Jewish musings, Fri-Sat., Shabbat Shuvah, Sept. 22-23

[gazelle18]

What’s on your mind — how to make kugel? This week’s Torah reading? Life goals? Prayer? We are all engaged in weight loss/weight maintenance journeys and we are all Jewish or at least interested in Judaism. We like to eat, we like to discuss. It is our goal here to provide each other support on our journeys, to share experiences, to call on our rich cultural heritage and texts, and to help each other grow spiritually.

Some of us take weekly turns starting the thread:
Holly
Lee
Louise
Lynne
Peachy

And for those of you who stop by to read this thread without posting — you are welcome to, but you are also welcome to chime in. Don’t be shy!

[gazelle18]

Hi everyone, and good shabbos,

One of my favorite parts of the holidays is the blowing of the shofar. It never ceases to have an effect upon me. The fact that Jews all over the world are listening to the same notes of the ram's horn is truly a spiritual moment for me. I recently read this by Douglas Aronim:

"The blessing over the blowing of the shofar ... refers to the mitzvah as 'hearing the voice of the shofar,' but since that voice speaks without words, the message that is heard depends a great deal upon who is doing the listening."

What does hearing the voice of the shofar mean to you?

[peachymom1]

I look forward to hearing the shofar blown each year, and it never fails to move me. It means to me, "Wake up! Think about your life! Make some changes! Learn something! Feel the presence of your community!" and lastly, "We're done, let's eat!"

I love how the congregation oohs and aahs when the shofar blower goes an especially long time. I love the feeling of the ancient-ness of the ritual and the fact that we're still listening to it in the 21st century.

Thanks for a great week, Lynne! Everyone have a great weekend! Shabbat shalom!

[louise]

Well said Peachy. All that and it connects us back in time to Jews through the centuries. We have a tradition in my synagogue that I have slowly come to appreciate. Anyone with a shofar joins in with the main shofar blower, all competing to hold it the longest. People are places strategically all over the synagogue. I still enjoy the pure sound of one shofar as opposed to the resulting stereophonic cacaphony of many but the spirit of it adds its own charm.

Love that the message is in the ears of the listener!

[happysavta]

Shalom, chaverot. My 11-year-old grandson blew the Shofar at our house on Rosh Ha like a champ! What a pair of lungs! He should be playing the trumpet.

Gmar chatimah tova to each of you.