Rabbi's Blog - Chabad of Pittsford

Jewish Week Think (11/28/2025)

Friday, November 28, 2025 - 1:12 PM

Dear Friends,

I hope you are having a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend. As I was learning this week’s Torah portion, I couldn’t help but notice how beautifully it resonates with the theme of giving thanks.

This week we read about the birth of the Twelve Tribes. With each child, the mother explains the meaning behind the name she chooses. When Leah gives birth to her fourth son, she says, “This time I will thank (odeh) G-d,” and she therefore names him Yehudah—Judah.

But this raises a question:

Why express thanks specifically at the fourth child? Weren’t the first three children (Reuben, Shimon, Levi) also miracles and blessings?

Rashi (the foremost Torah commentator) explains that Leah knew prophetically that Yaakov would father twelve sons from four wives. She therefore expected to have three children. But when a fourth was born—something beyond her expectations—she felt a deep, overwhelming gratitude and named him Yehudah. It was a thank-you that came from feeling she had received more than her share. This was a total gift from G-d. I don't feel entitled to this blessing.

This connects to a larger idea you might find interesting:

Why are we called Jews—Yehudim—a name derived from this tribe Judah? What happened to the name Israelites for all 12 Tribes? Isn't Judah limiting representation?

Historically, after the destruction of the First Temple and the exile that followed, the majority of the Jewish people who remained identifiable descended from—or were aligned with—the Tribe of Judah (see that time period discussed in the Story of Esther Chapter 2-3, where the term Yehudi first appears in this broader sense). Over time, the name “Jew” became the term for all the Children of Israel.

But the deeper reason is spiritual:

The mind-mission of a Jew—of a Yehudi—is to live in a constant state of gratitude. Judah’s name captures the essence of our role in exile: to recognize G-d’s gifts, to thank Him, and to transform even challenging circumstances with humility and appreciation.

So what does this teach us about gratitude today—on Thanksgiving weekend and every day?

True gratitude isn’t just saying “thanks” or even " I am so thankful for _____)."

It’s pausing, reflecting, and realizing how much of what we have is not owed to us. It’s noticing blessings that go beyond our expectations—health, family, community, opportunities, even the small daily kindnesses that we often overlook.

When we take the time to truly feel that gratitude, it lifts us. It brings joy. It creates a deeper connection—with people and with G-d. It’s one of the simplest and most powerful tools for living a happier and healthier life.

Wishing you a Shabbat Shalom—and a weekend filled with genuine gratitude,

Rabbi Yitzi Hein

Jewish Week Think (11/21/2025)

Friday, November 21, 2025 - 12:26 PM

Dear Friends,

In this week’s Parsha, Toldos, we meet the ultimate story of two opposite personalities. Even before birth, Rivkah is told that her twins will grow into completely different people.

Yaakov is naturally drawn to study, spirituality, kindness, and purpose.

Esav gravitates toward the physical world — action, appetite, and instinct.

So we wonder: *If their natures were so different from the start, can we really blame Esav for who he became?*

This leads to deeper questions:

If free will is the basis of personal responsibility, did Esav ever have a fair chance?

Why would such righteous parents raise such a complicated child?

And why did Yitzchak want to give Esav the greatest blessings?

The answer goes back to the mission of Avraham.

*Yitzchak understood that the Jewish mission is to elevate the physical world.*

To bring G-dliness into everyday life, you need someone deeply connected to the physical.

*Enter Esav — a person whose nature was deeply rooted in the material world from day one.*

Yitzchak saw Esav’s intense drives not as flaws, but as tremendous potential.

If elevated, they could transform the world in ways Yaakov’s gentler nature never could.

That’s why he wanted to bless Esav — to empower him for that mission.

*But Rivkah — with her intuitive clarity — saw a different truth.*

She understood that giving such raw spiritual power directly to Esav wouldn’t refine him; it would overwhelm him.

The blessings had to go to Yaakov — the one grounded in Torah — who could carry spiritual depth and guide the physical world toward holiness.

Yaakov receiving the blessings *in Esav’s garments* wasn’t deception.

It was a blueprint:

Yaakov would live with the depth of Torah's spiritual purpose while engaging the world in Esav’s outer role — elevating the physical in a purpose driven way.

And this isn’t just their story.

It’s ours.

Inside each of us lives a Yaakov and an Esav:

Our inner Yaakov seeks meaning, growth, and connection.

Our outer Esav is drawn to material pursuits, physical drives, accomplishments, and the urge to make our mark on the world.

The goal isn’t to negate Esav — it’s to elevate him.

To let the clarity of our Yaakov guide the powerful energy of our Esav.

And ultimately:

Yaakov uses his mastery of self and his dedication to a G-dly purpose to help Esav fulfill his mission — to fuse the physical with the spiritual and reveal holiness within the material world.

This is the legacy of Avraham and Yitzchak.

This is the wisdom of Rivkah.

And this remains our task every single day: to think higher but stay within.

Shabbat Shalom! Good Shabbos!

Jewish Week Think (11/07/2025)

Friday, November 7, 2025 - 11:37 AM

Dear Friends,

This week I’m especially excited — I’ll be taking five of our CTeen Rochester teens to Niagara Falls for the Great Lakes CTeen Shabbaton, joining six CTeen chapters from across the region! (Stay tuned for pics and follow us on Instagram chabadpittsford and cteenroc).

It’s always inspiring to see Jewish teens from different cities come together — celebrating Shabbat, connecting with each other, and strengthening their Jewish pride. These moments remind us that the capacity for love, connection, and purpose is already in our spiritual DNA.

That idea ties beautifully to this week’s Parsha Vayera.

The Talmud teaches that Avraham served Hashem out of love, and brings proof from the verse:

“You are the offspring of Avraham who loved Me.” (Isaiah 41:8)

The Mitteler Rebbe — the second Chabad Rebbe — asked: if the verse speaks about Avraham’s offspring, how is that proof of his love?

His answer is profound: Avraham’s love wasn’t just a reaction to Divine revelation. He worked to internalize it until it became part of his very being — so real, so deep, that it was passed down to his descendants.

That means every Jew carries within them a deep capacity to love — love of Hashem, of Torah, and of people.

When Avraham, though in pain, ran to greet and serve his guests, he wasn’t just doing kindness — he was living it. His love was active, personal, and genuine.

That’s the hallmark of the Jewish people. Even when later generations expressed different traits — like Yitzchok’s strength or Yaakov’s balance — it all flowed from the same root of Chessed, loving-kindness.

Love is our spiritual DNA. Our mission is to bring that love into practice — through words, actions, learning, and caring for others — until it transforms the world around us.

And on that note — this coming week, I invite you to Monday’s opening event at the JCC Authors + Innovators Festival, where I’ll be giving a tribute and book review of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, marking his 5th yahrzeit.

Rabbi Sacks was so much to the Jewish and greater world — a statesman, teacher, leader, and defender. But at his core, everything he taught and embodied flowed from love.

I’m honored to pay tribute and share some of his teachings at this opening night event.

(See flyer below and to register)

Let’s lean into our DNA of love and share it — through study, kindness, and creativity — bringing that light to the world.

Shabbat Shalom! Good Shabbos!

Rabbi Yitzi Hein