The Sound of the Soul
At the close of the war in Jerusalem in 1967 there is a story told of an encounter at the Kosel of two Israeli soldiers. As the Israeli soldiers ran to the Kosel, one of the non-religious soldiers who ran towards the Western Wall saw the religious soldiers crying and he too began to cry. A fellow religious soldier looked at him surprised and asked: “I know why I am crying, but why are you crying?” The nonreligious soldier responded: “I am crying because I don’t know what I am supposed to be crying about.”
Many Chassidic commentators compare the sound of the shofar to the unknown cry of the above-mentioned soldier. While Rosh Hashanah is a day for prayers for life, health, children, parnassah (livelihood), bringing Hashem’s glory on earth, and more. Additionally, there are some prayers that are too difficult for many to put into words and it is the sound of the shofar that transcends all verbal expressions. Speech is constrained by the limitations of a person’s ability to enunciate words, to find expressive words in their vocabulary, to arrange the words in a form that will accurately reflect and articulate their thoughts. However, some thoughts and feelings are too exalted to find expression through such limited means. The yearning of the Jewish soul to come close to Hashem, to cleave to the Shchechina (divine presence), is so intensely spiritual that for many their vernacular is inadequate to give it expression. The sound of the shofar, however, connects with this inner yearning and gives it an avenue to be conveyed. It is the sound of the immortal soul crying out to its Creator in an ecstasy of love, devotion and yearning. It is the sound that breaks the barriers of mere words and embraces myriad spiritual expressions – from the most abject remorse to the most intense joy.
This year the first day of Rosh Hashana is Shabbos and the shofar will not be sounded until the second day. If the shofar is our instrument to express our unknown cry, what happens on Shabbos? The Divrei Chaim of Sanz references that on all Shabbosim we say Shabbos Hu Melizok ''today is Shabbos and we can't call out (in prayer) on behalf of the sick'' (an halachic topic which deserves to be further discussed at length). Just like every Shabbos, in the merit of meticulously keeping the laws of Shabbos, and honoring Shabbos, our prayers are heard from within and without calling out. Says the Divrei Chaim, so too the sound of the shofar is not needed on Shabbos as that deeply seated non enunciated prayer of Rosh Hashanah is heard on Shabbos Rosh Hashanah as well.
With that in mind, when we hear the shofar, we can enhance our experience by pausing and reflecting. We should ask ourselves: What are the desires and emotions that I cannot express in words? How can I bring them forth during this powerful moment?
Similarly, each Shabbos, we can make a conscious effort to engage in deeper spiritual reflection. By being present, cherishing the moments of rest, and engaging with the beauty of Shabbos, we are essentially bringing out the shofar's cry every week. Even if it is just taking an extra moment to think of the beauty of Shabbos and its inherent power of healing. Recognizing that Shabbos itself serves as a day of rejuvenation and healing for both the caregiver and their patients.
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Partially adapted from Rabbi Naftali Reich, available on torah.org