Here are some pre-Rosh Hashanah thoughts based on the "shiur nashim," Women's Torah Class this Shabbat afternoon. It was given by a young, talented neighbor. It's not the first time she gave us a talk, and I hope she will be willing to come again.
We were asked what the specific mitzvah for Rosh Hashannah is. It's listening to the shofar, not blowing the shofar. That contrasts to Purim's kri'at megilah, reading the Megillat Ester.
What does the kol shofar, sound of the shofar do to us?
One of the regular participants in our classes is a music teacher, and she said that in music therapy each instrument is considered as being able to influence, affect a certain specific part of the body. If that's the case, and I have no doubt that she's correct, then it must be that the sound of the shofar affects our soul, our spiritual side.
Let your body absorb the voice of the shofar on Rosh Hashannah. Take it slowly....
Gmar Chatima Tovah
17 comments:
Doesn't the sound of the shofar remind you guys to remember even the 100 cries of the mother of whatshisname?
Like having them penetrate your very soul?
Sh.
a, ?
Beautiful post:)
Batya, Shikse is referring to the 100 cries of Sisro's mother.
Pardon me for pasting from Wikipedia:
"According to the Sephardic tradition, a full 101 blasts are sounded, corresponding to the 100 cries of the mother of Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army who did not make it home after being assassinated by the biblical Yael (Judges 5:28). One cry is left to symbolize the legitimate love of a mother mourning her son."
That's purely homelitic. The reason for 100 calls instead of 3 or 10 or 30 is purely due to halachic disputations and 100 calls covers all the possilities.
I really wonder which part of you determines what you choose to take literal (so to speak), and what not.
That's all for now.
Shikse
Simple. Go to the sources, Shikse.
There was a commandment of Shofar way before Sisra took one in the left lobe.
And the dispute as to what constitutes the correct observance of the command to hear the sound of the shofar is what obligates the 100 - not 101 - calls.
The rest is - as they say - commentary.
Shy, thanks
Shikse, you posted this elsewhere, I think by mistake, as we are discussing Shofar here:
Shy, I am aware of this:
http://www.chabad.org/holidays/JewishNewYear/template_cdo/aid/4387/jewish/100-Sounds.htm
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That's very nice yet it's still very homiletic.
I have nothing against homiletics. But the story of Sisra is still not the reason why we are obligated by Rabbinic law and custom to hear 100 blows of the Shofar and not any lesser amount.
There is nothing wrong with assigning additional lessons, understanding and morals to an existing Mitzvah, which enhance the Mitzvah. Way before Chabad posted on the Internet, Rav Saadya Gaon gave a list of 10 recommended thoughts we should have in mind when we hear the Shofar.
OK, Shy. Now we're talking.
Well, you are.
Shikses are famous for not having such a way with words, but that doesn't mean they have nothing to say, or that they have nothing substantial to offer.
So tell me, where can I find those ten thoughts of yours?
Sh.
Btw, I know how to google things already :)
If you get what i mean.
Sh.
Oh, and Shy, one more thing, you are of course aware that jews are famous for being weak in the visio-spatial department - i'm generalizing.
Here's a link:
http://www.waiting.com/brainanatomy.html
Here's a link:
http://www.morim.org/contents.aspx?id=548
Can I sell you my old copy of Google for Dummies?
Oh oh. You obviously didn't get what i mean. But thanks for the link anyway.
Bye Shy :)
Learn more about shofar at www.hearingshofar.com.
Hearingshofar.com..
Nice link.. Interesting.
Oh, and btw, Shy, why call yourself something which you're obviously not?
Yours, Shikse
Oh, and btw, Shy, why call yourself something which you're obviously not?
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The irony makes it easy to remember.
Does this sound familiar:
"without firing a single shot"
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