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Sept. 30, 2005
Like a spiritual alarm clock
The meaning behind three different shofar sounds is explained.
SHARON MELNICER
Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur – a day of sweetness and a day
of atonement – are the culmination of a month-long process
of coming back to God. The New Year provides a unique opportunity
for people to put aside time for personal growth and reflection.
It's also a time to clarify our priorities and to think about all
that has been achieved in the year gone by.
The shofar, or ram's horn, is the quintessential symbol of Rosh
Hashanah. Although it looks like a primitive trumpet, there is a
much greater story to be told. During the blowing of the shofar
on Rosh Hashanah, three distinct sounds are produced: tekiyah
(one long, straight blast), shevarim (three medium, wailing
sounds) and t'ruah (nine quick blasts in short succession).
Rabbi Shraga Simmons explains how the different sounds relate to
the different themes of Rosh Hashanah. Simmons said tekiyah, is
the sound of the King's coronation, and the object of Rosh Hashanah
is to crown God as our King.
In the Garden of Eden, Adam's first act was to proclaim God as King.
And now, the shofar proclaims to us and to the world: God is our
King. We return to the reality of God as the One who runs the world:
guiding history, moving mountains and personally caring for each
and every human being.
Not just the anniversary of Creation, Rosh Hashanah is also the
anniversary of God's reign over humankind. Adam was the first royal
subject who accepted God as his king. Our prayers on Rosh Hashanah
reaffirm the choice that Adam made.
Rosh Hashanah is a day of appreciating God and internalizing that
understanding, so that it becomes a living, practical part of our
everyday reality. God is all-powerful. God is Creator. God is Sustainer.
God is Supervisor. In short, God is King of the Universe, declares
the Talmud. In Jewish tradition, according to the scholar Maimonides,
a king is first and foremost a servant of the people. His only concern
is that the people live in happiness and harmony. His decrees and
laws are only for the good of the people, not for himself.
The sound of shevarim has unique and profound meaning to those who
specialize in the study of kabbalah. They say that it is the sobbing
cry of a Jewish heart, yearning to grow, to connect with others
and to achieve all that is possible. Simmons said that when we think
about the year gone by, we know deep down that we've failed to live
up to our full potential. In the coming year, we yearn not to waste
that opportunity again. Every person has the ability to change and
be great without being constrained by the past.
The third sound, that of t'ruah, resembles a sort of an alarm clock,
which is designed to arouse us from our spiritual slumber. The shofar
brings clarity, alertness and focus. The Talmud says, "When
there's judgment from below, there's no need for judgment from above."
Simmons noted that God wants us to make an honest effort to maximize
the gifts we've been given and warns us that there's no point trying
to hoodwink God by pretending to be something we're not.
Simmons summed up by saying, "The reason we lose touch and
make mistakes is because we don't take the time everyday to reconnect
with our deepest desires and essence." He emphasized the need
to spend time alone every day, asking yourself if you're on track,
focused and pursuing goals that will make the greatest overall difference
in your life and in the larger world. He believes that if you make
it a habit to keep in touch with yourself, "When Rosh Hashanah
comes around, the alarm clock of the shofar won't be nearly as jarring!"
Sharon Melnicer is a Jewish writer, artist and teacher
living in Winnipeg.
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