Spark of Jewish Experience

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Please note: We regret to inform you of the passing of a leader, and a spark plug to the small close-knit, as well as a pioneer of the Bukharian community of the 1960’s, Ariyeh Haimoff z’l.

The Chazanim (cantors) Rabbis, and the person who tokes the shofar (shofar blower) are all meticulously careful that there should be 100 sounds blown before the crucial mussaf prayer. One may ask, why 100 sounds?Rabbi Berel Wein mentions one reason, which we learned from a famous incident that happened at the time of the shoftim (Judges).

Our ancestors were in constant war with their neighbors, the Pilishteem. Similarly, today one can identify with the conflict of our Arab neighbors. The Pelishteem army was led by the strong and mighty General Sisra who terrorized opposing countries. Sisra was a startling, frightening figure and is best described similarly as a mixture of Ivan the Terrible and George Patton.

The Jews were led by Devorah and her general Barak ben Avinoam who with G-d’s help were defeating the Pilishteem army. Sisra realized the end was imminent and fled. As he was escaping, he meets Yael who realized who he is. She brought him into her home where she fed him and gave him wine. He found comfort in Yael who seduced him. When Sisra was sleeping, Yael, who was loyal to the nation of Israel, killed him.

It is written in the ‘Song of Devora’, in the book of Prophets, Sisra’s mother was waiting by the window for her son to return. She saw the injured solders limping back from battle; she witnessed the broken war carriages. However, there was no sign of the great warrior, her son, Sisra. The text describes her waiting by the window and coming to the inevitable conclusion that her son was never coming home. Realizing this, she begins to cry and wail 100 sounds. The sages say this is the reason why we blow the shofar 100 sounds.

One may ask what’s the connection between Sisra’s non-Jewish mother, wailing for her son’s return, and the Jewish congregation listening to shofar blowing on one of the holiest days of the year?

Sisra’s mother was privileged; she came from a picture perfect prestigious family. She was a straight-A student who was a prom queen beauty. She was head cheerleader who married the star quarterback leader of the football team. They had a big house with many cars, maids, a butler, a dog named Lassie, and many kids who each went on to become successful in their own right. She never saw a cloudy day in her life. Whatever she touched, with no effort, turned to gold. Sisra’s mother felt she was in charge of her own destiny.

However, for the first time in her life, she felt she was not in control; someone else was pulling the strings and that someone else was G-d. So she turned to G-d out of feeling inadequacy and hopelessness, acknowledging ‘it’s not me but someone higher above.’

When they blow the shofar during the High Holiday, one should feel that G-d runs the world and He is in control of our lives. Granted, we have to make an effort and some of us have seen tremendous success. However, at the end of the day, G-d is always in charge. This is what Sisra’s mother felt at that moment.