The Cry of the Shofar
There was once a King who had an only son, the apple of his eye. The King wanted his son to master different fields of knowledge and to experience various cultures, so he sent him to a far-off country, supplied with a generous quantity of silver and gold. Far away from home, the son squandered all the money until he was left completely destitute. In his distress, he resolved to return to his father's house and after much difficulty he managed to arrive at the gate of the courtyard to his father's palace.
In the passage of time, he had completely forgotten the language of his native country, and he was unable to identify himself to the guards. In utter despair he began to cry out in a loud voice, and the King, who recognized the voice of his son, went out to him and brought him into the house, kissing him and hugging him.
This parable was related by the holy Baal Shem Tov (1698-1760) to describe the deeper meaning of the Shofar blowing on Rosh Hashanah.
The King refers to G‑d. The prince is the Jewish people, who are called "Children of G‑d" (Deuteronomy 14:1). The King sends our soul down to this world in order to positively transform this world into a fitting home for G-d through the teachings of the Torah and performance of Mitzvot. However, at times our soul may become very distant and forget everything to which it was accustomed to above, and in the long exile it forgets even its own "language."
On the High Holidays, we wish to reconnect with our heritage and re energize for the new year ahead. But it may seem daunting to step out of our comfort zone and make a positive change in our lives. We may feel out of place or unfamiliar with much of our rich and beautiful Jewish heritage. So our soul utters a simple cry to our Father in Heaven. This is the blowing of the shofar, a cry from deep within, expressing regret for the past and determination for the future. G-d hears our cries and recognizes us as His beloved children and grants us a good year both materially and spiritually.
Rosh Hashanah is the day we coronate G-d as our king and reenter into a unique relationship with Him. The Shofar represents the essential cry of the soul which yearns to leave the confines of its limitations and reveal its infinite potential by connecting to G-d. Rather than highlighting personal creativity and sophistication, the cry of the Shofar is a relatively simple sound, representing the essential bond which we all equally share with our Creator.
Maimonides famously states, “Throughout the entire year, a person should always look at himself as equally balanced between merit and sin and the world as equally balanced between merit and sin... if he performs one mitzvah, he tips his balance and that of the entire world to the side of merit and brings deliverance and salvation to himself and others…”
We wish each of you a year filled with Yiddishe Nachat, good health, happiness and prosperity. May this new year usher in a time of peace and prosperity for all nations on earth with the coming of Redemption!
