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This Rosh Hashanah, make sure one thing is at the very top of your priority list: hearing the shofar.
Why?
1. It’s a Mitzvah
Sometimes the most important reason is the simplest one: We do it because G‑d asked us to. The G‑d who gives you life, food, health, and everything you have. He said “shofar,” so shofar it is. No overthinking. Just do it because He asked.
2. It’s Raw and Real
We live in a world of filters, edits, and now AI-generated everything. The shofar is the exact opposite. It is raw, unpolished, and straight from the soul. When you hear it, close your eyes and let that pure sound cut through all the noise.
3. It’s the Sound of the Heart
Crying is not only about sadness. It is how we express what words cannot. Rosh Hashanah is our giant “reset” moment. We tell G‑d, “I am ready to change,” and we cry, just like we cry to our loving mother. G‑d listens and hugs us back, giving us a clean slate to start anew.
4. It’s a 3,000-Year-Old Tradition
Your great-great-great-grandparents may not have eaten brisket on Rosh Hashanah, but they did hear the shofar. And so did their parents, and their parents before them. Hearing it connects you directly to them and to every Jew who came before.
5. It’s Everywhere
Unless you are spending Rosh Hashanah on the moon, there is probably a shul or Chabad nearby. If you cannot make it to the whole service, the rabbi will happily blow the shofar just for you. It really is that important. And if you have a friend, family member, or neighbor who won’t be able to make it to services, reach out and offer to help arrange to have someone stop by and blow the shofar for them, too.