In today’s daf – Menachos 28, there is a discussion about the silver trumpets made during the time of Moshe.  The Talmud states that these are unique for that generation and further generations make their own.  Ironically,  in this weeks parsha Vayalech, chapter 26  verse 28, the pasuk says “Gather to me the elders,  tribes and officers so I can speak to them about Heaven and Earth.”

Rashi on this pasuk states that they did not blow the trumpets to gather because Joshua did not have power over the trumpets , and then after Moshe died t they were hidden away. He cites the pasuk in “make for you”.

Wow.   The pasuk that rashi cites is the same one that the Talmud was dealing with in Menachos 28 -and the same concept: trumpets just for that generation.   It begs the question:  Why cant they keep using the same trumpets?  Why new ones for every generation?

Here is where Rosh Hashana kind of chimes in.. (maybe). Just as new trumpets must be made, for a new generation, so too do we have to look at laws, customs, values and make them our own, NOT change laws and values, but rather make them relevant, meanginful and valuable for our existence. In the upcoming New Year, our challenge is to take our values, customs, ideals and laws and make them more relevant and meaningful to us. We need to find new meanings in the timeless and unchanging laws.