The Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashanah) is tonight, and it is a time of introspection and commitment to do better in the future.
On Rosh Hashanah, we blow the Shofar (traditionally made from a ram’s horn) in synagogue.
My sister-in-law, Sara Herbsman, told me a beautiful learning about the three types of blasts on the Shofar that correspond to 3 types of people that think they may be beyond repair, but who can still improve their lives:
1) Tekiah–tekiah means rooted and is one long blast–a person is never too stuck, stubborn, or set in their ways to change.
2) Shevarim–shevar means broken and the sound is 3 short broken blasts–that is a person is never to broken to fix.
3) Teruah–comes from the word Ra which means bad and is 9 rapid very short alarm blasts–that is a person is never too bad or evil to repent.
For those who have heard the Shofar blast, it is a moving experience–as if your very soul is stirred to introspection and fear of heaven.
I remember learning in Jewish Day School that our prayers would ascend to G-d in heaven on the blast of the Shofar.
But what I always like the best was the story of the one little boy in synagogue who did not know how to pray, but instead just cried–and his tears, full of sincerity, ascended beyond all the other prayers all the way to throne of the Almighty.
May G-d bless us with a happy, healthy, prosperous, and peaceful New Year.
Andy
(Source Photo: here with attribution to Elias Punch)
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