Soon, it will happen again. In a few days during the Jewish holidays of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, the shofar will be blown. It is always a special and holy moment when the shofar or ram’s horn is blown.
As a boy I remember being mesmerized by the beautiful sacred haunting sound. It was part of the majesty and mystery of the high holy days.
The Rabbis teach us many reasons for the blowing of the shofar. Some say it stems from the ram caught in the thicket which Abraham offered instead of his son, Isaac. Others say it is a cry of repentance on the part of the Jewish people. Still others say it is reminiscent of the shofar being blown during the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai. And there are many other reasons . . .
The one I appreciate the most: the shofar creates the sounds of the victims throughout history wailing their pain, struggle and faith in a desperate attempt to awaken God from his slumber. The shofar is a plea of hope and sanity. It is a sigh, a cry, and a prayer too great for words.
More than anything the shofar brings Jews across the world together again. If there is anything Jewish in your soul, you will come to hear its sound.
This year, Rosh Hashanah (literally head of the year), is the Jewish New Year 5780. It begins a ten day period of introspection and reconciliation with those you have hurt during the past year, leading to the holiday of Yom Kippur, the day of atonement, when Jews as a community ask God for forgiveness and implicitly forgive God for his silence in their suffering.
Soon, it will happen again. The shofar will sound its eerie notes encouraging us to trust against trust and imploring God to act like God. It is indeed a holy moment.
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