Masks on Rosh Hashanah
a reflection by Irwin Weiss, Chevrei Tzedek member and Shaliach Tzibbur, September 2020
תִּקְע֣וּ בַחֹ֣דֶשׁ שׁוֹפָ֑ר בַּ֜כֶּ֗סֶה לְי֣וֹם חַגֵּֽנוּ
This verse, as you know, comes from the Rosh Hashanah davening. It comes from Psalm 81:4. The word Keseh is related to the word Kisui meaning “covered” Some say Rosh Hashanah is the “hidden” or “covered” holiday . It’s “covered” or “hidden” because we don’t announce Rosh Chodesh Tishrei on the Shabbat before Rosh Hashanah, while we announce the New Moon before each of the other 11 months.
Why? Because it is against our interest to let Satan know when Rosh Hashanah is, so he won’t lobby against us with God. We hope by not publicly blessing Rosh Chodesh, we keep the holiday “hidden.” Of course, if Satan is online or paying any sort of attention to synagogue bulletins, newsletters and emails, he’d know exactly when Rosh Hashanah occurs. Others say that Rosh Hashanah is the “hidden” holiday because it is the only holiday that occurs when the moon isn’t really out, so it is dark. Others say it is “hidden” because the term “Rosh Hashanah” does not appear in the Torah.
I propose a new translation of this verse. “Blow the Shofar at this new moon, wearing a mask at the time of your festival.”
Now, unlike many of you, I am not a Ba’al Tekiyah. I can’t blow the shofar at all. Never could make any sound with one of those things. But for sure, the person who blows shofar must remove his mask prior to doing so. Maybe when the Ba’al Shofar takes off his mask this year, and blows, it will be a sign that with “Teshuva, Tefillah, Tzedakah” we’ll avoid the harsh decree associated with a diagnosis of Covid-19.
We can hope.
לשנה טובה תכתבו ותחתמו
a reflection by Irwin Weiss, Chevrei Tzedek member and Shaliach Tzibbur, September 2020
תִּקְע֣וּ בַחֹ֣דֶשׁ שׁוֹפָ֑ר בַּ֜כֶּ֗סֶה לְי֣וֹם חַגֵּֽנוּ
This verse, as you know, comes from the Rosh Hashanah davening. It comes from Psalm 81:4. The word Keseh is related to the word Kisui meaning “covered” Some say Rosh Hashanah is the “hidden” or “covered” holiday . It’s “covered” or “hidden” because we don’t announce Rosh Chodesh Tishrei on the Shabbat before Rosh Hashanah, while we announce the New Moon before each of the other 11 months.
Why? Because it is against our interest to let Satan know when Rosh Hashanah is, so he won’t lobby against us with God. We hope by not publicly blessing Rosh Chodesh, we keep the holiday “hidden.” Of course, if Satan is online or paying any sort of attention to synagogue bulletins, newsletters and emails, he’d know exactly when Rosh Hashanah occurs. Others say that Rosh Hashanah is the “hidden” holiday because it is the only holiday that occurs when the moon isn’t really out, so it is dark. Others say it is “hidden” because the term “Rosh Hashanah” does not appear in the Torah.
I propose a new translation of this verse. “Blow the Shofar at this new moon, wearing a mask at the time of your festival.”
Now, unlike many of you, I am not a Ba’al Tekiyah. I can’t blow the shofar at all. Never could make any sound with one of those things. But for sure, the person who blows shofar must remove his mask prior to doing so. Maybe when the Ba’al Shofar takes off his mask this year, and blows, it will be a sign that with “Teshuva, Tefillah, Tzedakah” we’ll avoid the harsh decree associated with a diagnosis of Covid-19.
We can hope.
לשנה טובה תכתבו ותחתמו