Every year around this time, we dust off our shofars readying them for Rosh Hashanah. Little do we know, the shofar is more than just a horn that calls our attention. Actually, the shofar is the perfect visual symbol for this time of year. Just ask a child to hold it in her hands and you will see what I mean. Their fingers graze upon the smooth surfaces as the horn curves around. With amazement, their eyes open as their fingertips caress the points and bumps. The child is always shocked because the horn looks so beautiful, yet it has these grooves and sharp textures. But with all of the bumps, the shofar is always dominated by smooth, glossy surfaces.
Our years are never smooth and straight. They are always filled with twists and turns. The hardest parts are the bumps in the road. Some of them are so jarring that they hurt as we travel across them. Yet, most of our years are filled with smooth surfaces, shining moments when we glide.
It is always up to us, whether we focus on the bumps and sharp points in our years or whether we focus on the joyous smooth parts of our lives. The shofar and the high holy days teach us that no one can escape disappointments, failures, and pain in our lives. It is up to us whether we focus on the crevices or on the smooth surfaces.
It is my prayer for all of us that our year will be filled with many more smooth portions than bumpy ones. And it is my hope that as 5784 concludes, we will look back and see that we did not fixate on the rough parts, but rather dwelled more on the shalom we experienced along the way.
May all of us have a happy and healthy 5784.
Shanah tovah um’tukah (Happy and Sweet New Year), Rabbi Robbie
P.S. Don’t forget to bring your shofars on Rosh Hashanah Morning to help bring in the new year!
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Temple Beth Am of Northern Westchester 203 Church Place Yorktown Heights, NY 10598
