Shofar

The shofar is our ancient, animalistic alarm clock. Hearing it tells us to wake up and it's a mitzvah, a commandment to hear its call. We say the first blessing before the shofar is sounded, then we say shehecheyanu, the blessing for milestones, to mark the occasion.
 

Baruch ata Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha-olam asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu lishmoa kol shofar.

Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the universe, who has made us holy with commandments, and who has commanded us to hear the voice of the shofar.

Baruch ata Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha-olam shehecheyanu v’kiyimanu v’higiyanu lazman ha-zeh.

Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the universe, for giving us life, for sustaining us, and for enabling us to reach this season.

It’s traditional to hear the cry of the shofar, an instrument made from a ram’s horn, every day during the month of Elul. This sound is unlike any other—raucous yet soul-stirring, deep, and primal.

And yet, even without a shofar at hand, the world is abuzz with opportunities for conscious listening.

Try this:

1. Take 10 minutes to listen to the soundscape that surrounds you. What can you hear and identify?
2. Spend a day not listening to anything (music, podcasts, television, etc.) that you consciously control. What does it feel like to be immersed solely in the noise of the world?
3. When you’re in conversation with someone, try listening deeply and consciously to what they’re saying rather than focusing on what you’re going to say next. What does this open up for the conversation?