would I feel?

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://tinyurl.com/adathyoutube

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adathmichael/

Podcast - Mining the Riches of the Parsha:

Apple Podcasts - https://tinyurl.com/miningtheriches1

Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/miningtheriches3

Stitcher: https://tinyurl.com/miningtheriches4

Please contact Rabbi Whitman ([email protected]) with any questions for 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.