My Musing
In honor of the upcoming Chag, Rosh Hashanah, we will look at an excerpt from the midrash Tanhuma. What really is the purpose of the shofar. What is its power?
The midrash seems to say that the shofar connects us to the mesirat nefesh of Abraham and Isaac and if we focus on the ram being essential to the end of the narrative, then the ram takes us even further. To the brit ben habetarim; to matan torah, setting the stage for a full return to God.
מדרש תנחומא (בובר) פרשת וירא סימן מוIn honor of the upcoming Chag, Rosh Hashanah, we will look at an excerpt from the midrash Tanhuma. What really is the purpose of the shofar. What is its power?
The midrash seems to say that the shofar connects us to the mesirat nefesh of Abraham and Isaac and if we focus on the ram being essential to the end of the narrative, then the ram takes us even further. To the brit ben habetarim; to matan torah, setting the stage for a full return to God.
רבונו של עולם, אתמול אמרת "כי ביצחק יקרא לך זרע", ועכשיו אתה אומר "והעלהו שם לעולה". וכבשתי יצרי ולא השבתיך. אף אתה, כשיהיו בניו של יצחק חוטאים לפניך ונכנסים לצרה, זכור להם עקדת יצחק אביהם וסלח להם ופדה אותם מצרותם.
אמר להם הקדוש ברוך הוא, אמרת שלך, אף אני אומר שלי.
Abraham approaches God and says, Master of the Universe, yesterday you told me that from Isaac will be my children. And now you tell me offer him for a sacrifice! I conquered my will and I did not answer you. Similarly, You, when the children of Isaac are sinning in your presence and are suffering, You recall for them the Akeida of Isaac their father and forgive them and redeem them from their suffering.
אמר להם הקדוש ברוך הוא, עתידין בניך להיות חוטאין לפני, ולדין אותם בראש השנה. אלא אם מבקשים הם שאהיה סולח להם, יהיו תוקעים לפני בו ביום בשופר.The Holy One Blessed be He, said to him, you have said your piece, now I will say mine. In the future your children will sin in my presence and I will judge them on Rosh Hashanah. But if they beseech me to forgive them, they should blow the shofar on that day.
אמר לו הקדוש ברוך הוא, אין אתה יודע?
אמר לו, "לאו"
אמר לו, חזור לאחוריך וראה, מיד (בראשית כב:יג) "וַיִּשָּׂא אַבְרָהָם אֶת עֵינָיו וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה אַיִל אַחַר נֶאֱחַז בַּסְּבַךְ בְּקַרְנָיו וַיֵּלֶךְ אַבְרָהָם וַיִּקַּח אֶת הָאַיִל וַיַּעֲלֵהוּ לְעֹלָה תַּחַת בְּנו"
אין אומר כאן אלא בקרניו.
אמר להם, יהו תוקעין לפני בקרן הזה ואני סולח לעונותיהם. באותה שעה נתן שבח והודיה לפני הקב"ה
Abraham asked, "what is a shofar?"
The Holy One blessed be He asked, "You don't know?"
Abraham said "no"
God answered, "look behind you."
Immediately, Abraham raised his eyes and behold there was a ram stuck by it's horns in the shrubs.
God said to him, "They should blow this horn and I will forgive their iniquities.
At that moment, they gave thanks and praise to the Holy One blessed be He.
The Holy One blessed be He asked, "You don't know?"
Abraham said "no"
God answered, "look behind you."
Immediately, Abraham raised his eyes and behold there was a ram stuck by it's horns in the shrubs.
God said to him, "They should blow this horn and I will forgive their iniquities.
At that moment, they gave thanks and praise to the Holy One blessed be He.
אין תגובות:
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