ובהקהיל את העם תתקעו ואל תריעוHashem instructed Moshe: When gathering the Yidden, blow a Tekiah, not a Teruah.
(Bamidbar 10:5)
What is the significance of the Tekia sound, vis-a-vis the Teruah sound? Why is Tekia the sound that gathers the nation?
***
For most immigrants coming to America in the late 1800s and early 1900s, it was extremely rare to find a job that did not require one to work on Shabbos. As such, many frum Jews were in constant search of a livelihood, often losing their jobs before or immediately after Shabbos, as a result of their not working on Shabbos.
The story is told of two families who struggled with Parnassa, yet fought valiantly to stay steadfast to a Torah lifestyle. Every week, each father set out to find a job, only to lose it at the end of the week, for their commitment not to work on Shabbos.
Interestingly enough, when the children of one family grew up, they stayed committed to a Torah lifestyle, while the children of the other family did not.
