I am a technophile, a first adopter, and a lover of all things “gadgety.” From my first Palm Pilot, to my current Blackberry, I love ‘em all.
Imagine my surprise, then, to read, in JTA (the Jewish Telegraphic Agency), that Judaism brought to the world the first wireless technology. And not only that; the Shofar, the article points out, is among the “greenest” technologies ever.
JTA, in "Seeing Green in the Shofar and its Call to Action," offers:
Is green the theme of the shofar this Rosh Hashanah season? In a year of sustainability and carbon footprints, high gas and hybrids, the shofar is the simplest, most eco-friendly method of reaching the Jewish community with a vital message.
The shofar, if you pause to think about it, is a rhapsody in green. Lightweight and easily transportable, it sports no moving parts -- the shofar blower, or ba’al tekiah’s, own mouth becomes the mouthpiece. Yet it's dependable enough to deliver the complex musical message required to begin a new Jewish year.
A totally natural product, its availability is a byproduct of an already ongoing ancient enterprise -- sheep herding.
Powered by one human, and empowered by a congregation, the shofar requires no batteries, power cord or transformer. When we hear it, we are the ones who become transformed.
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