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In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. And a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab. The man’s name was Elimelech, and his wife’s name was Naomi.
Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died, and she was left with her two sons. They married two Moabite women, one named Orpah and the other named Ruth.
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“O Lord, hear our voice in the morning; in the morning, we set them before You with hopeful expectation. Hear our voice."
Originating as prayers for public fast days (e.g., the six days before Rosh Hashanah), Selichot (“apologies” or “forgiveness”) is a beautiful combination of ancient and medieval-inspired poetry mentioned in the Mishnah as penitential prayers for forgiveness leading up to the High Holy Day season. The Mishnah prescribes the order of the prayer in standard liturgy and states that each prayer for forgiveness will conclude with the phrase “He will answer us,” which refers to various times in history when the Jewish people have cried out to God and God was faithful in answering those prayers.
The Selichot prayer has also been blended with general prayers for repentance over the centuries; for example, the book Rav Amran Goan presents a version of the Selichot prayer from the 9th century blended with poetic writings about repentance that would have been prayed during the days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur (and preceding Rosh Hashanah once that custom later developed).
This prayer, often said in the morning, sometimes even before sunrise, during the month of Elul (though sometimes starting the Sunday before Rosh Hashanah specifically in some congregations and being recited over a course of at least four days, though some Sephardic communities may recite Selichot starting at the beginning of Elul so that prayer encompasses a 40-day timespan, just as Moses devoted time to prayers of forgiveness on Mount Sinai), is intended as a forerunner to the High Holy Days as Jewish people prepare their hearts for the sentiments of this most beautiful and deeply profound season in Jewish life.
In some American congregations, Selichot services might be held at midnight to jumpstart the High Holy Day season; the midnight services have some roots in Kabbalism compared to those who hold their Selichot services at morning’s first light. Those who have taken on the custom of Selichot services at midnight believe participants in the service will have more time available to absorb the message of prayers recited by the Hazzan (cantor) and enter into the appropriate spiritual mindset prior to the High Holy Days. Sometimes Selichot is considered specifically preparatory for the Days of Awe.
Interestingly, the exact timing of when one initiates Selichot prayers prior to the commencement of the High Holy Days varies throughout the world. There is no precise custom followed by all. Some eastern European communities would even knock three times on the doors of each person in the village, crying out, “Israel, holy people, awake, arouse yourselves, and rise for the service of the Creator!” prior to holding the Selichot service for the village to bring awareness to the upcoming prayer service and encourage participation. But this is not a standard practice in other parts of the world.
The climax of the multi-day Selicot prayer celebration is a recitation of Zechor Brit (“Remember Your Covenant")—a specific passage of the Selichot recited prior to Rosh Hashanah that is longer, typically said in the very early hours of the morning with less deviation from this pattern (not said at midnight as often, for example), and then followed by morning prayers.
However, the exact phrasing of the poems may vary between congregations throughout the world, but the basic theme of God’s forgiveness is a constant thread throughout all the variations of the Selichot. This emphasis on forgiveness means that the poetry lends itself well not only during Elul but also in the Yom Kippur liturgy, which focuses on God’s forgiveness of “transgression, iniquity, and sin.”
Some congregations may also develop programs that are held on the Saturday evening immediately preceding Rosh Hashanah; these programs are focused on themes of Selichot observance, repentance, and forgiveness and might include popular movies that are based on these various themes.
This special Selichot service, which the Tanna debei Eliyahu Zuta (a 9th-century manuscript) describes as being instituted upon King David’s realization the Temple would be destroyed, typically allows for the recitation of some poetry known as the Thirteen Attributes, or sometimes also the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy as derived from Exodus 34:6-7. The heart of the Selichot service is the Hazzan and congregation acknowledging God’s attributes of love and forgiveness as described in Exodus, interspersed with the aforementioned ancient and medieval-inspired Hebrew poetry acknowledging our sinful nature as human beings, our failures and weaknesses, and our feeble human longings for forgiveness that only God can provide between each invocation of God’s amazing love and grace.
King David asked the Lord how atonement would be attained, and the people would respond with the Selichot poetry and requests for forgiveness. The Talmud expands on Exodus 34:6-7, saying, “’The Lord! the Lord! I am the same before one sin and after one sin and repents. A God compassionate and gracious,’ says Rabbi Judah. ‘A covenant has been made concerning these 13 attributes…They will never be turned away empty-handed.’”
The rabbis believe that God’s name and appearance incorporate mercy as an attribute of His character, and therefore the repetitive nature of the Selichot prayer underscores God’s mercy all the time. Often, the music accompanying the Selichot prayer being chanted is music of a melancholy tone, implying a sense of longing—a longing for God’s forgiveness and our hearts to be made right over the course of repentance that comes with the High Holy Day season.
Biblically, the history of Selicot seems to be traced to Exodus 32–34, as the Bible combined with Talmudic explanations describes Moses’ encounter with God and acknowledgement of God’s various attributes: “The Lord, the Lord, is loving, generous, long-suffering, immensely kind, and true. He extends kindness to thousands, forgiving sin, crime, and failure. He cleanses…” Rabbi Yehudah, in Rosh Hashanah 17b of the Talmud, describes these “revelations” from Exodus as the Thirteen Attributes. According to Rabbinical teachings, Thirteen Attributes are also alluded to in the Book of Numbers, specifically Numbers 13:28, Numbers 13:31, and Numbers 14:12–17.
Per rabbinical thinking, Moses seemed to acknowledge that if one in a community sins, there is some kind of recitation to God that must take place as part of the atonement process. Rabbi Yohanan describes such a sentiment further along in Rosh Hashanah 17b of the Talmud, stating, “If it were not written in the Torah, it would be impossible to say it: It teaches that the holy blessed One wrapped himself in a tallit like a prayer leader, showed the order of prayers to Moses, and said to him,
‘Whenever Israel sins, do this service before me, and I will forgive the sin.’”
This seems to be the best description of the origins of the 13 Attributes that comprise the heart of the Selichot prayer service, and it does mankind’s best to encapsulate in prayer our desires to seek the loving mercy of God’s heart for each one of us. He loves us, He wants us to repent of our sins and turn from our wicked ways, and He is a compassionate God who longs for the day He can welcome each of us into the Kingdom. But He cannot do that if sin continues to blemish our hearts and our records.
Thus, the Selicot prayer and meditations are an opportunity to encourage believers to reflect on the last year and any changes they may wish to make in the year ahead so that one’s heart can be convicted, purified, and blotted clean of any sin before Yom Kippur.
Along these lines, it is often customary to change the Torah covers during the Selichot service in preparation for the High Holy Days; the Torah covers for the High Holy Days are often white, reflecting purity and the desire for, during this season more than ever, our sins to be made as white as snow (Isaiah 1:18).
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Celebrated on the 50th day, or seven weeks after Passover, Shavuot is a one-day event in Israel and a two-day holiday in the Diaspora. The holiday commences at sundown following the 5th of Sivan and lasts until nightfall on the 7th of Sivan (or 6th Day of Sivan in Israel). On the Gregorian calendar, this corresponds to variable days in the latter part of May or early June.
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"In this month (the seventh month of Tishrei), you shall amend your deeds. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: 'If you will amend your deeds, I shall become unto you like a horn (shofar). As the horn takes in the breath at one end and sends out at the other, so will I rise from the Throne of Judgment and sit upon the Throne of Mercy and will impart for you the Attribute of Justice into the Attribute of Mercy’” (Vayikra Rabbah: 29:6).
Shofars are well known instruments associated with the Jewish faith. Some historians and scholars trace shofars back to ancient New Year’s rituals when the loud noise of the shofar blast was thought to frighten off demons, thus ensuring a happy and peaceful start to the upcoming year. How exactly shofars made their way from pagan rituals into Judaism is not entirely known, though shofars are mentioned in the Torah, the Nevi’im, the Ketuvim, the Talmud, and other writings penned by the rabbis over the centuries.
Definition and Design of the Horn
Shofars are a type of polished and shaped ram’s horn that is blown like a trumpet every day (except Shabbat) during the Jewish month of Elul, at Rosh Hashanah, and upon the conclusion of Yom Kippur. The sound of the shofar invites listeners to reflect and repent on the sins or broken relationships, staining our records during the last year. The shofar differs from the horns of sheep, giraffes, and goats which are composed of keratin; once hollowed out, other types of horns produce different musical notes compared to the ram’s horn.
The only prohibition on the animal source is on the horns of cows and oxen. Cow and ox horns are prohibited due to the golden calf incident in Exodus 32. Many shofars that originate in China are not certified kosher by the Chief Rabbinate, and thus are not acceptable or proper shofars for use in synagogues. Cracks in a shofar also render the shofar not kosher, even if the crack has been repaired.
Some Jewish communities in Yemen prefer the horn of the kudu, a woodland antelope; such horns are often imported from South Africa. Kudu horns are not deemed to be a violation of halacha, even if some rabbis have strong opinions on the exclusive use of ram horns. According to rabbinical teachings, merely hearing a shofar blast is inadequate.
The horn blast is believed to confuse Satan with its pitch and timbre. For people, the sound banishes complacency and awakes a deeply contemplative state necessary for heart searching and turning from sin.
The design of a shofar is not haphazard or by chance. To be deemed “proper,” it must meet certain specifications. Ideally, it is: naturally hollow, not artificial, sound producing, and somewhat curved. The curved horn is believed to symbolize the humble soul, acknowledging its need for reconciliation and repentance by bending down before the Lord, seeking His forgiveness, mercy, and grace.
Traditionally, the significance of the ram is traced to the story of Abraham and Isaac, when the angel shows Abraham a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. The Talmud specifies that the ram’s horn captures the significance of Abraham’s sacrifice on Mount Moriah. Thus Maimonides and other rabbis assert that only a ram’s horn is suitable. Jewish law, however, allows other types of horns to be used if a ram’s horn is unavailable, so long as the animal is kosher (e.g. sheep, goats, antelopes, or gazelles).
Blowing the Trumpet in Zion
Within Judaism, the shofar is used to announce holidays, with Rosh Hashanah (also known as Yom Teruah, or “the day of the shofar blast”) being the best known, but not necessarily the only example. Rosh Hashanah is the only time that shofar blowing is commanded, to sound the alarm on the Holy Mountain. The Talmud specifies that a shofar must be used for Rosh Hashanah, rather than a trumpet or similar instrument.
However, new moon festivals and ceremonies are also times that the shofar is sounded, especially every seventh new moon. Shofars are not to be blown on Shabbat; this is unrelated to prohibitions in the Talmud on playing other instruments on the Shabbat. The Shabbat prohibitions on shofars pertain to carrying items outside one’s home or carrying ritualistic objects between one’s home and one’s synagogue on the Shabbat, as described in Tracate Eruvin in the Talmud. Thus, if Rosh Hashanah happens to fall on a Shabbat, the characteristic shofar blasts will not occur during Shabbat hours.
Besides Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and other festivals and ceremonies, shofarot (shofar in the plural) were also used to mark the commencement of war (e.g. Jericho as described in Joshua 6:2-5). In addition, it is believed that shofarot accompanied trumpets during ceremonies held in both the First and Second Temples.
Some associate the shofar with Abraham’s interrupted sacrifice of Isaac, when he sacrificed a ram instead of his son (Genesis 22:1-24). They believe that, when the shofar is blown, God will remember Abraham’s sacrifice, and forgiveness will be extended to all who are able to hear the shofar sounding. Thus, shofar blasts are reminders for us to repent and to forgive, as we would like God to forgive us, so our hearts can be pure, contrite, and cleansed when the Final Trumpet sounds, announcing Yeshua’s Second Coming.
Others associate the blowing of the shofar with the breath of life that God breathed into Adam at Creation and ultimately into each of us. The tokea, shofar blower, must blow into the shofar to produce the various blasts. The tokea is supposed to be a pure, humble, and pious person who is familiar with Jewish laws and customs; someone who understands the solemn responsibility of blowing the shofar, who seeks righteous living and the ways of the Lord, who strives for holiness and consecration of character, and who is able to blow shofar blasts of different characteristics and timbres.
Scriptural, Talmudic, and Rabbinical Background
The Torah makes reference to shofars, but not to the reasons behind blowing them. Thus, some rabbis have compiled a list of rationales for shofar blowing, which includes:
Maimonides believes that the shofar blasts on Yom Teruah -- that sometimes number in the hundreds -- are intended to awaken the slumbering soul to repentance (teshuvah), in readiness for the upcoming Yom Kippur. As Maimonides wrote,
“There is a hidden message we are supposed to infer by listening to the shofar. It suggests to say: ‘Sleeping ones! Awaken from your sleep! Slumbering ones! Awaken from your slumber! Examine your deeds. Remember your Creator and do teshuvah.’”
In the Talmud, another rabbi describes the significance of the shofar as follows:
Why do we sound the shofar? Because the Holy One, blessed be God, said: Blow me a ram's horn that I may remember to your credit the binding of Isaac, the son of Abraham, and I shall account it to you as a binding of yourselves before Me. The Torah tells us: Abraham look up and behold, he saw a ram caught in the thicket by its horns (Genesis 22:13). This teaches us that the Holy One, blessed be God, showed our ancestor Abraham the ram tearing himself free from one thicket and becoming entangled in another. Said the Holy One, blessed be God, to Abraham: Thus are your children destined to be caught in iniquities and entangled in misfortunes, but in the end, they will be redeemed by the horns of a ram. Therefore, the prophet Zechariah said of the time of redemption: And the Lord shall be seen over them, and his arrow shall go forth like the lightning; and the Lord God shall blow the shofar, and shall move in stormy winds of the south (Zechariah 9:14 and Rosh Hashanah 16a).
Interestingly, the Talmud suggests shofar blasts have the ability “to confuse the accuser,” and speculates that shofars could even have the ability to destroy Satan -- the accuser of lies against the Children of Israel and the Lord of Israel -- while also giving glory to God on various holy days. Some followers of Jewish mysticism believe that reading the Psalms before blowing a shofar is appropriate based on certain interpretations of the Talmud and the direct references to shofars in the poetic writings of the Psalms. For instance, as Psalms 98:6 reads,
“With trumpets and the blast of the horn, raise a shout before the Lord, the King.”
In the Middle Ages, shofars were sometimes used to announce the death of a faithful person or acknowledge the beginning of Shabbat. Shofars were blown at the Western Wall by the Chief Rabbi of Israel in 1967 when Jerusalem was reunited as the capital of Israel. The Bible further acknowledges that the shofar will be sounded when Messiah comes (Zechariah 9:14) and when the exiled Children of Israel are to return to their ancient homeland on the Holy Mountain in Jerusalem (Isaiah 27:13).
Other Biblical references to the shofar can be found in Leviticus 23:24, Leviticus 25:9, Numbers 10:5-6, Numbers 29:1, Ezekiel 33:3, Joshua 6:4-20, Judges 7:22, 2 Chronicles 3:12, Nehemiah 4:14, Jeremiah 4:19, Amos 2:2, and Zephaniah 1:6.
Usage in Synagogue Services
Often shofars were blown during the Shaharit (morning) services at synagogue during the rabbinic era, though some rabbis believed a shofar blast early in the day invited the Romans and other enemies to attack the Jewish people (Rosh Hashanah 4:8), and thus over time, the shofar blasts gradually shifted to later and later in the day.
Whether this is actually the case seems to be disputed, but blowing shofars later in the day (to the musaf service) seems to have become more of a tradition. The divine shofar service often comes after the Torah and Psalm 47 are read during the Rosh Hashanah Services, and can be blown from the time the shofar service commences through sunset. Some congregations still blow the shofar in both morning and afternoon services.
It is typical to recite two blessings over the blowing of the shofar: the first imploring one “to hear the sound of the shofar;” and the second invoking gratitude to God for His presence at the time that the shofar is blown (Shehecheyanu, “who has kept us in life”). Some rabbis may have other interpretations based on Tractate Rosh Hashanah 4:5 in the Talmud.
Shofars at the Coming of the Lord
Yeshua alluded to the shofar blast when the angels would “gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other” (Matthew 24:31) and when He Himself would blow a shofar on the great and glorious day of the Lord’s return:
“For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a rousing cry, with a call from one of the ruling angels, and with God's shofar; those who died united with the Messiah will be the first to rise” (1 Thessalonians 4:16).
We as believers want to be ready for the great and glorious day of the Lord’s return. May we search our hearts and consider our ways so that we may be found pure and undefiled, for we know neither the day nor the hour of His coming. May these reflections serve as a shofar blast to rouse us to fear God and give Him glory all the days of our lives, because the hour of His judgement is soon coming. May we worship Him who made the Heavens, the earth, the sea, and the springs of water each and every day. May we warn those around us that time is short. As the world as we know it seems to be crumbling before our eyes, this is all the more reason to rejoice, for our redemption is nigh.
“The seventh angel sounded his shofar; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord and His Messiah, and He will rule forever and ever!’” (Revelation 11:15)
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Simchat Torah means "rejoicing of the Torah." Most likely of medieval origins, this holiday is observed by Jewish people on the last day of Sukkot. The overall theme of Simchat Torah is the foundational role of the Torah in Jewish religious life, and the mood reflects the spirited joy that Jewish people feel toward Torah observance. The holiday celebrates the completion of the annual cycle of Torah readings, which starts with Genesis 1 (Bereishit) and concludes with the final liturgical passage (parashah) of Deuteronomy 34 (Devarim); the cycle repeats again starting with Genesis 1.
Origins
Simchat Torah is not specifically addressed in scripture. Deuteronomy does refer to rejoicing over the Torah and regular Torah study; it also commands Israelites to rejoice on Sukkot. Moses does command the priests to read the Torah to Israel during the season of Sukkot. Simchat Torah most likely originated from the Shulchan Aruch, which is a medieval compilation of Jewish laws written by a Spanish rabbi.
Festivities
The night before Simchat Torah, women and girls may light candles and recite blessings. Jewish people may gather with friends and family to partake in festive meals and recite the Kiddush. Depending on the Jewish community, people may refrain from working, writing, and sometimes even turning on electrical devices. Cooking is permitted in most Jewish communities, except on Shabbat.
During these joyful festivities, it is customary for a cantor or an elder to remove the Torah scrolls from the Ark and march them through the synagogue seven times (hakafot) in a spirit of rejoicing, during the morning and evening synagogue services. Jewish people often refrain from work on this particular day (yom tov). As many people as possible are invited to participate, including children who often carry a toy or miniature Torah, as regular Torah scrolls are generally much too heavy for the average child. The tradition requires only seven circles around the bimah, but often congregants will extend their dancing beyond seven circles. Dancing is based on the concept of Jewish people as the "feet" of the Torah scrolls.
Children may wave flags, and sweets (symbolic of the sweetness of the Torah) and alcohol may be served. The generic holiday greeting, "Chag sameach," is the only greeting associated with this holiday. Congregants may sing and dance. Singing and dancing may carry over into the streets and public squares. The priestly blessing may occur earlier than usual in the service, to minimize the chances of the kohanim consuming excessive alcohol by the time the priestly blessing would regularly occur. Men and children are given the opportunity to say an Aliyah blessing over the Torah. Confirmation ceremonies for children beginning their Jewish education may be held in some synagogues at this time, around Simchat Torah.
Unlike other Jewish holidays, Simchat Torah is not known for traditional foods per se. It is not terribly uncommon to encounter Simchat Torah fellowship meals based on cabbage, as the cylinder-like shape of cabbage resembles the shape of a Torah scroll. In certain Ashkenazi communities, stuffed cabbage is not uncommon. Other foods shaped like the Torah scroll include blintzes and Torah-shaped cookies.
Shemini Atzeret
In Israel, Simchat Torah is combined with the holiday of Shemini Atzeret ("assembly of the eighth day), which occurs on the same day. In the Diaspora, Simchat Torah and Shemini Atzeret are more distinct, with Shemini Atzeret occurring on Tishri 22 and 23, and Simchat Torah exclusively occurring on Tishri 23. Both holidays are distinct from Sukkot, as one no longer waves the lulav and etrog. Jews in the Diaspora may still spend time dwelling in the sukkah, but traditional Sukkot blessings are not recited. Alternatively, there is the explanation that Sukkot was created not only for the Jewish people but for all of humanity. Yet when Sukkot concludes, God encourages the Jewish people to linger for one more day for a more personalized celebration. While Simchat Torah’s significance clearly centers around the Torah as a foundational pillar in Jewish religious life, the significance of Shemini Atzeret remains largely unknown.
Some believe that Shemini Atzeret was mentioned in the Bible, perhaps as a day focused on the ritual cleansing of the altar in Second Temple times, but has become obsolete ever since the destruction of the Temple. Thus, the purpose of the day was never clearly defined. Shemini Atzeret does coincide with the beginning of the rainy season in Israel and the greater Mediterranean region.
A short prayer for rain may thus be included in the second blessing of the Amidah, kicking off several days in which the Jewish people may pray for rain. It is not uncommon to include the Yizkor (a memorial service asking God to remember the souls of the departed) as a component of the Shemini Atzeret liturgy. Rabbinic literature explains Shemini Atzeret as God, King of the Universe, who loves His people enough that -- when it is time for us to leave the High Holy Day season and transition into the remainder of the new year -- He wants to spend another bonus day communing in fellowship because He enjoyed His time with us so much.
Both Simchat Torah and Shemini Atzeret symbolize joy in the study of the Torah, delight in seeking obedience in God’s ways through the Law, and celebration of the cycles and seasons of the Jewish calendar. Once these holidays are over, the goal is for the Jewish people to nurture, rejoice in, and continue to grow their connections with God, which developed through the High Holy Day season. The Torah reading cycle starts over again, and it is back to normal life, with no holidays. Mar Heshvan or "Bitter Heshvan" describes the two months devoid of festivities until the lighting of the menorahs at Chanukah.
Author: Erin Parfet
