Sounding the Shofar 

by Rev. Barbara Di Gilio

Before blowing the Shofar one recites the following blessing:

Baruch ata Adonai, Elohaynu Melech ha'olam asher kidshanu bemitzvotav vetzivanu lishmo'ah kol shofar.

Blessed are You O L-rd, Our G-d and King of the Universe, who has made us holy with mitzvot and has instructed us to hear the call of the shofar.

The blasts of the Shofar are as follows:

Aleph. Tekiah: lit. "blast" one long blast with a very clean consistent tone. With a long blast did the Aleph, the Divine One throw open the gate to the Genesis.

Bet. Shevarim:  lit. "broken sound"  three short calls together as long as tekiah. With a Bet does the Shofar cry out for the destruction of its Holy Temples.

Gimel. Teruah:  lit.  "alarm" a rapid series of very short notes generally three series of three that together total one tekiah - a Tri-unity. With the Gimel we see HaShem lifting up His people as the teruah sounds the alarm, "return to Me I will hid you in Me (Messiah)."

Dalet. Tekiah Gedolah:  lit "the great tekiah" a single blast that is held as long as you can hold it. With the Dalet the gate or door that were opened are now shut, and the people of HaShem are safe in Him. Messiah Yeshua is that Door!

Hear the words of Yeshua in Matthew's Gospel.

"Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from Heaven, and the powers of the Heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in Heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the Clouds of Heaven with power and great glory. And He shall send His angels with a 'great sound of a trumpet' (shofar gedolah), and they shall gather together His Elect from the four winds, from one end of Heaven to the other. Now learn a parable of the fig tree (Israel); When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, you know that summer is near: So likewise you, when you shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the door. Verily I say unto you, This generation that sees this shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My Words shall not pass away." --Matthew 24:29-35

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"The sounding of the Shofar is commanded for the holiday of Rosh HaShana, which is also called Yom Teruah, "The Day of Awaking Blast." Here are the four traditional soundings or calls. The sequence of soundings is not prescribed, but has developed in each Jewish community over the centuries. One may not see these traditional words in greeting cards or graduation announcements, however, their use and meaning within the Jewish community are of great representation.

Tekiah - "blast"
Shevarim - "broken"
Teruah - "alarm"
Tekiah G'dolah - "great blast"

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TWELVE REASONS FOR BLOWING THE SHOFAR

1. When we hear the shofar we are to remember G-d's Kingship. In ancient Israel the new king's reign was announced with the shofar (1 Kings 1:34). When we blow the shofar we remember that Yeshua is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and we are to be obedient subjects.

2. When we hear the shofar we are to remember to be G-d's worshippers. G-d seeks those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth. The shofar is used in worship and in fact heads the list of instruments in Psalm 150 which are used to worship G-d. "Praise Him with the shofar."

3. When we hear the shofar we are to remember our need to repent. The shofar signaled the approach of danger. We are in danger without repentance. "Blow a shofar in Zion and sound an alarm on My holy mountain... consecrate a fast, proclaim a solemn assembly. Return to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, weeping and mourning, and rend your heart and not your garments" (Joel 2:1, 12- 13).

4. When we hear the shofar we are to remember the faithfulness of the Patriarch. The shofar is made from a ram's horn. It reminds us of the Akedah, the binding and Abraham's intended sacrifice of Isaac. Because of this act of faith, G-d promised to bless the Jewish people and give us victory over our enemies. The shofar is a reminder of our covenant with G-d because of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

5. When we hear the shofar we are to remember the binding of Messiah Yeshua, our ultimate Akedah. Abraham prophesied that G-d would provide for Himself the Lamb for the burnt offering (Genesis 22:8). Messiah Yeshua was offered up as the Lamb of G-d who takes away the sin of the world on that same spot two thousand years later.

6. When we hear the shofar we are to remember the shofar that accompanied the revelation of the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai, and that all Scripture is divinely inspired by G-d.

7. When we hear the shofar we are to remember the words of the prophets. I set watchmen over you saying, "listen to the sound of the shofar" (Jeremiah 6:17). Prophets are like a shofar which warn of danger. Israel was judged for ignoring the prophets. There is even greater judgement if we ignore Messiah Yeshua, Israel's greatest prophet.

8. When we hear the shofar we are to remember the battle alarm for war. "Near is the great day of the L-rd, near and coming very quickly... a day of shofar and battle cry" (Zephaniah 1:14-16). Messiah will return and fight during the greatest battle of all time, the battle of Armageddon. We are in the middle of a battle that has been raging for the soul of humanity. Satan and his fallen angels are fighting for people to share their destiny. Messiah Yeshua is fighting for people to share His eternal destiny.

9. When we hear the shofar we are to remember the end of all warfare. The shofar was blown at the end of battle (2 Samuel 2:28, 18:16). The shofar is a reminder that our final victory is ahead. When King Messiah returns He will end all wars, battles, and injustice.

10. When we hear the shofar we are to remember our resurrection that will take place at Messiah's return when the shofar blows (1 Corinthians 15:52, 1 Thessalonians 4:16).

11. When we hear the shofar we are to be reminded of the Jewish people's restoration to the Land of Israel. Messiah Yeshua will gather all of Israel's exiles. "You will be gathered up one by one, O sons of Israel. It will come about also in that day that a great shofar will be blown" (Isaiah 27:13).

12. When we sound the shofar we are asking G-d to remember us. The sounding of the shofar is like a prayer that ascends to G-d's throne saying, "O L-rd, may the sound of our shofar ascend before Your throne. Remember Your covenants, forgive us, save us, and deliver us."

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