The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
The sound of the shofar is a call to action
Hearing the shofar [ram’s horn] sounded on Rosh Hashana is the quintessential New Year ritual. People come to synagogue on the New Year to hear a shofar master sound the alert sequence just as it was done in ancient times, in the company of friends and neighbors.
It is a peak spiritual moment. For those unable to attend public gatherings, these shofar masters visit homes and hospitals, so that everyone in our community has the opportunity to fulfill this obligation.
A few years ago, one of our beloved shofar masters visited at home a woman who had grown up at one of our predecessor congregations, Keser Israel. She had heard the shofar every year of her life, but was unable to attend public services that year due to a medical condition.
Most of those experiencing a home visit are appreciative; this woman was deeply moved, and she cried. Our shofar master, who has performed this kindness many times before and since, felt the power of the moment and could only respect the intensity of her feelings.
What he did not know, but she knew as much as anyone can, was that this was to be the last time she would hear shofar, given her medical prognosis. Her hope was to bake Hanukkah
cookies one more time, which she did, but she knew there was no Passover
seder nor another Rosh Hashana in her future.
This year, a large proportion of humanity has been unable to attend services in any community, in order to comply with public health protocols and to follow the advice of advisers prohibiting large assemblies or indoor gatherings. For that reason, many congregations provided shofar services at multiple locations, especially outdoors.
Instead of gathering in tens of thousands of groups, we gathered in more but smaller groups. The power of the moment enabled us to feel connected. The sequence of shofar blasts was shared with generations going back thousands of years and with millions of people around the globe on that one day. While congregations could not congregate, our hearts and minds became as one as the blast of the shofar connected us through time and space.
The sound of the shofar is a call to personal and communal self-awareness, reflection and improvement — a call to action — all of which are so desperately needed in these troubled times.
Despite the adverse conditions, the power of the shofar blast reached to the depths of our hearts. The simple communal act of hearing — of listening — helped us feel that we can triumph over adversity.