{"id":1152,"date":"2014-09-23T07:58:49","date_gmt":"2014-09-23T11:58:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/truthsyoucanuse\/?p=1152"},"modified":"2016-12-02T19:41:14","modified_gmt":"2016-12-03T00:41:14","slug":"hearing-gods-alarm-clock-what-you-need-to-know-about-rosh-hashanah","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/truthsyoucanuse\/2014\/09\/hearing-gods-alarm-clock-what-you-need-to-know-about-rosh-hashanah.html","title":{"rendered":"Hearing God’s Alarm Clock: What You Need to Know about Rosh Hashanah"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"shofar<\/a><\/p>\n

On Wednesday night and Thursday, Jews around the world will celebrate the holiday of Rosh Hashanah, which literally means “Head of the Year.”<\/p>\n

Are You Christian? Get Your Free Jewish Holidays Cheat Sheet.<\/a><\/p>\n

What distinguishes Rosh Hashanah from every other holiday is the sounding of ancient ram\u2019s horn, known as a shofar. It\u00a0makes a scratchy, plaintive primitive sound. To hear it is the primary purpose of this day.<\/p>\n

Even people can\u2019t make it to synagogue try to hear\u00a0the\u00a0sound of the shofar. Rabbis have been known to visit hospitals and sound\u00a0the\u00a0shofar in patients\u2019\u00a0rooms.<\/p>\n

Is the Alarm Clock Loud Enough?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Why? What\u2019s so important about the shofar? Why must we hear it? The most insightful answer I\u2019ve heard was given by Rabbi Harold Kushner. While the words of this prayerbook are addressed to God, he noted, the sounds of the Shofar are addressed to us.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a wake up call, an alarm clock; as if God were saying to us, ‘Don\u2019t just plead with me for a year of life. I\u2019m giving you life; what are you doing with it?'”\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

In other words, the shofar is an alarm clock for our lives. It pierces through our routines and habits. It awakens us from the slumber of everyday living. It challenges us to think, to question, to wake up! What are we doing with the challenges and opportunities life puts before us? What meanings are we making out of the experiences we face?<\/p>\n

Answering the questions God is asking<\/b><\/p>\n

Yet, the shofar does not just present these questions. It helps us answer them.\u00a0The most frequent sound\u2014known in Hebrew as tekiah<\/i>\u2014summons us to human connection and community. The Torah itself tells us that the original function of the tekiah<\/em> sound was to assemble the people.<\/p>\n

Summer camps often have a bell that rings when it\u2019s time to gather for a meal or ceremony. The tekiah<\/em> sound does the same thing: it commands us to gather, to come together, so that we can live more fully.<\/p>\n

We need that reminder. In a society that makes us easy to be alone–to entertain ourselves on the computer or with our iPhones–we can forget the richness that comes with living with and for others. Life gains meaning when we share it. Martin Buber, the great theologian of the twentieth century, made this message his life\u2019s work.<\/p>\n

When Buber was asked where God was found, he did not say in heaven. He did not even say God is everywhere. He said \u201cGod lives in relationships.\u201d May your new year be fulfilled with new and deepening relationships–with God and with one another.<\/p>\n

Learn More About Fiddler on the Roof with Rabbi’s Free E-Book<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On Wednesday night and Thursday, Jews around the world will celebrate the holiday of Rosh Hashanah, which literally means “Head of the Year.” Are You Christian? Get Your Free Jewish Holidays Cheat Sheet. What distinguishes Rosh Hashanah from every other holiday is the sounding of ancient ram\u2019s horn, known as a shofar. It\u00a0makes a scratchy,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":507,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1152","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nHearing God's Alarm Clock: What You Need to Know about Rosh Hashanah - Truths You Can Use<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, nofollow\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Hearing God's Alarm Clock: What You Need to Know about Rosh Hashanah - Truths You Can Use\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"On Wednesday night and Thursday, Jews around the world will celebrate the holiday of Rosh Hashanah, which literally means “Head of the Year.” Are You Christian? 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