Midrash tells us that our name, Yisrael, when vocalized differently, can become “Yashir Eil” – “God will sing.” We are God’s song in this world. Full of potential for harmony – tension, joy, sorrow, anger, comfort, pain, and majesty – God sings through each of us. Elul is the time to focus and question: what Godsong will be heard through my life in the coming year? Chasidic wisdom likens each of us to a shofar.
Were it not for the breath of God blowing through me, I would make no sound at all. Elul is the time to tune up, sharpen our skills, and be a song that is worthy of being heard.
The shofar is narrow at the beginning and wide at the end. May we remember to begin with ourselves, and then open our hearts and our ears and our eyes to understand that we too can be bigger – we can be wider – and our smallest actions can make a huge difference in the world.
“Yashir Eil.” Be the song; make it good. Awaken others – with your voice and your gifts and your actions – to sing out also, and give honor to the Composer of it all.
Ellen Dreskin is an ordained cantor and the coordinator of the Cantorial Certification Program at Hebrew Union College in New York.
