One in a hundred
Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev said to God one Rosh HaShanah:
“Ribbono Shel Olam, Master of the World!
“You ordained ‘a day of t’ru’ah‘ – blowing the shofar (Num. 29:1). See how much Your children love You! You commanded a t’ru’ah – and they blow a hundred notes.
“Thousands, tens of thousands, millions of Your people Israel have blown those hundred notes for millennia.
“How many shofar notes have been sounded over the ages? No-one can count them. But at the same time they have called upon You with the words, T’ka b’shofar gadol l’cherutenu – ‘God, blow just one note on Your great shofar to herald the beginning of our freedom and redemption.
“God, You asked us for one t’ki’ah, and we give You a hundred multiplied over and over again. All we ask from You is one t’ki’ah. Why can’t You give us just that one note?”
A modern Levi Yitzchak would not leave it at that. This might be what he says:
“Ribbono Shel Olam, Your people suffer so much. Please hasten the day of their redemption. They really try to be good human beings but they have to fight an environment of immorality.
“They try to be good Jews but they have to struggle against temptations that are hard to resist. They enrich the world but they receive insults in return.
“They have a tiny Holy Land where they work miracles but even some of their own people want to dismember it. They know You are on their side but they yearn for a sign of Your love.
“I implore You, Ribbono Shel Olam, come to their rescue with Your one shofar note!”
