Parshas Vayeilech - Rosh Hashana

We stand now just before one of the most awesome times of the year, the yom tov of Rosh Hashanah. As we all prepare for the awesome day of judgement, we hope and we pray that we will merit a good year, a year of both spiritual and physical enrichment.

One of the names given to Rosh Hashanah is "Yom Teruah" a day of blowing, since the blowing of the shofar plays such a central part in the seder hayom. Among the many reasons given for blowing the shofar is that it is me'orer middas harachamim, it awakens the divine attribute of mercy. How does the shofar do that? What is it about the simple blowing of a horn that can bring about a merciful judgement?

Perhaps it is because of what the shofar represents. The shofar represents a person's ability to change for the better, to improve oneself. The pasuk tells us "kol hashofar hoileich v'chazeik me'od" - the sound of the shofar gets continually stronger. Just as the sound of the shofar starts out small, but gets stronger and stronger, so too a person who starts out small has the ability to change for the better, and get stronger and stronger in his avodas Hashem.

Likewise, this lesson is evident from the construction of the shofar itself: the mouthpiece is just a small, narrow opening, while on the other end is a large opening many times its size. The kol hashofar starts out by passing through a small opening, and then through an ever-widening chamber, until it emerges full force from the other end. So too, a person may start out small, but has the capacity to grow from his experiences until he emerges a much better person, strengthened by his challenges.

And that is how the shofar is me'orer middas harachamim. The sound of the shofar implores Hashem to judge us favorably, with rachmanus, in the merit of the fact that we can - and will - change for the better. That, we hope, is why will be deserving of the middas harachamim.

May Hashem grant us all a meaningful year of growth, and may we be zoche to achieve new heights in avodas Hashem, and in return may Hashem judge us favorably and bestow upon us a year of health and prosperity.