Rabbi's Blog - Chabad of Pittsford

JEWISH WEEK THINK (8/29/2025)

Friday, August 29, 2025 - 11:22 AM

Dear Friends,

This past week was a moment of nachas for our community.
We launched our first-ever JKids Camp—and the joy was unmistakable.

From challah baking to tie-dyeing T-shirts,
from spirited singing to new friendships,
our children experienced Judaism as alive, joyful, and theirs.

A huge thank you to our amazing staff—
for your creativity, care, and heart.
And to the Jewish Federation’s Impact Grant—
your support didn’t just fund a camp,
you helped build a future of Jewish pride.

This past week, we stepped into the hebrew month of Elul (the month before Rosh Hashana).
Every month on the Jewish calendar has its energy.
The month of of Elul is a time when Chassidic teachings describe our closeness to G-d Almighty with the parable of “The King in the field.”

What does that mean?

Most of the year the King is in the palace—
protocol, distance, formality.

But in Elul the King comes out into the field.
No guards. No gates.
Every person—farmer, child, passerby—can greet Him.
And He welcomes each one with warmth.

So too this month is where G-d is very close to us in our regular lives. We can feel G-d's presence in simple acts of goodness and holiness.

The Rebbe made this very real to a 12 year old Yanky Herzog, who recounts how the Rebbe told him:

What does it mean "the King is in the field"? It means even when a child makes a bracha (blessing on food) in Elul—simple, sincere, maybe rushed—
they should know: the King is right there, smiling.

Elul is not about being perfect.
It’s about being present.
Every mitzvah. Every blessing or prayer we make.
Each is a moment with the King of all kings.

And here in Rochester, we’re bringing this closeness into our own “fields”
through I AM YISRAEL CHAI: Mezuzah Awareness Month.

We’ll be placing mezuzahs on doorways across our community.
Because a mezuzah isn’t just a scroll. It’s a statement:
This home is holy. This Jewish family is proudly connected to their heritage.

(You can sign up here to join the Mezuzah Campaign by getting a highly discounted Mezuzah for you or your friends/family.)

Just as the King comes to us in Elul,
we go out to our neighbors with love and pride—
offering mezuzahs, sharing connection,
and reminding every Jew: you belong.

Let’s greet the King together.
Let’s make Elul a month of mitzvahs,
of connection,
of quiet revolution—
one doorway at a time.

With blessings for a meaningful Elul, and a joyful Shabbos,
Rabbi Yitzi Hein

P.S. If you want to be a sponsor of Mezuzah for this month's project - you can be one of the I AM YISRAEL CHAI Project sponsors here

JEWISH WEEK THINK (8/22/2025)

Friday, August 22, 2025 - 12:27 PM

Dear Friends,

This past Sunday’s Noam Buskila concert was unforgettable. The music was stirring, but what truly moved us was the spirit in the room—a sense of Jewish pride, unity, and awakening. It wasn’t just a performance; it was a moment of soul-expression. You could feel it: something deeper is stirring in our community.

And that brings us to this week’s parsha, Re’eh, which opens with a striking verse:

רְאֵה אָנֹכִי נֹתֵן לִפְנֵיכֶם הַיּוֹם בְּרָכָה וּקְלָלָה
“See, I place before you today a blessing and a curse.”
(Devarim 11:26)

Moshe doesn’t say “hear”—he says see. He’s urging us to perceive G-dliness directly, to recognize the Divine presence in the choices and realities before us. But just last week, in Parshat Eikev, Moshe emphasized:

וְהָיָה עֵקֶב תִּשְׁמְעוּן
“And it shall be, if you will listen…”
(Devarim 7:12)

Our mission begins with hearing—absorbing, trusting, responding. Hearing is subtle. It requires faith. Seeing, by contrast, is immediate and undeniable.

Moshe wanted to raise us higher. To help us see the Divine in everything—not just to believe, but to perceive. To transform the pragmatic reality in front of us by recognizing its spiritual potential.

And while most of us live in the realm of hearing, Moshe succeeded in awakening something deeper. He elevated our subconscious soul core—the part of us that intuitively sees G-dliness, even when our conscious minds struggle.

That’s the invitation of Re’eh. To look at our lives, our choices, our community—and recognize the blessing within. To see not just what is, but what can be.

As we enter Elul and prepare for a new year, we invite you to join us in bringing this vision to life:

🌟 Join the I AM YISRAEL CHAI Project

A 12-month journey of mitzvah, meaning, and Jewish pride.
Upcoming events and workshops will spotlight simple, powerful ways to bring Jewish values into your life and home.

Let’s take the sounds of the concert—the music, the spirit, the awakening—and turn them into a palpable vision. A living expression of Jewish pride and purpose. Not just felt in a moment, but carried into our homes, our choices, our community.

And if you’re ready to take it to the next level…

👉 Click here to become a Mitzvah Connector

Share mitzvot with others. Empower your circle.
Together, we’ll answer the call and build a stronger Jewish vision for the thousands of individuals in our community.

Shabbat Shalom / Good Shabbos,
Rabbi Yitzi Hein
Chabad of Pittsford

JEWISH WEEK THINK (8/15/2025)

Friday, August 15, 2025 - 12:25 PM

Dear Friends,

My family and I took a vacation this past week visiting NJ and the Poconos. Good time had by all, Thank G-d! The saying goes " Now I need a vacation from the vacation." How true!

But no time for that as we have a special concert this Sunday, which is as of now sold-out (you can join wait list below if tickets become available last minute) which we are super excited for, as well as the launch of this year's I AM YISRAEL CHAI Project.

Here is a sneak peek: the first mitzvah awareness campaign is the home mitzvah of Mezuzah. And this week's Torah portion is one of the sources about the commandment of putting up kosher mezuzah scroll on our doorframes: "And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and upon your gates" (Deuteronomy 11:20) which is contained in the 2nd paragraph of . The first source was

Us humans live in two parallel worlds. On the one hand there is the inner, spiritual, altruistic world. Serving G-d not because we anticipate a reward, but because it is right. This passionate, selfless approach is the essence of “Avodas Hashem”.

And then there is the world out there, the “real” world. Personal interest, battle for survival, making a living, success, “What’s in it for me “. In this world it’s difficult to think about values that are selfless and pure.

The big question is: Is there a way that one person can live in both worlds; can we build a bridge between them, and how do we do it.

I would like to share a sliver of a passage in the holy Zohar, as it is explained by Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneerson, the father of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, whose Yahrzeit was yesterday 20 Av.

The Zohar (Kabalah) enumerates Mitzvahs which represent signs and symbols. On the body (Bris Milah), on our garments (Tzitzis), Tefillin, the dress code of a Jew in general, the Mezuzah and the laws connected to the “field” (the workplace).

Some of these signs relate to our personal self, whereas the field relates to the world outside (where we spend a large part of our lives). With all these symbols and reminders, what is the purpose of the Mezuzah? The Mezuzah is the bridge that connects the inner world to the outer world.

The Mezuzah consists of two brief paragraphs (Parshios) of the Torah. The first paragraph was in last week’s Parsha, the second in this week’s Parsha, Ekev. Both these scroll paragraphs (Parshios) contain the Mitzvah of Mezuzah. But the two paragraphs are very different in their whole language and style.

The first Parsha is the Shema, which talks of the Unity of G-d and demands a high level of selfless dedication. Love Hashem “with all your heart, with all your soul (life) and all your might (possessions)”. Give the best of yourself and of your possessions to Hashem. It concludes with the Mitzvah to fix a Mezuzah, without mentioning any benefits or rewards. Just do it, because Hashem commands you to.

The second paragraph of the Shema (from this week’s Parsha) talks in a completely different way; the language of conditions, blessings and benefits, rewards and punishment. The recipe for success: If you obey My Commandments you will have rain (success), and if you don’t you won’t, G-d forbid.

And at the end there is also the Mitzvah of Mezuzah, but this time detailing the rewards and benefits. You and your family will live longer, healthier lives.

Both paragraphs are contained in the same Mezuzah. Because we are expected incorporate both languages in our lives. On the one hand to cultivate and maintain a pure, selfless, spontaneous, unconditional love for Hashem, because it’s the right thing to do. On the other hand, to remember that Hashem’s will is that we live in the physical world to elevate it; and that by keeping the Mitzvos we bring blessings in that area of our lives.

The ideal is not a life separated from the real world; nor is it a self centered mode of existence. The ideal is to live in both worlds, where they are one and connected, as depicted by the sign of the Mezuzah.

If you want to get early access to our Mezuzah Awareness Campain to Buy a Kosher Mezuzah Scroll or check you existing scroll- you can do so here

Shabbat Shalom/Good Shabbos,

Rabbi Yitzi Hein

JEWISH WEEK THINK (8/8/2025)

Friday, August 8, 2025 - 2:22 PM

Dear Friends,

I hope summer is giving you a chance to recharge — because believe it or not, the Jewish New Year is less than six weeks away!

There’s a story of a chassid who once said to the Lubavitcher Rebbe, “I’m afraid I’m becoming your chassid.”

The Rebbe smiled and replied, half-jokingly, “Why be afraid and become out of fear? Become out of love!”

This week’s parsha, Va’etchanan, gives us two verses that seem to pull in opposite directions:

- “Fear (revere) Hashem your G-d” — Devarim 6:13

- “Love Hashem your G-d” — Devarim 6:5

Most belief systems tend to emphasize one over the other. Some prize fear — obedience, discipline, awe. Others emphasize love — closeness, warmth, emotional connection.

But the Torah says: we need both.

That’s not so simple. Fear and love feel like opposites — one pushes us back, the other draws us close. How can we hold both at once?

The Ohr HaChaim — Rabbi Chaim ben Attar (1696–1743), one of our greatest Biblical commentators — explains: yirah (awe) is the starting point. It’s the awareness that we stand before the Infinite. It humbles us. It creates healthy boundaries.

Then comes ahavah (love) — a deep, joyful, personal connection.

They’re not opposites. They’re complements.

Awe without love becomes cold and distant.

Love without awe becomes casual and self-serving.

Together, they’re like the two wings of a bird — you need both to fly.

The Lubavitcher Rebbe taught that this is the journey of spiritual maturity. A child begins with awe — “Hashem is great and I must listen.”

As we grow, that awe blossoms into love — loving Hashem not just for what He gives us, but for Who He is.

And it’s not just with G-d.

In our relationships with people, start with respect — noticing their uniqueness.

From there, love will naturally flourish.

The summer is a time when we have a little more down time — a chance to pause and ponder how we’re doing in our life’s mission.

So let’s end with a question:

- Do you have more of a love or awe relationship with the people in your life?

- Do you have more of a love or awe relationship with G-d?

- Do you have the same with Judaism?

Something to think about. Let’s talk about it together sometime (or feel free to reply to this email).

Shabbat Shalom / Good Shabbos,

Rabbi Yitzi Hein

JEWISH WEEK THINK (8/1/2025)

Friday, August 1, 2025 - 11:25 AM

Dear Friends,

This Sunday, the Jewish people will observe the fast Tisha B'a, the 9th day of Hebrew month of Av, remembering the destruction of the Jerusalem temple on that date (70 CE) and the subsequent exiles.

Here is a story from Talmud regarding the aftermath:

Four Rabbis came to Jerusalem soon after the destruction of the Bais Hamikdash (Temple). They saw a fox emerge from the ruins.When they saw the ruins, three (Rabbi Elazar, Rabbi Yehoshua and Rabban Gamliel) couldn’t contain themselves and they wept. Rabbi Akiva smiled.

The other three asked Rabbi Akiva: Why are you smiling? Rabbi Akiva responded: Well, why are you crying? They replied that it’s obvious why we cry: an impure creature is standing on the spot of the holy Temple of Hashem. But why are you laughing?

Rabbi Akiva explained that there were two prophecies, one (from the prophet Uria) about the destruction of the Temple and one (from Zechariah) that the Bais Hamikdash would be rebuilt. The prophecies are connected. Now that we see that Uriah’s has been fulfilled, we can be certain that the prophecy of Zechariah will also be fulfilled, and Jerusalem and the Temple will be rebuilt. The other three Rabbis were comforted.

This story from the Talmud is quite well known. To understand it more deeply, I would like to share a question and insight from the Lubavitcher Rebbe about one detail.

Why was it only Rabbi Akiva who connected the dots between the prophecies of Uriah and Zechariah? Surely the other Rabbis also knew about the prophecies!

The other three Rabbis were from prominent families and always enjoyed high social status. Rabbi Akiva by contrast was a poor and ignorant shepherd until the age of forty. He started life as an outsider, at the bottom of the social ladder. Yet he threw himself into studying Torah and eventually became the leader of his generation!

Rabbi Akiva knew that it’s not about how things begin, but how they end. As bad as things are, they can always be transformed for the better.

Rabbi Akiva was not in denial. He also mourned and rent his garment. But at the same time he saw the bigger reality beyond the immediate devastation. He saw the destruction as akin to the demolition of a building to be replaced by a larger, stronger, better, permanent structure.

Every crisis is painful at the moment, but the idea is not to be overcome by fear and anxiety; rather to focus on the future and working to get there. The ultimate solution is the Redemption of Moshiach. Every good deed by every person brings that closer.

The Shabbos when we read the Parsha Devorim. It is called Shabbos Chazon, after the first word in the Haftora (reading from the Prophets). Chazon refers to the “vision” of Yeshaya (Isaiah). A great Chassidic leader said that on this Shabbat the soul of every Jew is shown the vision of Redemption and the rebuilt, eternal Temple. So that we should each do our share to make it happen.

Good Shabbos/Shabbat Shalom and I hope you have an easy fast on Sunday,

Rabbi Yitzi Hein