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From the Bimah
September 2007

Before there was Rosh Hashanah as we have come to know it, and before the Jewish calendar referred to the first day of the year as Tishre, the Biblical name for the holiday was Yom Teruah -- the day of the sounding of the Shofar. The Shofar is largely what is unique about Rosh Hashanah (It is also the unique characteristic during the month of Elul which leads up to Rosh Hashanah). Simply put: the Shofar is a wake-up call.

This typically unadorned rams horn is sounded so as to remind us of what time it is; of where we are in our lives. Metaphorically, it is our "spiritual alarm clock." When taken seriously, it can wake us up to the reality of life. But its importance goes beyond that. Hearing the blasts of the Shofar can remind us of what it feels like to be truly alive. Given the pressure-filled, constantly frenetic pace of life, it's very easy for us to forget. It's easy for us to forget what is at life's core; easy for us to forget to simply ask: What is most important in our lives?

I realize the answer to that question is deeply personal -- to each his or her own. But I strongly encourage you to use this time leading up to the sounding of the Shofar -- the month before, and the times during, the Yamim Noraim, (Days of Awe) -- to address that central question. Allow the holidays to propel you not merely outward or upward, but also, inward. Use this holy-laden season to garner a deeper love for yourself. In the process, you will come to more fully appreciate your fellow human being, and God. The time is short; the time is now!

Rabbi Michael Gotlieb