Set The Goal

The possuk in Balak (23:21) says י״י֤ אֱלֹהָיו֙ עִמּ֔וֹ וּתְרוּעַ֥ת מֶ֖לֶךְ בּֽוֹ.  The Seforno relates the word תרועת to the blowing of the shofrot when the camp moved ותרועת מלך בו – בנסוע המחנות הם תוקעים תרועה בנסוע המשכן, לשמחה שיגילו במלכם.  (The Even Ezra learns similarly, not like Rashi that understands it to mean friendship.)  What is so great about the fact that we blow shofrot?  Rov Dovid Solovetchik explains based upon the yesod of his father that the shofar is also a form of prayer that such a concept is only applicable by Jews.  All individuals of the world can pray, ביתי בית תפלה יקרא לכל העמים but the prayer of the shofar is unique to Klal Yisroel.  Why is this form of prayer unique to Klal Yisroel?

Chazal say (midrash Tehillim Ch. 27) אורי זה ראש השנה.  Why is Rosh Hashana called the light?  Just as one who is lost needs to know where the light at the end of the tunnel is in order to go in the right direction, so too Rosh Hashana is our light to show us the way.  Rosh Hashana is the time to focus on the goal of the journey of teshuva.  We first set our sights on the goal and then can travel through the path of teshuva.   The Baal Shem Tov gives a mashal to explain tekias shofar of a prince who is lost from his father ,the king.  Years later, he comes back but no one recognizes him and he has long forgotten the language of the land.  So all he can do is cry out and hope his father recognizes his voice.  So too if Klal Yisroel has become unrecognizable, at least the voice, the קול קול יעקב can still be recognized.  The Midrash Eichah (3:8) says that the nations of the world look to the various ministers, the governing powers of nature to give them success, but Klal Yisroel turns directly to Hashem.  The recognition that the goal is 'ושבת עד ה is only something that Klal Yisroel has.  The other nations may pray for their own success but they lack in the innate desire to be recognized by Hashem is unique to Klal Yisroel.