Why do we blow the Shofar?
“Why do we Blow the Shofar”? The Almighty said blow the Shofar! (Rosh Hashanah Tractate) According to Maimonides, even though blowing the Shofar on Rosh Hashanah is mandatory according to the Torah, there is a hint in it: “Wake up you who are in sound sleep, and slumberous people stop hibernating, look into your deeds, repent and remember your creator. Those who forget the truth in the vanity of time and wander in their sleep through nonsense and emptiness which shall do no good nor save anybody, look into your souls and mend your ways and deeds, and each one of you shall forsake his mean ways and mean thoughts (Hilchot Teshuvah). Maimonides gives a number of reasons for the commandment of blowing the Shofar, among them: • Blowing the Shofar marks the occasion of enthroning the Lord as king of the universe, because it was the custom of kings who were enthroned, to mark the occasion by blowing the horns. And indeed, blowing the Shofar foretelling the kingdom of God in our world is menti
