The Sounds of the Shofar | Rav Alex Israel

What should I think about when I hear the Shofar? The shofar doesn't say a word. What does it mean? We offer two explanations: 1.Maybe it is our message to God: Every blast is powered by human breath, echoing the moment God breathed life into the first human. On Rosh Hashanah, we recall that gift of breath, and we ask God: remember us for life. 2. But the sound itself carries a message too addressed to us: Tekiah — the long, steady note — summons us. Teruah — the broken, staccato blasts — shakes us into self-examination. And the final Tekiah restores stability... but not the same stability. We return changed. 🎧 New episodes of Focus drop throughout the High Holiday season — engaging head and heart for the days ahead. See www.alexisrael/focus 🎧 And subscribe to "The Tanakh Podcast" on Apple Podcasts or Spotify - where you can find any one of the 929 chapters in Tanakh explained in 10-15 minutes. Check it out! #Shofar #RoshHashanah #HighHolidays #Teshuva #JewishLearning #TorahLife #Elul #TekiahTeruahTekiah #JewishEducation #Focus