Rabbi's Blog - Chabad of Pittsford

Jewish Thought of the Week

Friday, November 22, 2024 - 1:26 PM

Do you want to know how a nation feels? It's simple: just check the song

topping the charts.

Throughout history, music has been a powerful barometer of national mood.

During the Vietnam War, patriotic songs and protest anthems dominated U.S.

charts. The Roaring Twenties saw carefree songs, capturing the love and

optimism of a generation that felt they were sitting on top of the world.

So, what songs would you expect to top the charts in Israel in the wake of

the devastating October 7 attacks, a tragedy that claimed nearly 1,400

lives and left the nation reeling from one of the most brutal terrorist

assaults in its modern history?

A nation still at war, with soldiers fighting daily in Gaza, facing ongoing

rocket attacks from Lebanon, losing lives on multiple fronts, and enduring

the continuous trauma of hostages held captive and families torn apart?

Perhaps you'd anticipate songs of mourning, of anger, or defiance.

Instead, the most streamed song on Spotify is a profound anthem of... G-d's

love! "Tamid Ohev Oti" (Always Loves Me). The song has become an instant

hit, with millions of views on YouTube and other platforms. Listen to it here

Here are is a translation of some of the lyrics:

"G-d is a good Father, and He always takes pride in me,

Seeing only the good points in me.

He sees that I want to be good,

Even though it doesn't always work out,

And I'm just a few prayers short.

And G-d, blessed be He, always loves me,

And I will always have only good.

It will get even better, and even better, and even better..."

Think about this for a moment. Israel has experienced one of its worst

traumas in modern history. You might expect the mood to be down or even

bitter. And yes, many people in Israel are deeply stressed by what’s

happening.

Yet, despite it all, everyone sings: "I will always have only good, and it

will get even better!" People choose to have a relationship with G-d that

is based on pure love.

The Rebbe always championed this approach to relationships with G-d.

Already on the first evening when he became Rebbe, he made it clear that

his top priority was going to be the three loves: love of G-d, love of the

Torah, and love of the Jewish people—and how they are all really one.

This vision of love inspired the Rebbe to begin the Chabad House movement

shortly afterward.

What started with the Rebbe in the 1950s with a handful of Chabad locations

became a massive empire, with Chabad Houses literally all around the world.

Cambodia? Check. South Korea? Check. Siberia? Check. Pittsford? Check (I

had to include that one!).

This coming week, the annual Kinus, Chabad's global conference, will take

place in Brooklyn, and I’m looking forward to joining thousands of my

fellow Shluchim there

And it was all based on love.

The Rebbe explained that in previous generations, the relationship with G-d

may have been based on other emotions such as awe and fear, but nowadays,

love must be the main component of our connection to G-d.

The Rebbe would illustrate this principle with a teaching from the Zohar:

"Rabbi Shimon rejoiced and referred to the verse: 'G-d, I have heard Your

renown, and I am in awe.' Rabbi Shimon then commented: There [in the other

context], it is appropriate to focus on awe and reverence.

"For us, however, everything hinges on love and affection, as it is

written: 'And you shall love the L-rd, your G-d.' 'It was out of love for

you that G-d chose you.' 'I have loved you, says the L-rd.'"

G-d loves us. We love Him. We love each other. This is the recipe that is

going to keep Am Yisrael Chai for generations.

And if there is one thing we can do today to help secure the future of the

Jewish people, it is to actively add more of the three loves to our world:

love of G-d, love of Torah, and love of each other, one act at a time. (Thank you to Rabbi Mendy Kaminker for sharing his thoughts with me).

Wishing you a Shabbat Shalom!

Rabbi Yitzi Hein

Abraham, the first Jew are both famliar and a source of never ending depth. Every incident in his life is significant and contains valuable insights for us, his descendants. Let's take one famous part of his life:

The Torah states that " Abraham planted an aishel (tree) in Beer Sheva" (Genesis 21:33). What should we learn from this? The importance of Arbor Day? That Abraham was a tree-hugging Hippie? How can the environmentally friendly person (who already carpools, recycles, and refuses to shop at Home Depot or buy non-fair trade coffee) apply this teaching?

It is known that Abraham was in the business of welcoming guests. He invited complete and total strangers to come into his tent, eat his food, drink his wine, and relax from their journey. Abraham was a real mentsch.

It just so happened that he worked in the desert. Due to a tremendous lack of shade he planted a tree. What better way to welcome a sweaty wayfarer than with a well-shaded seat?

As the saying goes, "two Jews three opinions"—so too in our case. The Talmud lists two other opinions as to the nature of this aishel. According to one opinion it was not a shade tree, but rather an entire orchard of fruit trees. Once again Abraham's focus was on the guests. Wouldn't it be lovely after a long trek through the desert to run into a ripe piece of fruit? I think so.

A third opinion maintains that Abraham built an entire five-star hotel complex, complete with a swanky lounge and full service restaurant. Yet again Abraham's objective was to provide fabulous service to the weary traveler.

The lesson contained here is timeless and it is not a call to join the hotel industry or the Sierra Club. Abraham represents the embodiment of kindness. He did not merely give his guests the minimal requirements for survival – tepid water, stale bread, and a pinch of salt – rather he gave them fabulous food and displayed tremendous hospitality.

Each us has inherited Abraham's attribute of kindness, hence we have the capacity to give of ourselves in the same manner as Abraham. We can assist and help others not only with their vital necessities but rather we can go above and beyond the call of duty and help others in a truly limitless fashion. (Thank you to Rabbi Simcha Levenberg for sharing these thoughts with us).

Good Shabbos/Shabbat Shlalom,

Rabbi Yitzi Hein

Jewish Thought of the Week

Friday, November 8, 2024 - 12:31 PM

This is a momentous week, and not just because of the election. It's the week of the first Jew and his contribution to the world. I bring you a great piece I read from Rabbi Mendy Kaminker - I hope you enjoy this very timely piece as much as I did - Rabbi Yitzi:

Everyone knows that Avraham, our forefather, introduced monotheism to the world. But did you know that he also introduced "it-ism" to the world?

Let me explain by giving an example from writing.

There are two types of writing. One is centered around the reader. You can easily spot this style because it often includes the word "you" multiple times throughout the text. When you see it, you can recognize that the writer is making a conscious effort to connect with their readers. (Did you notice that I have already used the word "you" six times so far?)

I call that type of reader-centered writing "you writing." It's all about you.

Then, there is another type: the kind that focuses on the topic at hand. You are not the center of the conversation and might not even be mentioned at all. The discussion is about "it." I call this writing "it writing."

This concept extends far beyond writing. Today, we are constantly bombarded by "you" type messages. Open the news, and reporters are always trying to figure out what will get us excited (or upset). Look at ads, and it's all about you: what you should wear, which car you should drive, and what brand name pasta you should buy for dinner. Call any customer service helpline, and all they want to talk about is how you feel or what you need.

And how about politicians? We just concluded an election campaign season with thousands of people across the country running for various positions. Many politicians are known for being voter-centric, often shifting positions on every imaginable topic to satisfy voters and secure their support.

If you ever use AI, you'll notice how it is the ultimate "you-centered" technology. It is all about you all the time. The little robot is designed to prioritize making you happy, quickly following any directions and offering endless compliments, obviously to keep you engaged and generate more profit.

While it is good to have some focus on the "you," too much can be just too much. This obsession with self-centeredness isn't new. It's a challenge humanity has faced since its earliest days.

In Avraham's time, the situation had become so extreme that even spirituality was centered around people. They worshiped idols fashioned to meet their exact needs and desires: an idol for fertility, an idol for rain, and an idol for ageless beauty. Even their gods were all about them.

Avraham introduced "itism" to the world. When he discovered G-d, he declared to the people: "Ladies and gentlemen, this is it. Our world is not all about ourselves; there is something greater, a G-d who created the heavens and earth, a G-d of truth who doesn't change. We are part of HIS grand plan, not the other way around. The world is centered around Him, not us."

At first, people balked at the idea. But then it started catching on like wildfire. Why? Because it is liberating to know that our lives are part of something far greater than our small and limited existence. A life centered on "you" can feel satisfying in the short term, but having a purpose greater than ourselves, a purpose worth living for, transforms our existence and makes it immortal.

As we read the story of Avraham in the Torah this week, now is the perfect time to introduce more "itism" into our lives. We should reflect on our G-d-given purpose and ask: how can we live more meaningful lives? How can we align ourselves to be more purpose-focused?

While a life centered around "you" might promise immediate happiness, true and lasting joy comes from embracing the "it." That higher purpose makes life worthwhile and gives us the strength to overcome all challenges. The path to genuine happiness goes through connecting to something greater than ourselves.

With Blessing,

Rabbi Yitzi Hein