THE SOUND OF THE SHOFAR: OUR CALL TO ACTION
RABBI JEREMY LIPTON
Among my favorite (somewhat odd) stories is told by Woody Allen’s character, Alvy Singer, at the end of the Academy Award winning film, Annie Hall. You probably remember the movie, but perhaps the quirky story is not the first thing that comes to mind…so, let me remind you of it.
At the very end of the movie, right before the credits role, Alvy says:
“I thought of that old joke: This guy goes to a psychiatrist and says, 'Doc, my brother's crazy, he thinks he's a chicken.' And the doctor says, 'Well why don't you turn him in?' and the guy says, 'I would, but I need the eggs.' Well, I guess that's pretty much how I feel about relationships. They're totally irrational and crazy and absurd, but I guess we keep going through it because most of us need the eggs.”
This odd-turned-poignant story is perhaps analogous to the cyclical, recurring religious and social patterns that we witness (and may have experienced ourselves) as members of a synagogue community. The yearly cycle of holidays, events, habits, rituals, customs and practices might seem out of context for some of us. We come to shul en masse and yet, perhaps struggle to articulate WHY. Is it out of faith? Is it out of habit? Is it out of guilt? Is it out of some inexplicable need to reconnect? Is it an intangible desire to find meaning in our lives? Sometimes the reasons are not the most important part of the equation. Just like Alvy’s punchline, maybe we are compelled to pursue the relationship—with each other, with ourselves, with the synagogue…with God—because “we need the eggs.”
Next week, as we begin the month of Elul—the thirty days that lead to Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur—we are encouraged to reflect and look inward. Our sages emphasize the reaffirmation and reparation of our personal relationships; this is clear in their interpretation of the spelling of Elul (Alef-Lamed-Vav-Lamed), connecting it with the verse from Shir Hashirim (Song of Songs), whose words begin with the same letters: “Ani L’dodi V’dodi Li”—“I am to my beloved as my beloved is to me.” It’s all about our relationships, remember?!
In addition to the subtle liturgical changes that will occur during Elul, the most pronounced addition will be the sounding of the shofar every weekday. The long, piercing blast of the tekiah, the heartfelt cries of the shevarim, and the repetitive, staccato pulses of the teruah will serve as a daily reminder to awaken our souls for the task at hand—to stand before the Kadosh Baruch Hu, prepared to recommit to a mutually beneficial, loving relationship whose goals ultimately lead to making the world a better place through our ACTIONS.
How will we prepare to experience the High Holidays this year and beyond? How will we inspire ourselves to make a difference in our collective lives and in the lives of friends, families, or community members with whom we relate and interact? How will we transform that nebulous truth within ourselves—our desire to make this a more meaningful time in our lives? We will all come together for many reasons, including because (as Alvy Singer said), “we need the eggs.” Regardless of the reason, may the sound of the shofar during the approaching High Holiday season stir and awaken us, and inspire all of us to engage in the necessary ACTIONS that prepare us to stand in judgement before ourselves, and before God, and to celebrate and fulfill the promise of renewal that comes with Yamim Noraim, these Days of Awe.
Kay joins with me in wishing you and your extended families an anticipatory Shanah Tovah U’metukah, a Sweet, Healthy, and Fulfilling New Year!
L’shalom,
Rabbi Jeremy Lipton