Sound Bites: Spreading Out

“By His breath the heavens were spread – ‘shifra’ – His hand fashioned the earth-girding serpent.” (Job 26:13)  Shifra – spread – shares the same root as Shofar. The Alshich explains that God imbued the heavens with Ruach – Spirit – through His breath. The heavens expanded and spread empowered by that Spirit.

The Shofar, which we blow with the same breath with which God blew a Living Soul into Adam, reminds us that we possess that same spirit and we have the ability to expand and grow.