This evening we discuss two connections between our Torah portion, VaYishlach, and the holiday of Chanukah: Yaakov's desire to protect and fulfill whatever he could, even if only partial (just as the Maccabees lit the Menorah with only enough oil for one day), and Yaakov's respect for possessions he earned honestly, recognising them as a gift from God (just as the Maccabees respected the small jar of oil they found, seeing it as a gift/sign from God). We trace Yaakov's shift in life/work balance by entering the state of mind of Sukkot. And we explore Rabbi Avraham Kook's description of the transition from serving God with a monument to serving God with an alter - a message with broad application to our lives as Jews 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://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.