Rabbi Todd Thalblum
August 2010
Shalom Everyone,
As the summer draws to a close, we once again find ourselves faced with the challenge of repentance. I know it seems early to be speaking of atonement and forgiveness but it isn’t. This year, Rosh Hashanah falls on September 8, which means we have just over a month to prepare ourselves.
For many Jews, Elul, the Hebrew month preceding the High Holy Days, is a period of serious reflection and meditation. These Jews begin every day, during this time, reciting poems of forgiveness, hoping to atone fully for their mistakes of the past year. They understand that the meaning and inspiration they are able to draw from their High Holy Day experience is directly proportional to the effort they put in to being prepared for atonement.
For most of us, however, the month of Elul seems no different than the rest of the year. We continue the same secular schedule we’ve always had. We get up at the same time, drive the same commute, work the same job. We hardly recognize that the Holiest Days of the year are coming because the summer seems to draw our attention away from our Jewish selves and the demands of our religion.
In an effort to break us out of our summer routine, I'd like to share with you a short midrash regarding our Rosh Hashanah Torah portion. The story we will read, on Rosh Hashanah morning, details the events surrounding the near sacrifice of Isaac. As you probably remember, God commands Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac, and Abraham willingly obeys. At the last moment, as Abraham is about to slay his son, an angel calls down from heaven and tells him that God never desired Isaac’s slaughter only that Abraham prove his faith, which he did. In the end, Abraham sacrifices a ram in Isaac’s stead, and we today, remember this deed when we blow the shofar, a ram’s horn, to announce the New Year.
A midrash, however, suggests that there is another reason that the ram’s horn is used at Rosh Hashanah. In it, God asks Enoch to find something he could use to announce the world’s birthday. He first tries two rocks, banging them together in front of God. God, however, is unimpressed and declares that rocks only make noise, not music. The New Year, God says should be ushered in with music.
Next Enoch brings a harp before God. He plays it perfectly and God has to admit that a harp makes beautiful music. The harp, though, is not loud enough to announce the New Year, and is made from iron, a metal used to make weapons of war, which is also not appropriate for the New Year.
Enoch then shows God a trumpet. It also makes beautiful music and is even loud enough to announce the world’s birthday, but God is still unimpressed. The trumpet is fashioned by human beings and is therefore unsuitable for this purpose.
Finally, Enoch presents a ram’s horn to God. He points out that it is not made of metal nor is it fashioned by human beings, that it can make music, but it isn’t as easy to play as a harp or a trumpet. God, however thinks it’s perfect. It’s natural, and loud, and can make beautiful music.
The fact that it is hard to play is perfect too. The New Year is a difficult time. It is a time for deciding to do good things and give up bad things. It is a time for apologies and forgiveness. It is a time to reconnect with our people and, like Abraham, prove our own faith.
I look forward to seeing you all in the New Year.
Shana Tovah,
May the new year be one of happiness, blessing, and peace.
Rabbi Todd
Shalom Everyone,
As the summer draws to a close, we once again find ourselves faced with the challenge of repentance. I know it seems early to be speaking of atonement and forgiveness but it isn’t. This year, Rosh Hashanah falls on September 8, which means we have just over a month to prepare ourselves.
For many Jews, Elul, the Hebrew month preceding the High Holy Days, is a period of serious reflection and meditation. These Jews begin every day, during this time, reciting poems of forgiveness, hoping to atone fully for their mistakes of the past year. They understand that the meaning and inspiration they are able to draw from their High Holy Day experience is directly proportional to the effort they put in to being prepared for atonement.
For most of us, however, the month of Elul seems no different than the rest of the year. We continue the same secular schedule we’ve always had. We get up at the same time, drive the same commute, work the same job. We hardly recognize that the Holiest Days of the year are coming because the summer seems to draw our attention away from our Jewish selves and the demands of our religion.
In an effort to break us out of our summer routine, I'd like to share with you a short midrash regarding our Rosh Hashanah Torah portion. The story we will read, on Rosh Hashanah morning, details the events surrounding the near sacrifice of Isaac. As you probably remember, God commands Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac, and Abraham willingly obeys. At the last moment, as Abraham is about to slay his son, an angel calls down from heaven and tells him that God never desired Isaac’s slaughter only that Abraham prove his faith, which he did. In the end, Abraham sacrifices a ram in Isaac’s stead, and we today, remember this deed when we blow the shofar, a ram’s horn, to announce the New Year.
A midrash, however, suggests that there is another reason that the ram’s horn is used at Rosh Hashanah. In it, God asks Enoch to find something he could use to announce the world’s birthday. He first tries two rocks, banging them together in front of God. God, however, is unimpressed and declares that rocks only make noise, not music. The New Year, God says should be ushered in with music.
Next Enoch brings a harp before God. He plays it perfectly and God has to admit that a harp makes beautiful music. The harp, though, is not loud enough to announce the New Year, and is made from iron, a metal used to make weapons of war, which is also not appropriate for the New Year.
Enoch then shows God a trumpet. It also makes beautiful music and is even loud enough to announce the world’s birthday, but God is still unimpressed. The trumpet is fashioned by human beings and is therefore unsuitable for this purpose.
Finally, Enoch presents a ram’s horn to God. He points out that it is not made of metal nor is it fashioned by human beings, that it can make music, but it isn’t as easy to play as a harp or a trumpet. God, however thinks it’s perfect. It’s natural, and loud, and can make beautiful music.
The fact that it is hard to play is perfect too. The New Year is a difficult time. It is a time for deciding to do good things and give up bad things. It is a time for apologies and forgiveness. It is a time to reconnect with our people and, like Abraham, prove our own faith.
I look forward to seeing you all in the New Year.
Shana Tovah,
May the new year be one of happiness, blessing, and peace.
Rabbi Todd