The Shofar Expresses God’s Friendship for Us
One of the sounds
of the shofar is terua, which may be translated as “friendship.” In
keeping with this meaning, a verse states, “The friendship [terua] of
the King is with [the nation of Israel]” (Numbers 23:21).
When we blow the
shofar during Elul, we experience God’s friendship. The shofar represents God
calling out to us. It is the way in which He declares, “I love you.”
My rebbe, [?],
once said: Imagine two scenarios. In one, as you pass by a window, you hear
someone call out, “Help!” In the other, as you pass by a window, you hear a
scream.
The second scenario will move you more, because a scream is primal.
It expresses a person’s essence. In speech, the listener has to care about what
the speaker is saying, but that is not necessary in the case of a scream.
During Elul, the
shofar is God’s voice calling out to us. It is His outcry: “I am pained because
you are not doing everything that you can with your life. I am pained because
you are wasting your potential.”
During Elul,
listen to the shofar with the knowledge that it is God’s outcry communicating
His concern for us.
By: Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, n''y
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