Rabbi Marc D. Rudolph

According to Jewish law, one must hear the blasts of the Shofar with the proper intent in order to fulfill the mitzvah of “listening to the blast of the Shofar” on Rosh Hashanah. “Listening” implies concentrating on the sounds of the Shofar so that they can awaken us from our spiritual slumber and spur us to repentance and personal renewal. We should listen to the sound of the shofar as a Divine message addressed to each and every one of us individually.

Rabbi Marc Angel writes:

“There are those who attend synagogue services on Rosh Hashana and “hear” the shofar–but somehow the prayers and shofar and sermons don’t stir up much spiritual energy for them. They are pretty much the same people after Rosh Hashana as they were before Rosh Hashana. There are others who are transformed by Rosh Hashana, who “listen” to the prayers, and the shofar and the sermons–and are genuinely moved. All these people may be sitting in the same synagogue, and yet the results are radically different. Some only “hear” the services; others actually “listen”. 

“Whether or not we are spiritually energized by the High Holy Day season depends largely on ourselves. The more receptive we are to its powerful messages and the more we cultivate our own spirituality, the more we will experience religious meaning and spiritual transformation. Let us focus very carefully on our prayers, on the Torah readings, on the sounds of the shofar, on the sermons. Let us “listen” with great attentiveness. If we will “listen” and not simply “hear”, we will not only find a key for greater fulfillment of the holidays but for greater fulfillment in our lives.”