Dear Friends,
This week, I stopped by the JCC in Rochester to scout out the space for our upcoming August outdoor concert with Noam Buskila (stay tuned—ticket registration opens next week!). As I was leaving, I overheard a man ask the front desk if there were pick-up racquetball opportunities. They said no. I paused. Something about the moment felt tailor-made for my always-getting-pushed-off-to-start-exercising situation. I turned to him and said, “If you’ll teach me, I’ll be your partner.” And just like that, I began my journey into racquetball—and hopefully into better fitness.
In Chassidut, we call this hashgachah pratit—Divine Providence. Every moment is orchestrated by Hashem, and sometimes, a small encounter is really a personal invitation to step into another part of your life's missions. The Baal Shem Tov taught that nothing is random. Even the flutter of a leaf or the words we overhear can be part of a divine script written just for us.
This week's Parshat Pinchas begins with a man who understood this deeply. At a time of crisis, of a defiant rebellion that led to a plague spreading through the camp, Pinchas stepped forward. Others stood by—including the leaders of the Jewish people—but he noticed what was hidden to them. He saw that this moment was his to act. Because of his courage and clarity, the plague stopped—and Hashem gave him a covenant of peace. Pinchas didn’t wait for a formal assignment. He saw a need, felt the call, and responded.
Modern psychology echoes this wisdom. In their article Better Living Through Noticing, Drs. Jeffrey Loewenstein and Matthew A. Cronin write:
“Solving small annoyances is a pragmatic function of creativity that comes from noticing.” They argue that many life-changing insights begin not with dramatic events, but with paying attention to the small, overlooked details in our daily lives. Noticing isn’t just a skill—it’s a mindset that opens the door to creativity, clarity, and change.
Pinchas teaches us that life hands us missions—some bold, some quiet. The key is being present enough to notice them, and brave enough to respond. May we enter Shabbat with open eyes and open hearts, ready to say “yes” to the divine opportunities placed in our path—whether it’s a mitzvah, a conversation, or even a racquetball match.
Good Shabbos/Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Yitzi Hein