There is a custom to blow the Shofar every day during the month of Elul as we lead up to Rosh Hashanah. Most people blow four sounds from the Shofar known as Ta’shrat, which stands for: Te’kiah – Sh’vorim –Te’ruah – Te’kiah. I follow the Chabbad custom of blowing ten sounds: Ta’shrat – Ta’shat – Ta’rat (these are abbreviated terms).

Either way, the important thing is that we blow the Shofar to remind ourselves that Rosh Hashanah is coming and it’s time for some serious introspection. The sound of the shofar is a wakeup call. It’s for ourselves to hear and for others who may be around listening.

Rachel and I spent two weeks in Fiji on our way to Australia. I don’t think much shofar blowing has been done in Fiji and it was special to blow shofar around the country as we traveled from island to island.

Rosh Hashanah is this coming Wednesday night, making Thursday and Friday festival days. Hearing the shofar is a great mitzvah and does a lot for the neshamah (the soul) even if it sounds just like noise to the mind. Everyone should try and get to a shul to hear the shofar at least for the first 30 blasts at the beginning.

Shanah Tova.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VA5DrGzBW6s&w=420&h=315]