ROSH HASHANAH

The Meaning of the Shofar

by Rabbi Lawrence Troster

One the greatest of Jewish philosophers, Saadia Gaon, once listed ten reasons for the sounding of the shofar on Rosh Hashanah. One reason he gives is that the shofar reminds us that Rosh Hashanah is the anniversary of creation by recalling that it is God who is the true sovereign of the universe not human beings. Often we live our lives as if God does not exist. This is not only a theological problem, but an ethical and moral one as well. If the world only centers around our self (and let’s face it, we spend most of our time in that kind of mind set), then we also forget how we are connected to the environment and all the other kinds of life that help sustain us. Putting God back at the center is a humbling experience, which forces us out of ourselves.

The Shofar is one of the most ancient musical instruments known to humankind. It is human made, but out of the rough horn of a ram. This combination of natural material and human artifice reminds us not only of our humble origins as a people but also how indebted we are to the rest of creation for all that we have, eat, wear, and celebrate with. The music it makes is loud and not subtle. It is as if the voice of the Creator is sounding out the beginning of time. It is a call back to our origins and to the better future that we must bring about. God is calling us to restore ourselves as we restore creation.