Twenty Years...

Twenty years ago today, I was five years old
Twenty years ago today, the family jumped into the car and drove back to the city
Twenty years ago today, I didn’t understand what was happening
Twenty years ago today, I was upset at being pulled away from my toys
Twenty years ago today, my sister (two weeks old) cried the whole car ride, waiting to be fed
Twenty years ago today, the corner to our house was blocked by police and crowds of people
Twenty years ago today, we cried
Twenty years ago today, we, physically, lost our leader
Twenty years ago today, we were lost and confused
Twenty years ago today, we did not know where we would get the strength to go on
Twenty years ago today, the Chabad community and the world mourned
Our Rebbe, our guide.

Today, I am twenty five years old
Today, I have a bit of an understanding of what happened
Today, I understand what we are missing
Today, we went on
Today, we grew
Today, I go to work at the Rebbe’s organization
Today, I teach young children about their heritage
Today, I see the Rebbe’s influence in all that I do
Today, I pray for Moshiach
Today, I ask “How much longer?”
Because enough is enough.
Our Rebbe, our guide.

Written on Gimmel Tammuz, 5774

The Shofar's Message

Moshe had lived in the same small village since the day born. As the years came and went, Moshe became restless and decided to venture off into the big, unknown world. After trudging the muddy country paths for many days, he finally reached the paved road leading to the grand city behind the mountains.

Moshe's eyes widened with amazement upon seeing the wonders of city life for the first time. Here people wore suits and lived in brick houses. Instead of bartering chickens and eggs, people were using strange objects called currency. He even saw kerosine lamps burning in the windows at twilight. Although deeply astonished at all these new sites, one episode stood out to him in particular.

It happened as Moshe was wandering through the city outskirts towards nightfall. Suddenly he heard shrill screams. "Fire!" "Fire!" A burly man in a red, brocade uniform ran to the panicked scene. He took out a special fire horn, and began to blow. The fire brigade responded quickly to the call, and together with the local residents, they formed a human chain reaching the river. Passing buckets of water back and forth, they rapidly extinguished the fire.

Moshe was astonished at the great turn of events, and immediately convinced the fire chief to give him the fire horn. Stashing his new treasure deep in his coat pocket, Moshe marched towards home, ready to enlighten his neighbors to the city wonders.

"Fellow villagers," he called, upon arrival. "I have been to the city beyond the mountain and have seen incredible innovations. Gather around and I will show you the most incredible invention I've encountered; the fire horn."

Moshe struck a match and held it to a thatched roof in the village center. Within moments, the shack was engulfed by angry flames that threatened to spread. Smiling confidently, Moshe withdrew his horn and began to blow. And blow. And blow. No miracle happened and the fire raged on. Eventually, the entire village burned down and a crimson faced, perplexed Moshe was left to contemplate his failure.

A horn is necessary when battling a fire, but not because it does something magical. Blowing a horn does nothing to extinguish a flame. The fire horn is essential since it alerts the populace, and summons the people to take action.

This Rosh Hashanah when we hear the shofar blast, let us remember the story of Moshe and the fire horn, and not make the same conclusion that he did. The ram's horn is an alarm that should arouse us to correct our deeds and repent. As Maimonides writes, the shofar calls, "Awaken you sleepers from your (spiritual) slumber. Search our your ways and return to G-d in Teshuva." The shofar, like the fire horn, rouses it's listeners to move and do what needs to get done. May the shofar's true message resonate within us all and may we merit a good sweet New Year.

(Based on the teachings of Rabbi Yaakov Kranz, the preacher of Dubnow 1740-1804)