By Rabbi Benny Berlin
Shofar blowing is one of the pinnacle parts of Rosh Hashanah. Even visually, it signifies the day. But why do we specifically blow a shofar shel ayil? There are many animals with horns and so why can’t we just use whichever one looks most impressive, or sounds the most beautiful?
Rav Schwab deepens the question by acknowledging that the reason we take a shofar from an ayil is because it is supposed to remind us of the Akeidah where an ayil took the place of Yitzchak Aveinu. Still, couldn’t we find another limb of the ayil that is of greater significance than the horn? A horn is not something that the animal even needs in order to live. Why is the horn of the ayil projected as the remembrance of the Akeidah?
One answer is that the ayil was captured by its horns in the undergrowth where the Akeidah was taking place and therefore, it couldn’t run away. This is significant because this particular ayil was created during the six days of creation and therefore for 2,000 years it had been successful in escaping hunters and other animals that would devour it. This animal was great at getting away. However, when the time came for the ayil to be in a certain place and at a certain time, the horns got stuck in the growth and for the first time in its life, it could not get away. The lesson of the horns is that when the Ribbono Shel Olam wants a person or object to be in a certain place at a certain time, it happens for a reason. And not just any reason, but rather a reason that is good for either the person or for the world because as the Ba’al Shem Tov explains, throughout galus there are sparks that Jews need to elevate all over the world by doing mitzvos there.
There is a profound message here in that there are times in life when we feel “stuck,” be it in relationships, jobs, or the myriad of situations that don’t live up to our expectations. However, when we look through the reframe of being “placed” in that situation instead of being “stuck” we realize that perhaps we should look upon those moments as great potential.
A story is told of two Chassidim who traveled a great distance and at great cost to spend the holiday with the Ba’al Shem Tov and ended up being stuck in a non-Jewish town for yom tov, unable to reach their destination. After the holiday they complained to the Ba’al Shem Tov about being stuck.
The Rebbe reacted sharply: “Stuck? A Jew is never stuck. A Jew is sent. Every morning we recite the berachah of Hameichin mitzadai gaver—that Hashem directs all the steps of man. If you find yourself in a strange city you were sent there for a purpose.”
Taking this a step further, In Sefer Bereishis we have the word “holech” associated with Yaakov and “o’veir” associated with Esav. The Yitav Lev explains that this relates to a fundamental difference between the two brothers’ perspectives as travelers. Ovrei Derachim (as exemplified by Esav) are people to whom a trip is meaningless. They need to get to point B and so they travel from point A just with that tactical target as the only thing in mind. The trip has no inherent value in itself. However, Holchei Derachim (as exemplified by Yaakov) are people who notice Hashem’s hand in each step they take. As they travel, they feel Hashem has prepared their footsteps and there is meaning to each step. The difference is in actualizing the opportunity to infuse meaning into our journey in life.
This is a fundamental lesson, especially on Rosh Hashanah: A person is always where they are supposed to be. You are never stuck. Wherever you may be, you are there because you are supposed to be there. Hashem has perfect placement. Therefore, when we hear the shofar this year may we remember that everything we have gone through this past year and everything we will go through in the one ahead is for a purpose and we would all do well to remember that meaning within the journey. n
Rabbi Benny Berlin is the rabbi of BACH Jewish Center located in Long Beach, New York. For more information, visit BACHLongBeach.com.