Thoughts Out of Season: More on Screaming

On the Relationship between "Screaming" and Injustice:

It is customary to sound the Shofar at the coronation of a King. Similarly, on Rosh Hashanah, we "coronate" G-d, by sounding the Shofar.  The sound of the Shofar is to "awaken" people to repent and return to G-d. As it is written, "Shall the shofar be blown in a city, and the people not tremble?" (Amos 3:6) Its message, in the words of Maimonides, is: "Awaken, ye sleepers, from your slumber, and ponder over your deeds; remember your Creator and go back to Him in penitence. Be not of those who miss realities in their pursuit of shadows, and waste their years in seeking after vain things, which cannot profit or deliver. Look well to your souls and consider your acts; forsake each his evil way and thoughts, and return to G-d so that He may have mercy upon you!"

It represents a simple, unaltered outcry of a person who recognizes his spiritual "poverty," and whose feelings cannot be contained in words. The Tekiah, a simple straight sound - represents a screaming from the bottom of the heart. The Shevarim-Teruah, - the broken sounds are the outcry, sobs, and groans that are even beyond screaming. In that context, it is also compared to a forlorn child in a distant country who has forgotten the language of his people and his father, the King. Upon his return, and face-to-face encounter with his father, his only means of communication is his simple cry, which the father recognizes and turns to lift up the child to be close to him. Similarly, when Rosh Hashanah comes, we realize we have lost our common language with Him. So, from the bottom of our souls we cry out, "Father, Father," to which G-d responds and in turn grants us a good and sweet year.

At the receiving of the Torah at Mount Sinai, there were "the sounds of the Shofar". We blow the Shofar as a reminder of the spirit of "Na'ase V'nishma - we shall do and we shall listen" - an acceptance beyond question or reason in which we accept the Torah. It is also a "reminder" to G-d that we were the only ones who were willing to accept Him, His Torah and Mitzvot.

The Shofar is (best when it is) made from a ram's horn, to bring forth before G-d the "memory" of our forefather Isaac, who was ready to sacrifice his life for G-d, but was exchanged with a ram. The Shofar then, represents the horn of the "ram of Isaac."

The Shofar is (best when it is) bent to teach us humility and to "bend" our hearts before G-d.

The last blast is "Tekiah Gedolah - a great long blast," symbolizing the Shofar which G-d will sound at the gathering of all the Jewish people from the Diaspora and exiles. And like a shepherd gathering his sheep, He will bring us together to our Holy Land with the coming of Moshiach speedily in our days.

http://dailstrug.blogspot.com/2010/04/first-amendment-jewish-religion-and.html