Every day, we have many opportunities to ask HaShem what we need and want from Him. On weekdays, three times a day, we recite the Amida. From its nineteen blessings, thirteen focus on our needs: we ask God for good health, good livelihood, protection, etc. During Shabbat and Chaguim, when opening the Hekhal, we ask HaShem to grant us good health, good livelihood, protection, and much more. During the High Holidays, we request HaShem several times for our Parnasa (livelihood), for long life, good health , etc.
What are we supposed to do when we listen to the Shofar in Rosh haShana? Should we keep asking God for more things? Is the Shofar an extension of our own voice requesting God loudly and with a broken heart for all the important things we want for the coming year?
Public opinion (and general practice) notwithstanding, when listening to the Shofar we should NOT focus on asking God for anything.
Why?
Because when the Shofar is blown, it is the only time of the year that God is asking something from us!
The voice of the Shofar should be understood as a ‘divine wake-up call’. God is our father (abinu). The one that gave us our life. When the Shofar is blown, we should reflect on what good we have done with the year of life He graciously gave us.
When the Shofar is blown, we must remember that HaShem is also our King (malkenu). We owe Him obedience. At that solemn moment, we are asked to admit our responsibility and begin a process of repentance that will continue until the end of Yom Kippur .
When the Shofar is blown, we become answerable to God, accountable for what we have done wrong and for the opportunities to do good that we missed!
When listening to the shofar, we should not focus on asking favors from HaShem, but on realizing that He is asking us to be accountable for the life He granted us.
