Rabbi's Blog - Chabad of Pittsford

Jewish Week Think (09/26/2025)

Friday, September 26, 2025 - 12:45 PM

Dear Friends,

What a beautiful Rosh Hashanah we just celebrated together! From our warm community dinner to two full days of heartfelt services — and over a hundred people joining the 18th Annual Tashlich by the Canal — it was uplifting to see so many faces, both familiar and new, praying, singing, and reconnecting to our roots
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To give a sampling of the messages we talked and 'farbrengen' about this year’s Rosh Hashanah here there are. They are like two sides of the same coin.

Day One theme was all about I Am Yisrael Chai — not only that the Jewish people live on, but that I live on — that each of us is called to carry the flame of Jewish life personally and proudly. Every Jew is a walking lighthouse, bringing divine light and purpose into the world through their mitzvot and actions.

The opening joke: a son once asked his father, “What’s the secret to forty years of marriage?”

The father smiled and said, “Simple — from day one we agreed: I decide the big issues, and your mother decides the small ones. We each agreed to our role so there is no conflict”

He paused and explained: “For example, I decide big issues like who should be the next president and what America’s foreign and energy policies should be… and your mom decides where we live, how we raise the kids, and what kind of family we are. Y'know, the small issues.”

Our real “big issues” in life aren’t in Washington — they’re at home. In how we raise our children, how we speak, and how we live as Jews. That’s where the world is truly shaped.

Day Two flipped the coin to its other side: Mi Kamcha Yisrael — “Who is like Your people, Israel?” If Day One celebrated personal responsibility, Day Two celebrated the power of belonging — of being part of an unbreakable family that stands by each other through thick and thin.

One excerpt highlighting the Day 2 theme was a story that says it all. In short: a graduating class of IDF soldiers decided to hold a lottery before going home. Everyone threw some money into the pot, and an American donor doubled it. to make a nice jackpot of $5,000! When they drew the winner, the room erupted in cheers — it was the soldier who had been wounded in battle. He more than the others could really use it to get started.

But as some stayed back to clean up, then they noticed something extraordinary: every single name on the tickets in the box was that soldier's name. Each soldier had quietly written his name instead of their own. That’s the Jewish heart — we see another’s pain as our own, and another’s joy as our victory.

Like the sequoia trees that grow tall and strong because their roots intertwine beneath the surface, we too draw our strength from each other.

I Am Yisrael Chai — I must live it. Mi Kamcha Yisrael — we live it together. Two sides of the same coin, two melodies in one eternal song.

And that brings us right into this week — Shabbat Shuva, the Shabbat of Return. It’s the bridge between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, a time to come home — to ourselves, to our community, to G-d.

Join us tomorrow, Shabbat morning at Chabad of Pittsford 10am, for a meaningful service and special Kiddush at 12:30pm sponsored by the Kaiser family in memory of Richard Kaiser (Reuven ben Dovid) — a beloved husband, father, and grandfather.

And as we approach Yom Kippur, remember: everyone is welcome to join for any part of the services — no charge, no tickets, just open hearts.

With heartfelt blessings for a sweet, healthy, and good New Year,
Rabbi Yitzi Hein
Chabad of Pittsford

Jewish Week Think (09/19/2025)

Friday, September 19, 2025 - 1:28 PM

Dear Friends,

October 16, 2024. Rafah.

For a year, Israel’s most elite forces and intelligence hunted Yahya Sinwar, the mastermind of October 7th. But when he was finally found, it wasn’t by the commandos. It was by a group of trainee squad commanders from the Bislamach Brigade — young soldiers still in training.

On what seemed like a routine patrol, these fresh soldiers noticed something unusual: three armed men moving between buildings. They didn’t dismiss it. They didn’t say, “We’re only trainees.” They acted — and that alertness changed the course of history.

This week’s Torah portion, Nitzavim, drives home the same message. Moses tells the Jewish people: “You are all standing today before Hashem your G-d… from your leaders to your wood-choppers and your water-carriers.” Why spell out every layer of society? To teach that the covenant is not complete without everyone. The leaders, yes — but also the wood-choppers, the water-carriers, the “trainees.” Each one is indispensable.

And that’s our message as we step into the New Year. We might feel unready, imperfect, still learning. But Hashem says: you matter as you are. Your mitzvah, your prayer, your kindness can tip the scale. Sometimes it’s the fresh sincerity of “trainees” that makes the greatest difference.

So let’s come together this Rosh Hashanah. Celebrate 5786 with family, friends, and community at one of our many gatherings — from services to the shofar to the holiday table. Find all the details and reserve your spot here: jewishpittsford.com/highholidays.

Because sometimes, it’s the fresh eyes of the “trainees” that bring the greatest victories for Am Yisrael.

Shabbat Shalom/Good Shabbos

Rabbi Yitzi Hein

JEWISH WEEK THINK (9/12/2025)

Friday, September 12, 2025 - 12:54 PM

Dear Friends,

When we hear the word confession, we usually think of weakness, regret, and owning up to mistakes. That’s an important step in Teshuvah (returning to G-d, repentance).

But in this week’s parsha Ki Tavo, the Torah gives us a mitzvah that flips the idea of confession on its head.

Every third and sixth year of the Shemittah cycle (the seven-year agricultural cycle when the land of Israel rests in the seventh year), a farmer was commanded to make a declaration called Viduy Maaser—the Confession of Tithes. The farmer publicly stated that over the past three years he had faithfully given all the required tithes and charitable contributions from his crops (kind of like declaring you’ve paid all your taxes, only here it was about both taxes and charity). And it ended with the bold words: “I have done everything You commanded me.”

Surprisingly, this “confession” was not about failure, but about success. So why call it a confession?

This teaches something powerful about Teshuvah and confession in Judaism—and how profoundly different it is from the conventional sense. Usually, confession means admitting where we went wrong. Here, the Torah shows us that Teshuvah also means affirming what we’ve done right.

If we only focus on shortcomings, we can slip into despair. But when we confess our strengths—our mitzvos, our goodness—we energize ourselves with joy and confidence to grow even more.

One of my favorite Jewish thinkers and authors, Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz (1937–2020), wrote something that resonated deeply with me: the primary Teshuvah in Judaism is not merely about fixing mistakes, but about realizing that too often we don’t believe in ourselves enough. We play small. We don’t trust the strengths G-d Almighty has given us.

This is why the morning prayers say: “I am the Lord your God, Who brought you up from the land of Egypt; open your mouth wide, and I shall fill it.” Every morning, every day, we are invited to open our mouths wide—daring to ask G-d Almighty for blessing, for opportunity, and for the strength to fulfill our life mission in the grandest way possible.

Our Teshuvah is not only for what we’ve done wrong (which we must fix), but also for not asking G-d enough to help us become what we could be. Teshuvah is also about acknowledging what we did right and thinking how we can build on those strengths to make the world a holier, kinder place. And to do that, we must be honest, think big, and ask G-d Almighty for the help to do it fully.

The new year is coming — and we all pray it should be the best year ever. But a best year is not about more comforts or conveniences. The best year is when we shine our light to the fullest. And you have to own the fact that the world needs your values and your light more than ever.

Challenge:make a clear commitment before Rosh Hashana: how will you turn up your light to help family, friends, community, and neighbors — and to grow yourself? And then trust that G-d Almighty will provide the energy, resources, and support you need, so you can focus on where you are most needed.

That, my friends, is the radical but real meaning of Teshuvah in Judaism.

Shabbat Shalom/Good Shabbos,
Rabbi Yitzi Hein

Jewish Week Think (09/05/2025)

Friday, September 5, 2025 - 11:55 AM

Dear Friends,

Do you ever feel like you go into Wegmans for one thing and end up with a whole shopping cart? This is not a mistake — social scientists even have a name for it, the “shopping momentum effect.” Supermarkets and other stores even arrange aisles and checkout lanes to maximize profits. As they say, one thing leads to another…

Joke: At his friend’s housewarming party, a guest asked:
“Wow, how did you suddenly end up with this beautiful house?”

The host replies: “Funny story. I went to the library for a card, but the pen didn’t work. So I stopped to buy a pen, saw notebooks on sale, and realized I needed a desk. Then I needed a bigger apartment for the desk… and one thing led to another — here we are at the housewarming!”

Rashi’s Lesson: One Mitzvah Leads to Another

In this week’s parsha, Rashi comments on a curious string of mitzvot: sending away the mother bird, building a fence around your roof, planting a vineyard without mixing species, avoiding shatnez, and wearing tzitzis.

Why are these (seemingly) random verses listed together?

Rashi explains with a famous Talmudic principle: mitzvah gorreres mitzvah — that one mitzvah leads to another.

Next, you are given the responsibility and opportunity of owning property — a vineyard — where you bring holiness by keeping the species of plants pure and not mixing them.

You begin with compassion for G-d’s creatures: sending away the mother bird before taking the eggs.
G-d sees your success in bringing holiness into the world and gives you the opportunity of owning a house, which you sanctify by making it safe with a guardrail.
Finally, you are given the further opportunity of owning fine clothing, where you live with holiness by avoiding shatnez (the forbidden mixture of wool and linen) and by wearing tzitzis.

One mitzvah leads to another, each step bringing more Divine presence into your life, which is our life’s mission.

But does this mean Judaism is just a quid pro quo with G-d, where we do mitzvot to get rewards? The great Maimonides clarifies: the true reward is the mission itself. When we focus on being ambassadors of G-d, sanctifying our lives and our world, Hashem blesses us with the resources to carry out that mission.

Bringing It Home: this month’s triple word score opportunities

Small mitzvot in this month of Elul (before the Jewish new year) have what I like to call a “triple word score.” Each mitzvah has three components - the mitzvah,the fact its before the new year, and as mentioned it will lead to anther mitzvah! On a local level -here are two timely small mitzvah opportunities you can take on this week:

Add a Mezuzah — If your home or apartment doesn’t yet have one, thanks to the Merzel Family you can receive your first kosher mezuzah for just $18. Or gift one to a friend/family member. Or add an extra mezuzah to another doorway or 2 for cost price.
👉 Get Mezuzah(s) / Scroll Check: Click here for special offers this month (And if you’re out and about this Sunday at JFest, visit our Mezuzah Booth at JFEST this Sunday, Sept. 7 • 2–5 PM at the JCC.)
Give Your Child a Taste of Amazing Jewish Learning Experience — Come to our JKids Family Open House this Sunday or try the first class next week. A small mitzvah step that can open a lifelong connection of love for Judaism. See below or RSVP to [email protected]

Let’s fill our homes, families, and communities with mitzvot that lead to more mitzvot—opening the door to blessing and strength in the New Year.

Shabbat Shalom & Good Shabbos, Rabbi Yitzi Hein