The Shofar Firetruck

When a firetruck's siren is heard, different people react to it differently. Let us examine each of them.

The inner-city resident
This person hears sirens and honks under his kitchen windows at all hours of the day. He has grown used to these sounds being a part of the ambience which he considers "normal-life city sounds". The siren is no more concerning or interesting to him than the chirping of the birds, or clatter of storefront gates opening and closing.
The siren blows past him as if it were a gentle breeze. No panic. No interest. No reason to interrupt his life.

The motorist
This person knows that the siren is a sign that he has to temporarily interrupt his trip, pull over to the side, and allow the firetruck to pass, before he can resume his trip. Chances are that most time, the siren is on the other side of the highway, or on an entirely different street. But, when he hears the sound, he gives a quick glance around, and checks his mirrors, to see if the siren is a reason for him to make a change in his plans.

The fireman
Charged with adrenaline, when the fireman hears the siren it is a sign that he is on his way to fulfill his duties. His duties will push him to the limits of what his mind body and spirit can handle - his work may ultimately cost him his life R"L. The siren is a call for alertness and readiness. The siren is a reminder: I am on call. I am reliable. I am going to make a difference! 

The owner, or person stuck in the burning house R"L
As the heat intensifies and fire licks at every inch of consumable material, this person awaits the help of the fireman and the power of his hose to save him. To this person, the sound of the siren is a sound of relief, a sign that someone is coming to address the danger he faces. The siren symbolizes the hope that whatever darkness he faces now, will come to a swift end. To this person, the siren is his lifeline; the only reassurance that he will be saved.

***

During the month of Elul, the sound of the Shofar calls us to do Teshuva.

Yet, our Yetzer Hara cleverly helps us ignore the Shofar's call to action, and dismiss it as "normal-life city sounds", or as a "siren on another street". We sing Haneirois Halalu on Chanuka and we hear Shofar in Elul. There is no urgency nor reason for us to interrupt our trip.

Our Yetzer Tov is like the person stuck in the fire, scalded by a year of could-have-done-better" and missed opportunities. 

The Yetzer Tov awaits the sound of the Shofar because he hopes that we will respond to it as a fireman would: with alacrity, energy and commitment to push ourselves to the limit and save the burning house. The Yetzer Tov hopes that the sound of the Shofar indicates that we are alert and on duty, and heading at full speed, in full gear, doing whatever it takes to save our Neshama, and douse it with the waters of Torah, Mitzvos, Chassidus and Yiras Shomayim.

The siren was sounded!

Gear up! Speed up!

May we have a gebentchte Chodesh Elul and a gebentchte 5779 - in Yemos Hamoshiach!