Post by Mark on Sept 21, 2008 5:54:41 GMT -8
There are three different sounds that are blown for Rosh Hashana, the Day of Blowing Trumpets, the invitation into the Days of Awe, or High Holy Days of the Jewish New Year. There are three distinct sounds that we should listen for.
The First call is called the "tekiah". It is a single long blast of a single, pure tone. This is said to represent the breathe or the voice of Adonai. It is unchanging. It is continuous. It is designed specifically for our ears. On Rosh Hashanah, we are commanded to listen to the sound of the Shofar. The root idea of the word "tekiah" means "to drive" as a nail into wood, or as in the voice of Adonai into our hearts.
The Second call is called the "shavarim". It is three distinct blasts that are rising in tone. The Shavarim is a call for repentance and return to the ways of Adonai.
Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.
(Isaiah 58:1)
When we hear the sound of the "shavarim", we recognize the one and only thing that breaks, that chokes up, the voice of Adonai: His weeping for our rebellion. His call for us to return to Him.
The Third call of the Shofar is the "teru-ah", a series of staccato blasts. It is the sound of Adonai weeping.
Together, the call of the Shofar demonstrates to us that He is not far off, that He is not waiting in His heavenly throne room for us to come to Him. He is reaching out to us, calling out to us, and intimately concerned with the journey, the path, that is before us.
As we hear the sound of the Shofar blasts, let heed what our Father is saying. Let us understand the call and begin our return to Him. These are the days of repentance, the days of reconcilliation, the days of Awe. The celebration of the Days of Awe begins with asking for forgiveness from Adonai for our selfishness and selfwill. It continues by demanding that we go to anyone whom we have wronged and offer consolation, reconciliation and asking forgiveness. It goes on by entering the waters of mikvah for restoration toward service to Adonai, ,and concludes by standing before Him on Yom Kippur, knowing all that we have done is not enough; but His mercy is greater than all our sin.
The sound of the shofar is not an isolated event, nor is the feast of apples and honey a celebration by itself. It is the doorway into a new and vital relationship with the Most High. May we enter with full and sincere hearts of worship and joy.