INSIGHTS
LETTERS OF THE LUBAVITCHER REBBE
It is customary during the entire month of Elul to sound the shofar daily, except on Shabbat. The shofar is not sounded on the eve of Rosh Hashana but it is sounded on both days of Rosh Hashanah. The shofar is also sounded during the final service of Yom Kippur.
What is so special about the sound of the shofar? The sound of the shofar gives us two distinct messages: It is the sound of trumpets announcing the coronation of the king and it is a signal, like an alarm, reminding us to consider our past deeds and return to G-d in sincere teshuva (repentance).
Why was the shofar, a rather crude musical instrument, specifically chosen to give over these two messages? Even in ancient times, finer musical instruments producing more refined sounds existed.
The shofar is made from a ram's horn. Even when the horn has been hollowed out, cleaned and polished, it is still more similar to a horn than a fine musical instrument.
The preparation for Rosh Hashana, and its inauguration through the sounding of the horn of an animal, teaches us a profound lesson. Although people are intelligent creatures and our intellect is one of the things that separates us from other living creatures, intellect cannot be the be-all and end-all. When it comes to accepting G-d as our Ruler, we must do so with the submissiveness of an animal. Our return to G-d, too, is more easily accomplished by setting aside our cold, calculating intellect and relying, instead, on our warm, simple, more primitive emotive qualities.
ELUL
I was pleased to be informed of the forthcoming Concert on the eve of the 18th of Elul.
The date is particularly significant and auspicious for the occasion. For the month of Elul is dedicated to teshuvah - return to the roots and sources of Torah and mitzvos [commandments] which are bound up with the real essence of every Jew.
It is well known that very often the heart strings can be touched more readily and effectively by an inspiring melody than by a word of admonishment.
The Alter Rebbe [Rabbi Shneur Zalman], founder of Chabad, explains in Tanya that the essential aspect of teshuvah is in the sincerity of the heart, since it entails profound feelings of regret for past failures and the strongest resolve and commitment for the future. And it is well known that very often the heart strings can be touched more readily and effectively by an inspiring niggun [Chasidic melody] than by a word of admonishment.
Moreover, the concert is taking place on Chai [the 18th of] Elul ("Chai" for "life") - the birthday of the two great luminaries, the Baal Shem Tov and the Alter Rebbe, who brought new life and inspiration to our Jewish people.
May the concert event be a great success in every respect, a source of lasting inspiration to all of you, and stimulating the activities of Chabad Lubavitch to strengthen Torah-true Yiddishkeit [Judaism] in the community at large.
Wishing you a kesivo vachasimo tova for a good and sweet New Year,
