This year Yom Kippur Begins Friday night, Sept. 29 at 6:27 pm (NY time) - ends Saturday, Sept. 30, after 7:25 pm (NY time)

A Very Very Simple Guide for Yom Kippur Celebration

Please watch this video before the Holiday

http://www.aish.com/h/hh/video/Yom-Kippur-The-Three-Levels-of-Forgiveness.html?s=mm

 (This Document contains G-d's Name, therefore it may NOT be thrown out)

Eating a Pre-Yom Kippur Holiday Meal

It is a mitzvah to eat and drink in abundance, more than one is normally accustomed to, before the onset of Yom Kippur. The Talmud states that "Whoever eats and drinks on the 9th of Tishrei (a day before), it is regarded as if he had fasted on both the 9th and the 10th." Before your pre-Yom Kippur meal wash your hands on bread. 

Fill a large cup with water. Pass the cup to your left hand and pour three times over your right hand. Repeat by pouring on your left hand. As you wipe your hands recite the blessing:

Baruch atah A-donoy, Elo-heinu Melech Ha’Olam, asher kidshanu bemitzvotav vetzivanu al netilat yadayim.

[Blessed are You, L-rd our G‑d, King of the universe, who sanctified with His Mitzvahs and commanded us on washing our hands]

When everyone has returned to the table, we raise the two challah loaves and recite the blessing:

Ba-ruch atah A-do-nay, E-lo-hei-nu Melech Ha-Olam, hamotzie le-chem min ha-are-tz.

[Blessed are You, L-rd, our G‑d, King of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.]

Cut the challah, dip it in honey, and have a bite. Pass around pieces and make sure everyone does the same.

Lighting of the Candles

Women (or if there isn't a woman in the house, the head of the household), light candles.

Light the candles on the evening of Friday night, Sept. 29, 2017 at 6:27 pm (Philadelphia and NY time)

1) Ba-ruch A-tah Ado-nai E-lo-hei-nu me-lech ha-olam asher ki-deshanu be-mitzvo-tav ve-tzvi-vanu le-hadlik ner shel Shabbat vi HaYom Kippirim.

[Blessed are You, L-rd our G-d, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and has commanded us to kindle the lights of Sabbath and Yom Kippur.]

2) Ba-ruch A-tah Ado-nai E-lo-hei-nu me-lech ha-olam she-heche-ya-nu ve-ki-yi-ma-nu ve-higi-a-nu liz-man ha-zeh.
[Blessed are You, L-ord our G-d, King of the universe, who has granted us life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this occasion.]

May each of us be sealed in the Book of Life for a good year!

Yom Kippur falls ten days after Rosh Hashanah on the 10th of Tishrei. The purpose of Yom Kippur is to bring about reconciliation between people and between individuals and God. According to Jewish tradition, it is also the day when God decides the fate of each human being. Although Yom Kippur is an intense holiday it is nevertheless viewed as a happy day. Why? Because if one has observed the holiday properly by the end of Yom Kippur they will have made peace.

There are five areas of pleasure that we avoid on Yom Kippur:

1.                  Eating or drinking.

2.                  Wearing leather footwear.

3.                  Bathing or washing.

4.                  Applying ointment, lotions, or creams.

5.                  Engaging in any form of spousal intimacy.

The prohibition against wearing leather comes from a reluctance to wear the skin of a slaughtered animal while asking God for mercy.

There are three essential components of Yom Kippur: 

1.                  Repentance

2.                  Prayer

3.                  Fasting

Repentance (Teshuvah)

 

Yom Kippur is a day of reconciliation, when Jews strive to make amends with people and to draw closer to God through prayer and fasting. The ten days leading up to Yom Kippur are known as the Ten Days of Repentance. During this period Jews are encouraged to seek out anyone they may have offended and to sincerely request forgiveness so that the New Year can begin with a clean slate. If the first request for forgiveness is rebuffed, one should ask for forgiveness at least two more times, at which point the person whose forgiveness is being sought should grant the request.

This process of repentance is called TESHUVAH and it is a crucial part of Yom Kippur. Although many people think that transgressions from the previous year are forgiven through prayer, fasting and participation in Yom Kippur services, Jewish tradition teaches that only offenses committed against God can be forgiven on Yom Kippur. Hence it is important that people make an effort to reconcile with others before participating in Yom Kippur services.

Prayer

Yom Kippur is the longest synagogue service in the Jewish year. It begins on the evening before Yom Kippur day with a haunting song called KOL NIDRE  (All Vows). The words of this melody ask God to forgive any vows people have made to God and not kept. 

The service on the day of Yom Kippur lasts from morning until nightfall. Many prayers are said but one is repeated at intervals throughout the service. This prayer is called Al Khet and asks for forgiveness for a variety of sins that may have been committed during the year. The Jewish concept of sin is not like the Christian concept of original sin. Rather, it’s the kind of everyday offenses like hurting those we love, lying to ourselves or using foul language that Judaism views as sinful. You can clearly see examples of these infractions in the Yom Kippur liturgy, for instance in this excerpt from Al Khet: 

For the sin that we have committed under stress or through choice;
For the sin that we have committed in stubbornness or in error;
For the sin that we have committed in the evil meditations of the heart;
For the sin that we have committed by word of mouth;
For the sin that we have committed through abuse of power;
For the sin that we have committed by exploitation of neighbors;
For all these sins, O God of forgiveness, bear with us, pardon us, forgive us!

When Al Khet is recited people gently beat their fists against their chests as each sin is mentioned. Sins are mentioned in plural form because even if someone hasn’t committed a particular sin, Jewish tradition teaches that every Jew bears a measure of responsibility for the actions of other Jews.

During the afternoon portion of the Yom Kippur service the Book of Jonah is read to remind people of God’s willingness to forgive those who are sincerely sorry. The last part of the service is called Ne’ilah (Shutting). The name comes from the imagery of Ne’ilah prayers, which talk about gates being shut against us. People pray intensely during this time, hoping to be admitted to God’s presence before the gates have been shut.

Fasting

 

Yom Kippur is also marked by 25 hours of fasting. 

Girls who are 12 years or older and boys who are 13 years or older are required to participate in the full 25-hour fast along with adults. However, pregnant women, women who have recently given birth and anyone suffering from a life-threatening illness have to ask for advice from a Rabbi on how to observe the Fast. Judaism values life above the observance of Jewish law.

For exact times in your area go to:

http://www.chabad.org/calendar/candlelighting_cdo/aid/6226/jewish/Shabbat-Candle-Lighting-Times.htm

My Russian Video is available at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8sTlzCqz0s

The Yom Kippur Fast Ends on Saturday, Sept. 30, at 7:25 pm (NY time)

May you be blessed to end the fast with a feeling of deep serenity, which comes from having made peace with people in your life and with the Almighty!  

For more information visit: http://www.partnersintorah.org/uploads/yk6009.pdf

This year Rosh Hashana Begins Wednesday night, September 20, 2017 - ends Friday, September 22, 2017 at sunset ...Shabath follows the Holiday

A Very Very Simple Guide for Rosh Hashana Celebration (This Document contains G-d's Name, therefore it may NOT be thrown out) 1. Lighting of the Candles Women (or if there isn't a woman in the house, the head of the household), light candles. Blessings for the evenings September 20, 2017 (6.41 pm Philadelphia Time) and September 21, 2017(after 8:09 Philadelphia Time): 1) Ba-ruch A-tah Ado-nai E-lo-hei-nu me-lech ha-olam asher ki-deshanu be-mitzvo-tav ve-tzvi-vanu le-hadlik ner shel Yom Tov Blessed are You, L-rd our G-d, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and has commanded us to light the candle of the Holiday. [Note: When reciting the following blessing on the second night of the holiday, one should have in mind the new fruit which one will subsequently be eating after Kiddush.] 2) Ba-ruch A-tah Ado-nai E-lo-hei-nu me-lech ha-olam she-heche-ya-nu ve-ki-yi-ma-nu ve-higi-a-nu liz-man ha-zeh. Blessed are You, L-ord our G-d, King of the universe, who has granted us life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this occasion. 2. Evening Kiddush for Rosh Hashanah Kiddush is recited while holding a cup of kosher wine or grape juice. (Challah should be on the table - covered) 1st prayer: Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu, melekh ha'olam Blessed are you, Lord, our God, sovereign of the universe borei p'ri hagafen (Amein) Who creates the fruit of the vine (Amen) Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu, melekh ha'olam Blessed are you, Lord, our God, sovereign of the universe asher bachar banu mikol am v'rom'manu mikol lashon who has chosen us from among all people, and exalted us above every tongue v'kid'shanu b'mitz'votav vatiten lanu Adonai Eloheinu, b'ahavah and sanctified us with His commandments,and you gave us, Lord our God, with love et yom with love this day of hazikaron hazeh yom t'ru'ah remembrance, a day of shofar blowing mik'ra kodesh zeikher litzi'at mitz'rayim a holy convocation, a memorial of the exodus from Egypt ki vanu vachar'ta v'otanu kidash'ta mikol ha'amim Indeed, You have chosen us and made us holy from all peoples ud'var'kha emet v'kayam la'ad and Your word is true and established for ever Barukh atah Adonai melekh al kol ha'aretz Blessed are You, Lord, our God, King over all the world, m'kadeish yisra'eil v'yom hazikaron. (Amein) Who sanctifies Israel and the Day of Remembrance. (Amen) 2nd prayer: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לזְּמַן הַזֶּה. Barukh atah Ad-onai, El-oheinu, melekh ha'olam shehecheyanu v'kiyimanu v'higi'anu laz'man hazeh. Blessed are you, Lord, our God, sovereign of the universe who has kept us alive, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this season (Amen) 2A SECOND NIGHT ONLY -New Fruit On the second night of Rosh Hashanah, a "new fruit," i.e., a seasonal fruit which we have not yet tasted since its season began, should be present on the table when the holiday candles are kindled and during the kiddush. While reciting the Shehecheyanu blessing after candle-lighting and after the kiddush, one should have the new fruit in mind. This fruit is eaten following the kiddush, before washing for bread. Before partaking of the fruit we say the following blessing: Ba-ruch a-tah Ado-nai E-lo-hei-nu me-lech ha-olam bore pri ha-etz. Blessed are You, L-rd our G‑d, King of the universe, who creates the fruit of the tree. 3 ROUND Challah in Honey Immediately following the kiddush (and on the second night, the eating of the new fruit), we perform the ritual washing for bread. Fill a large cup with water. Pass the cup to your left hand and pour three times over your right hand. Repeat by pouring on your left hand. As you wipe your hands recite the blessing: Baruch atah A-donoy, Elo-heinu Melech Ha’Olam, asher kidshanu bemitzvotav vetzivanu al netilat yadayim. Blessed are You, L-rd our G‑d, King of the universe, who sanctified with His Mitzvahs and commanded us on washing our hands. When everyone has returned to the table, we raise the two challah loaves and recite the blessing: Ba-ruch atah A-do-nay, E-lo-hei-nu Melech Ha-Olam, hamotzie le-chem min ha-are-tz. [Blessed are You, L-rd, our G‑d, King of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.] Cut the challah, dip it in honey, and have a bite. Pass around pieces and make sure everyone does the same. 4 Apples and Honey During Rosh Hashanah, it is traditional to eat apples dipped in honey, to symbolize our hopes for a "sweet" new year. The apple is dipped in honey, the blessing for eating tree fruits is recited, the apple is tasted, and then the apples and honey prayer is recited.  Barukh atah Ad-onai, El-oheinu, melekh ha'olam borei p'ri ha'eitz. Blessed are you, L-rd, our G-d, king of the universe who creates the fruit of the tree. (Everyone says Amen) Take a bite from the apple dipped in honey, then continue with the following: y'hi ratzon mil'fanekha Adonai el-oheinu vei'-lohei avoteinu sh't'chadeish aleinu shanah tovah um'tukah May it be Your will, L-rd our G-d and God of our ancestors that you renew for us a good and sweet year.   5 Symbolic Foods A head of a fish is served. We say “May it be your will Eternal God that we should be at the head  and not at the tail”. A pomegranate is eaten, symbolizing our wish to have a year full of mitzvot and good deeds. We say “May it be your will Eternal God that our year is filled with good deeds as a pomegranate is filled with luscious seeds”. There is a custom to eat fish on Rosh Hashana. Fish multiply in great number. They never sleep. They swim in water. We hope the year will be one of plenty, just as fish are extremely fruitful. Just as fish never sleep, we hope to maintain a constant awareness of our mission in life. Since fish are underwater the evil eye cannot penetrate the depths, and we wish to be free of any negative wishes. We also eat Leeks or Cabbage. These vegetables are known as karsi, related to the word karet, to cut off or destroy. As we eat it we say “May it be your will Eternal God that our enemies will be destroyed.”. Beets are known as “silka,” related to the word “siluk,” meaning removal. The adversaries referred to in the prayer before eating the beet are the spiritual roadblocks created by the past year’s missteps that must be removed before a sweet New Year is granted. We say “May it be your will Eternal God that our adversaries will be removed.” Dates are known as “tamri” is related to the word “tamri,” meaning consume or finish. This food is similar to the beets and leeks in that it is eaten with the intent that all enemies will end their detrimental wrath. We say “ May it be your will Eternal God that our enemies will be finished. Throughout the meal, it is customary to also eat foods whose names in the vernacular allude to blessing and prosperity. For example, many have the custom of eating carrots because in Yiddish the word for carrots, meren, means to multiply. 6 Rosh Hashanah Cuisine On Rosh Hashanah it is customary not to eat foods which are sour or tart (the gefilte fish will have to do without the horseradish...). Instead, the focus is on sweet foods, symbolizing our desire to have a sweet year, blessings and abundance. It is also customary not to eat nuts on Rosh Hashanah, as the numerical value of the Hebrew word for nuts ("egoz") is the same as the Hebrew word for sin ("chet"). 7 Blessing After Meal Blessed are You, L-rd our G-d, King of the universe, who, in His goodness, provides sustenance for the entire world with grace, with kindness, and with mercy. He gives food to all flesh, for His kindness is everlasting. Through His great goodness to us continuously we do not lack [food], and may we never lack food, for the sake of His great Name. For He, benevolent G-d, provides nourishment and sustenance for all, does good to all, and prepares food for all His creatures whom He has created, as it is said: You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing. Blessed are You, L-rd, who provides food for all. We offer thanks to You, L-rd our G-d, for having given as a heritage to our ancestors a precious, good and spacious land; for having brought us out, L-rd our G-d, from the land of Egypt, and redeemed us from the house of bondage; for Your covenant which You have sealed in our flesh; for Your Torah which You have taught us; for Your statutes which You have made known to us; for the life, favor, and kindness which You have graciously bestowed upon us; and for the food we eat with which You constantly nourish and sustain us every day, at all times, and at every hour. For all this, L-rd our G-d, we give thanks to You and bless You. May Your Name be blessed by the mouth of every living being, constantly and forever, as it is written: When you have eaten and are satiated, you shall bless the L-rd your G-d for the good land which He has given you. Blessed are You, L-rd, for the land and for the sustenance. Have mercy, L-rd our G-d, upon Israel Your people, upon Jerusalem Your city, upon Zion the abode of Your glory, upon the kingship of the house of David Your anointed, and upon the great and holy House over which Your Name was proclaimed. Our G-d, our Father, our Shepherd, nourish us, sustain us, feed us, and provide us with plenty; and speedily, L-rd our G-d, grant us relief from all our afflictions. L-rd our G-d, please do not make us dependent upon the gifts of mortal men nor upon their loans, but only upon Your full, open, holy, and generous hand, that we may never be shamed or disgraced. As the leader recites aloud the words Remember…for good life in the following paragraph, the others respond Amen as indicated. Our G-d and G-d of our fathers, may there ascend, come, and reach; be seen, accepted, and heard; recalled and remembered before You the remembrance and recollection of us, the remembrance of our fathers, the remembrance of Mashiach the son of David Your servant, the remembrance of Jerusalem Your holy city, and the remembrance of all Your people the House of Israel, for deliverance, well-being, grace, kindness, mercy, good life, and peace, on this day of the festival of Remembrance. Remember us on this [day], L-rd our G-d, for good (Amen); be mindful of us on this [day] for blessing (Amen); help us on this [day] for good life (Amen). With the promise of deliverance and compassion, spare us and be gracious to us, and have mercy upon us and deliver us, for our eyes are directed to You; for You, G-d, are a gracious and merciful King. And rebuild Jerusalem the holy city speedily in our days. Blessed are You, L-rd, who in His mercy rebuilds Jerusalem. Amen. Blessed are You, L-rd our G-d, King of the universe, benevolent G-d, our Father, our King, our Strength, our Creator, our Redeemer, our Maker, our Holy One, the Holy One of Jacob, our Shepherd, the Shepherd of Israel, the King who is good and does good to all, each and every day. He has done good for us, He does good for us, and He will do good for us; He has bestowed, He bestows, and He will forever bestow upon us grace, kindness, and mercy; relief, salvation and success; blessing and deliverance; consolation, livelihood and sustenance; compassion, life, peace, and all goodness; and may He never cause us to lack any good. May the Merciful One reign over us forever and ever. May the Merciful One be blessed in heaven and on earth. May the Merciful One be praised for all generations, and pride Himself in us forever and to all eternity, and glorify Himself in us forever and ever. May the Merciful One provide our livelihood with honor. May the Merciful One break the yoke of exile from our neck, and may He lead us upright to our land. May the Merciful One send abundant blessing into this house and upon this table at which we have eaten. May the Merciful One send us Elijah the prophet—may he be remembered for good—and let him bring us good tidings, deliverance, and consolation. May the Merciful One bless my father, my teacher, the master of this house, and my mother, my teacher, the mistress of this house; them, their household, their children, and all that is theirs; us, and all that is ours. Just as He blessed our forefathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, “in all things,” “by all things,” with “all things,” so may He bless all of us together (the children of the Covenant) with a perfect blessing, and let us say, Amen. From heaven, may there be invoked upon him and upon us such merit as will bring enduring peace. May we receive blessing from the L-rd and kindness from G-d our deliverer, and may we find grace and good understanding in the eyes of G-d and man. May the Merciful One let us inherit that day which is all good. May the Merciful One grant us the privilege of reaching the days of the Mashiach and the life of the World to Come. He is a tower of deliverance to His king, and bestows kindness upon His anointed, to David and his descendants forever. He who makes peace in His heavens, may He make peace for us and for all Israel; and say, Amen. Fear the L-rd, you His holy ones, for those who fear Him suffer no want. Young lions are in need and go hungry, but those who seek the L-rd shall not lack any good. Give thanks to the L-rd for He is good, for His kindness is everlasting. You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing. Blessed is the man who trusts in the L-rd, and the L-rd will be his security. Important Addition for this Year: Since Rosh Hashana goes straight into Shabbath, in order to cook for Shabbath one must perform an Eruv Tavshilin ritual. https://oukosher.org/blog/consumer-kosher/eruv-tavshilin-primer/ What is the procedure for Eruv Tavshilin? Before the beginning of Rosh Hashana one sets aside two types of food, one cooked and one baked. If one cannot obtain both items, a cooked item alone would be acceptable but a baked item alone would not suffice. The cooked item must be at least the size of a large olive (approximately half the size of a chicken’s egg) and the baked item should be at least the size of a chicken’s egg.  "With this Eruv it should be permitted for us to bake, cook, insulate food, light a candle, and do any need from Yom Tov for Shabbat". THE END OF THE OFFICIAL ROSH HASHANA DINNER. FOLLOW THE SAME STEPS BOTH NIGHTS FAST OF GEDALIAH -SUNDAY, September 24, 2017 Fast begins at 5:24AM and ends at 7:35 PM This is a public Fast Day on which we commemorate the murder of Gedaliah ben Achikam, the governor appointed by the Babylonian king as ruler of the Jews in Israel. The days between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur are called the Ten Days of Repentanace. During these ten days, it is appropriate to do as many good deeds as possible. The Zodiac sign of this month of Tishrei is a pair of scales. Every Jew must look at these scales as though they are balanced and attempt to tip them in his favor through acts of loving kindness.   For more information on Rosh Hashanah go to: http://www.partnersintorah.org/uploads/rh6009.pdf

 Mystical Observances to Bring More Joy to a New Year

By Rebbitzin Yamima Mizrachi

• It’s vital not to get angry on the first day of Rosh Hashanah. Don’t get stuck in worry, anger and definitely not in sadness. The way the year begins, is the way it will flow the coming year. Don’t allow yourself to speak badly.

• Before sitting down at the table look at everyone’s eyes and bless them each individually, feel forgiveness for everyone around you. Allow love and peace to enter your heart. Everyone should say a ‘L’Chaim’ out loud and bless each other with complete joy.

• The Rosh Hashanah the table should be filled with an abundance of colors, different types of foods.

• Apples & Honey: Use red apples, it is for an omen to find one’s soul mate/and for peace between spouses and for getting pregnant. It is an special holy time, before eating the apple, smell the apple and ask for whatever you want. It was at this time that Yakov received the blessing from his father Yitzchak. When he smelled Yakov he smelled the fragrance of Garden of Eden, of the apple, and even though he was undeserving of the blessing, due to the fact that it was supposed to go to his evil brother Esav, he still received it. Ask for anything you wish.

• Pomegranate: Ask G-d to bring out your potential. We all have never ending potential, do we use it all? Ask Almighty for help. Just like it’s hard to take apart the seeds, please G-d help us realize our potential and be who we are meant to be.

• Leeks, Beets, Dates: Ask G-d to take away any feelings of resentment, anger, bitterness towards anyone.  Ask Hashem to help us throw these feelings away from ourselves and remove them from our heart. Ask to enable you to be able to rebuild your feelings and relationship with these people.

• Fish Head: Ask G-d that you should lead your household and not anyone else (like our children who tend to control us…) when looking at the fish, ask Hashem to protect you from the evil eye.

• Get up early on Rosh Hashanah; this blesses the coming year with ease. A year that your wishes will be fulfilled quickly. Try to postpone your afternoon rest until after 1:00 PM.

• Very important to dress festively, even wear white and be HAPPY‼️

• Before hearing the shofar accept upon yourselfLove your neighbor as you love yourself.  If you hold a grudge towards someone, the shofar will not be able to ascend and sweeten the judgments.

• Very important to shed a tear during the shofar and to wipe the tear over your forehead (to wipe away transgressions). This serves as a shield for the entire year against any bad things i.e. illness. Whoever is able to shed a tear then can be rest assured that she is being judged at that moment!

• Don’t eat anything sour or spicy on Rosh Hashanah, only sweet foods.  Everything that you do makes an impact on the entire year. Don’t use walnuts or black grapes.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -other suggestions:

1) Prepare table early in the afternoon, it is an omen that no troubles will come upon you the entire year.
2) Try not to speak idle talk, the morning of Rosh Hashanah. If possible fast as well; this way 1/3 of your transgressions will be wiped away.
3) Candles for Rosh Hashanah: before lighting give 18 of ‘something (coins, bills) to charity box: 18 cents, 18 dollars, etc. This serves as an atonement. Ask Hashem that if something bad is supposed to happen, let this charity stand as a protector against it.
4) Buy a new knife and use it on Rosh Hashanah eve to cut open the Challah and apple. It is an omen for a long life and for financial success.
5) Player after Meal: Say it with enthusiasm and joy, it is a good luck for financial abundance

6) Recite the Tehilim (Psalms of David) specifically Psalms 1-4 before sleeping on both nights to prevent bad dreams.
7) Buy a new dress/clothing for Rosh Hashanah.

A BEAUTIFUL INSPIRATIONAL STORY FOR ROSH HASHANA

I served in the Israeli Navy in a submarine. Under the water, the means of communication is with the Morse code. (Morse code is a signal system comprised of sounds. Two sharp beeps represents one letter, two long beeps is another letter. One long beep and one short one is a third letter, and so on.) I was an expert in the Morse code. I could send and decipher messages very quickly. "A couple of years after serving in the navy (and after spending a long time in India) I saw an advertisement: The army was looking for a Morse code expert to be in charge of several submarines. To apply for the job, we had to be at a certain office between 10:00 and 12:00 in the morning. I arrived at 11:50. I saw a packed room with applicants, but no one was being called inside. There was music was playing in the background and I sat down for a few moments, and listened. Then I got up, brazenly opened the door to the office and said, 'I came for the interview." "There are many people waiting in line ahead of you," the secretary said. "And you just came. Wait your turn." "But I didn’t listen to her. I walked into the room and talked with the person who was in charge. After speaking for a few moments, I was hired for the job." The interviewer went out to the waiting room and told everyone that they can go home. "Thank you all for coming and I'm sorry about the delay. We've already chosen someone. You can all go home." "It isn't fair. This man came in last. Why did you interview him before us?" "Did you pay attention to the music that's playing? Listen carefully. Don’t you get it? It is in Morse code and it's saying, 'If you've come for the interview, just open the door and come inside.' This man heard the message. You didn’t hear, so you're obviously not fluent enough in the language." That's how the irreligious man in the hospital understood the meaning of shofar (and we're sharing it here because his interpretation is beautiful and true). The shofar is speaking a language. It's telling us, "Just open the door and come inside. Change your ways and improve your connection with G-d." We only need to understand the language of the shofar and understand what it's telling us. One person waiting in the waiting room said, "I actually heard the Morse code in the music, but I decided not to open the door because I saw that no one else was." "That's not a valid excuse," the interviewer told him. "If you heard the message, you should have come in. Why do you care what other people are doing?" Similarly, concerning the shofar, it will be inexcusable to say, "I heard the shofar's message, I understood that it was calling me, but I decided not to since I don’t see other people repenting." That's not a valid excuse. If you understand the shofar's message, you should open the door and come close to Almighty God, regardless of what others are doing.