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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>Blow the shofar (ram's horn) at the new moon, and again at full moon to call a festival!</b></i></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In ancient times the <i>shofar</i> was used as an instrument to announce festivals, Shabbat and special occasions. We also know that <i>shofarot</i> (pl.) were used in the time of Joshua to bring down the walls of Jericho.</span><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><b> </b></i></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Today, the <i>shofar</i> is primarily used as part of the <i>Rosh Hashanah</i>/New Year ritual and to announce the end of <i>Yom Kippur</i>, the Day of Atonement. It is also customary to sound the shofar every morning during <i>Elul</i>, the month preceding <i>Rosh Hashanah</i>. Both during <i>Elul</i> and on <i>Rosh Hashanah </i>itself, the shofar is a spiritual wake up call reminding us to do <i>teshuvah</i> (return/repentance).</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The two times we are told to sound the <i>shofar</i> in this psalm are at the time of the new moon and the full moon. It is assumed by some that this refers to the <i>Rosh Hashanah</i>, which is the new moon of the month of <i>Tishri</i>, and <i>Sukkot</i> (feast of booths) that takes place on the full moon of the same month.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></i></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Rosh Hashanah</i> takes place when the moon cannot really be seen and, according to rabbinic tradition, marks the creation of the world, as well as the time of renewal and repentance. </span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Sukkot</i> takes place when the moon is full and was a festival of Thanksgiving for the fall harvest in ancient Israel. Today it is simply a festival of joy and thanksgiving in a more general sense.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> The <i>sukkah</i>, or temporary dwelling, in which people eat and sometimes sleep during the festival, is also meant to remind us of the fragility and ephemeral nature of our existence. Just as a strong storm could topple the <i>sukkah</i>, so too we do not know what the next moment in life is bringing. Hence the importance of celebration.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I consider <i>Sukkot</i> to be the</span><span style="font-size: large;"> quintessential</span><span style="font-size: large;"> mindfulness holiday, as it focuses on celebrating the moment and being grateful for what we have right now. Yet, it is interesting that </span><span style="font-size: large;">the moon is completely full </span><span style="font-size: large;">when we are both giving thanks for what we have and also acknowledging the uncertainty of life. Contrast this with </span><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Rosh Hashanah</i></span><span style="font-size: large;">o when we are meant to be introspective and focuse on forgiveness and self-assessment. At that time there is barely a sliver of the moon visible.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">At both of these times the psalmist commands us to sound the <i>shofar</i>, which is both the sound of joy and a call to awareness. Perhaps sounding the <i>shofar</i> when the moon is new is meant to awaken us precisely because there is no light in the night sky. It calls us to do <i>teshuvah</i>, but it also reminds us that the work we need to do is internal. We do not need an external light to do <i>teshuvah</i>, but we do need an internal wake up call. In addition, it calls us away from sleepiness and complacency, which could be associated with the darkness of the the new moon.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">On the other hand, <i>Sukkot</i> is a time of pure celebration. We give thanks for the bounty that we have. However, it is also a reminder that what we have may be gone tomorrow, so there is even more a reason to thank God and to celebrate. The full moon of <i>Sukkot</i> allows us to see clearly all</span><span style="font-size: large;"> we have even during the </span><span style="font-size: large;"> night, a time which is often associated with fear and uncertainty. The <i>Sukkot</i> moon allows us to bask in the glow of the moment and truly give thanks. Here the <i>shofar</i> (which today is no longer sounded on Sukkot) is not an internal wake up call, but a communal call to joy, thanksgiving and celebration. The full moon at night literally shines on all that we have and all we should be grateful for. </span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">As we navigate our way through life we experience many <i>Rosh Hashanah</i> type moments as well as many that are similar to <i>Sukkot</i>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">There are times when, like at the time of the new moon, we are in the dark, we are afraid, we do not know what is going to happen. At those moments we need to wake us up to what we need to do at that moment so we can let go of the habits and behaviors that keep us separated from God and humanity. The shofar reminds us to be conscious that we are part of the Divine one-ness of the universe </span><span style="font-size: large;">and so </span><span style="font-size: large;">we need not be afraid of the dark. </span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">There are also moments when we are surrounded by plenty, as at <i>Sukkot</i>. Yet, sometimes we get so caught up in ourselves and our plight that we forget about all that we have to celebrate and for which we should be grateful. At these times we also need something to remind us of all we have and call us to thanksgiving, joy and gratitude.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Both scenarios are lessons in mindfulness. Both remind us to be in the moment, to acknowledge what is and to celebrate the moment. It reminds us to let go of our judgments. We may label a particular moment or time as difficult, painful or bad. Yet, even, or perhaps especially, at these times we need to find the ability to acknowledge and be grateful for what we have. This is often difficult, but it is still necessary if we want to be aware and present in the moment and avoid getting caught up in the story of our pain.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> The sound at the <i>shofar</i> at both times call us back to our Source, to the One. Each does this in its own unique way, but each is just as essential living a life filled not only with laws and rules, but with joy, celebration and gratitude.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
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Posted By Rabbi Steven Nathan to <a href="http://mindfultorah.blogspot.com/2010/05/psalm-for-thursday-psalm-81-verse-4.html">Mindful Torah</a> at 5/06/2010 11:04:00 AM