As I write this on Sunday afternoon, I am imagining hearing the shofar blown across the world. Today is Rosh Chodesh Elul, the first day of Elul, a new moon, and very special as it is also Rosh Hashanah L’Ma’sar Behemah (Hebrew: ראש השנה למעשר בהמה “New Year for Tithing Animals”) or Rosh Hashanah LaBehemot (Hebrew: ראש השנה לבהמות “New Year for (Domesticated) Animals”.
Rosh Chodesh Elul is one of the four New Year’s day festivals and while the Beit Ha Mikdash, the Temple stood, it was the day when shepherds would figure out which of their animals had reached maturity and could then be tithed.
Today, we begin to blow a shofar in the morning (except for Shabbat). We are calling in our awareness of this special preparation before we celebrate the New Year of Years – Rosh HaShanah. What to do if we don’t have a shofar?
There are a number of videos available that you could listen to. Here is one option:
https://www.google.com/search?q=shofar+blowing+elul&rlz=1C1RXQR_enCA1078CA1078&oq=shofar+blowing+elul&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOdIBCDQxNTRqMGo3qAIAsAIA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:306227fb,vid:C4P5GqzK5zA,st:0
We had a truly joyful Kabbalat Shabbat this past Friday evening, with ruach extraordinaire as new members Jenny Pakman and Tsofit Dori played music and led the service. We are looking forward to their participation during Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services, along with Rabbi Lynn.
Much love,
Rabbi Lynn
Shoftim
August 25, 2025 by Rabbi Lynn Greenhough • From the Rabbi's Desk
As I write this on Sunday afternoon, I am imagining hearing the shofar blown across the world. Today is Rosh Chodesh Elul, the first day of Elul, a new moon, and very special as it is also Rosh Hashanah L’Ma’sar Behemah (Hebrew: ראש השנה למעשר בהמה “New Year for Tithing Animals”) or Rosh Hashanah LaBehemot (Hebrew: ראש השנה לבהמות “New Year for (Domesticated) Animals”.
Rosh Chodesh Elul is one of the four New Year’s day festivals and while the Beit Ha Mikdash, the Temple stood, it was the day when shepherds would figure out which of their animals had reached maturity and could then be tithed.
Today, we begin to blow a shofar in the morning (except for Shabbat). We are calling in our awareness of this special preparation before we celebrate the New Year of Years – Rosh HaShanah. What to do if we don’t have a shofar?
There are a number of videos available that you could listen to. Here is one option:
https://www.google.com/search?q=shofar+blowing+elul&rlz=1C1RXQR_enCA1078CA1078&oq=shofar+blowing+elul&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOdIBCDQxNTRqMGo3qAIAsAIA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:306227fb,vid:C4P5GqzK5zA,st:0
We had a truly joyful Kabbalat Shabbat this past Friday evening, with ruach extraordinaire as new members Jenny Pakman and Tsofit Dori played music and led the service. We are looking forward to their participation during Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services, along with Rabbi Lynn.
Much love,
Rabbi Lynn