THEMES of Featured Ascent Lights

The physical action of blowing the shofar on Rosh Hashanah entails breathing deeply in and then blowing out, reminiscent of the description of the formation of man: "and G‑d blew into his nostrils the soul of life." During the holiday of Sukkot, the most inner, deep felt prayers of the previous holidays must now find practical ways to manifest themselves in the outside world. The in-out, out-in, motion of shaking the four species is a potent symbol of unification and actualizing our goals and hopes for the new year.