The Bitter Cries of Eicha

In class, we discussed a connection between the shofar and Eicha. At first glance, it seems that these ideas are not related at all. Why would the shofar, blown on the happy holiday of Rosh Hashana, have anything to do with the heart-wrenching tale of Eicha? To answer our question, we must look deeper into this Rosh Hashana tradition.

The shofar is blown every Rosh Hashana, unless one day falls out on a Shabbat. There are numerous reasons behind blowing the shofar, but one interesting theory is that the different sounds of the shofar are supposed to sound like different types of crying, and this is to symbolize that we are crying out to God for our forgiveness and for His mercy. The Tekiah is made up of one breath that produces a simple tone, which can be said to symbolize a simple cry because a person wants something that they cannot express. Other opinions state that the Tekiah could even be an expression of happiness. The Shevarim and Teruah, however, are both expressions of suffering and pain. The Shevarim, three separate blasts, represents a deeper type of crying, which expresses frustration and sadness. The third sound, the Teruah, is the most notable sound of the three. It is made up of nine short blasts, which sound like real crying. However, this is not a normal type of crying. It is supposed to sound like a bitter cry f despair that comes from deep inside a person, when they are in immense pain or have suffered an unbearable loss.

The tale of Eicha embodies the sound of the Teruah. This Megillah is not a happy story like we associate with other Megillot, such as Esther. This story is one of utter despair and depression, an insight into what happens when a person reaches rock bottom and is unable to go on. This Megillah is supposed to make us realize the intense and horrific deed that was done to our people and to feel the deep sense of loss and pain that goes with it. Yerushalayim , in Perek Aleph, is still involved in this emotional mourning process, and through the personification of the city we, too, are invited to glimpse and experience what she is going through, in the hopes that we can also understand the importance of what was lost, in order to learn how to prevent such a tragedy from ever recurring.