From the Cantor - October 2005

"The great shofar is sounded, a still small voice is heard."

A learned colleague of mine has compared the month of Elul, the month of preparation preceding the High Holy Days, to an athlete's preparation for a marathon. We take a thorough accounting of our souls and deeds and begin the process of evaluating and repairing. We then reach Tishrei, the month in which the Holy Days occur, and "we're off!" The starter shouts "go" and the "marathon" begins.

During Elul the shofar is sounded to call our attention to searching our souls. Our scholars teach us that the sound of the shofar is a summons for all of us to renew our pledge at Sinai: the promise we made to follow the path of God, as we stood together at the foot of that sacred mountain. Just as trumpets are sounded for earthly monarchs, the shofar is sounded to acknowledge the sovereignty of God. Certain commentators have compared the word shofar to the Hebrew and Aramaic root shafar, which means to be pleasant, beautiful and goodly. The sounding of the shofar calls for us to make our words and actions more pleasant, beautiful and goodly.

When the Holy Days arrive at the beginning of Tishrei, we hope for tikkun hanefesh, a repairing of our souls. During the Yamim Noraim, the Days of Awe, we take time to focus on kavanah, our spiritual intention. Though the sound of the shofar is a dramatic call, perhaps it can move us to hear that still small voice within calling us once again to seek teshuvah, to turn from one path in order to pursue a better one.

David, Elizabeth and Daniel join me in wishing everyone L'shanah tovah tikateivu v'teichateimu. May you be inscribed and sealed for a year filled with health, happiness and all that is good.

B'shira,
Cantor Barbara R. Finn

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