WATCH: The Wake-Up Call!

The shofar, essentially a wake-up call, is sounded at least 30 times on Rosh Hashana. How much does it take to wake us up?

Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, is also a time for self-reflection and new beginnings.

The Torah simply calls the Jewish New Year “Yom Teruah,” meaning “the day of the blowing of the shofar, a ram’s horn.” It is customary to sound at least 100 blasts in the synagogue on Rosh Hashana, although the minimum requirement is 30.

The shofar should arouse our longing for the rebuilding of the Holy Temple, where trumpets and shofarim were sounded. The shofar is also a wake-up call, reminding us that when the Messiah comes, a great shofar sound will emanate throughout the world.