A native villager, born and reared in an obscure rural environment, came to a big city for the first time. Awakened in the middle of the night by the loud beating of drums, he inquired of the innkeeper drowsily, "What's this all about?" Informed that a fire had broken out and that the drum beating was the city's fire alarm, he turned over and went back to sleep.
On his return home he reported to the village authorities: "They have a wonderful system in the big city; when a fire breaks out the people beat their drums and before long the fire burns out." All excited, they distributed a supply of drums to the population.
When a fire broke out, there was a deafening explosion of beating of drums, and while the people waited expectantly for the flames to subside, a number of their homes burned to the ground. A sophisticated visitor remarked: "Idiots! Do you think a fire can be put out by beating drums? They only sound an alarm for the people to wake up and take measure to extinguish the fire."
Said the Maggid of Dubno, this story applies to those of us who believe that raising our voices during worship, and blowing the shofar, will put out the fires of regret and mistakes that burn within us. They are, the Maggid remarked, only an alarm, a warning to wake us up in order to resort to soul searching.
It is a custom not only to blow the shofar on Rosh Hashanah and at the end of Yom Kippur, but also each day during Elul, the month that precedes these holidays, as a sort of wake up call and preparation for the new year. This is how we began our new school year. Opening Community Day was filled with new classes for the children and programs for adults and families. At the end of the opening assembly, a blast of the ram’s horn signalled the coming of a new year.
Upon hearing that blast, you may be awakened to take (more) action in a world that needs it. At CMI, you might do so through committees, family and adult education offerings, special school programs, or social justice projects. Community Day was only the beginning. We are looking forward to a vibrant, active, and meaningful year.