SHOFAR; BLOWING LIFE INTO THE WORLD
The theme of Rosh Hashanah is the coronation of HaShem as the Sovereign of the Uni-verse. Our avoda on this special day is to proclaim Him King. Our success is determined by the level of our commitment to Him as our Master. The questions begs; why does HaShem need our acceptance? Does He have any needs at all? If there is a need how can mortal Man provide that?
Our Sages teach us that the blowing of the Shofar on Rosh Hashanah corresponds to the breath of HaShem that He breathed into the body of Adam. Just as that breath was blown on the first of Tishrei, so too, we blow into the Shofar on first day of Tishrei. How should this be understood?
The worldview of our people is that HaShem created this world as a mechanism by which to give Man absolute pleasure. Among the greatest pleasures people experience is a loving relationship with someone else. This is why loneliness is among the greatest punishments. When one has nobody in their life they question their existence. Absolute pleasure is having a loving relationship with HaShem Himself. Therefore the purpose of creation was to give Man the opportunity to build a relationship with HaShem.
Problem; in the principles of relationships there is a rule that only like things can relate to one another. People relate to one another on the grounds of their similarity. Even though the prince and the pauper have nothing in common they can nevertheless connect because they share a common human experience. The question therefore is how can Man, the creature, connect to HaShem, the Creator? Man has no common experience with HaShem; on what basis can there be a relationship? For the sake of clarity; HaShem can care for Man and Man can serve HaShem but the relationship the gives pleasure can only occur when there is a shared common experience and that is not existent between Man and HaShem.
To resolve this problem, HaShem created the world without any apparent imprint of Himself. He did this by creating Mother Nature. She serves as His veil behind which He is able to hide. Until Man, by use of his intellect, uncovers the veil, the world is G.dless. The universe in its entirety is a completed working unit but has no Di-rector. When Man recognizes HaShem within Nature and discovers Him, Man has brought a G.D into this world.
The Talmud draws five parallels comparing the relationship of Man’s soul to Man as to the relationship of HaShem to His world. When Man accepts HaShem’s Sovereignty upon himself, he is bringing HaShem into his life. HaShem now has a dwelling place on this world. Whereas, before Man accepted HaShem’s Sovereign-ty there was no apparent existence of HaShem in this world, Man with his acceptance has blown HaShem into the world.
Behold! By accepting HaShem into our lives we mimic the creation of Man; HaShem created a world that had no soul, because He hid behind Nature. And now as Man brings Him into the world, Man has a shared experience with his own Creator. The manner by which Man accepts HaShem is specifically through the blowing of the Shofar.
Perhaps we can now appreciate why HaShem wants us to accept His Sovereignty. He wants to give Man the absolute pleasure of having a relationship with Him. This becomes possible when Man shares the experience of blowing life into the otherwise lifeless world.
As we will all blow Shofar this Monday and Tuesday mornings may we merit that HaShem’s Presence fill this world and bring with it the peace that comes with It.
Have a wonderful Shabbos and successful Rosh Hashanah,
Paysach Diskind