By: Randall E. Pickens, Sr.
Rosh Chodesh, new moon of Elul for Hebrew Year 5784 begins at sundown on Monday, 2 September 2024 and ends at nightfall on Wednesday, 4 September 2024.
The Jewish traditions of Elul is commemorated by blowing the trump every day except on Shabbat and the eve of Tishri 1 (the Jewish new year) just before Rosh Hashanah, or Feast of Trumpets.
For those who may have never heard the complete sequence, The sequence of Shofar sounds are as follows:
One long blast, three midsized blasts (with a little tiny blast), nine short blasts, one long blast.
Some only blow one sequence and others will blow multiple sequences and may vary in some blast detail. But the collection I included is a typical collection.
Tap on audio icon to hear the traditional Elul Trumpet “blast”!
Why they blew the trumpet during the month of Elul (Rosh Chodesh, new moon)?
First, the Chodesh was done on ever month on the first day of the new moon, typically about the time of morning prayers. However, there is a twist on the beginning of Elul. This month marks the beginning of a 40 day span of time where Jews believe Moses was in the mount receiving the second tablets.
Israel was expected to be in a continuous state of introspection and repentance for the Golden Calf rebellion while Moses was away and until his return. You might say this was Israel’s “second chance” for redemption!
This month ends the civil calendar year and marks the beginning of the final “Harvest“ also a Jewish belief that this was when The Messiah would come, or in the case of Christians when the second coming would occur! The seventh month of the religious calendar. We know that 7 was a significant number associated with completeness or final. Not for discussion here but the Jews had 4 new years days. I’ll let them explain this, I want to remain focused on the lead up to the Fall Feast.
So then why daily in the month of Elul? The Oral Law-Talmud teachings imply blowing the shofar—which is actually a Rosh Hashanah activity—for a month in advance confuses Satan, who now has no idea what day is the real Rosh Hashanah, day of judgement. Hence the statement “ye know neither the day nor the hour“!
Now hold on to your comments, I know most of you will quickly say,
Matt 25:13 “ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh”
I am a firm believer that Jesus knew some thing we didn’t know when he made this statement but his Jewish disciples would have known all about the traditions of Elul per the oral law and the association of these traditions with Rosh Hashanah. We know Jesus kept all the Feast and was well aware of the reasons for these celebrations both historic and prophetic! Real and symbolic!
So frankly, this statement can now be better understood. It didn’t mean that we should just discard any attempt to prepare but rather we should be ever engaged in the process of introspection and repentance of our sins and know that he will return to harvest the believers in due season! The trumpet is a call to action! To make sure no one is caught unaware… and in the case of Elul tradition to confuse the enemy and unrighteous not the believer!
Mat_24:43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
1Th 5:1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
1Th 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
1Th 5:3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
1Th 5:4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
1Th 5:5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
1Th 5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
1Th 5:7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
1Th 5:8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
1Th 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
Are you ready?
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