The Essential Theme of Humility in the High Holidays The Bent Shofar: A Symbol of Humility On Rosh Hashanah , we blow the Shofar . The Halacha emphasizes the importance of a bent Shofar. Even if we have a choice between a bent Shofar from a goat and a straight one from a ram ( Ayil ), we choose the bent one. Furthermore, if the choice is between a straight Shofar with a great sound and a bent one with a lesser sound, the bent Shofar is still preferred. Why? The Mishnah Berurah explains that the essential requirement is for the Shofar to be bent, as the Gemara states. The bent shape symbolizes humility ( Anavah ). Rosh Hashanah is a day for humbling ourselves before God, and this principle of "bending" carries through the entire High Holiday period. Ne'ilah and the Essence of Awe This concept of humility extends directly to Yom Kippur , specifically during the concluding Ne'ilah prayer. The Gemara teaches that the core of the Ne'ilah service lies in the words: "Mah anachnu, mah chayeinu, mah kocheinu, mah gevurateinu" — "What are we? What is our life? What is our strength? What is our power?" We are declaring that we are nothing on our own. Why is this fundamental declaration of powerlessness so central to both Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur? The Desire to Be the Boss: The Original Sin The answer goes back to the Original Sin . The Serpent ( Nachash ) told Adam and Eve, "The reason God commanded you not to eat from that tree is because He ate from it and it made Him a boss. He doesn't want you to be a boss, too." We bought into the lie and ate. This event reveals a fundamental human flaw: a person's deep-seated desire to be in charge , to be the boss, and to reject the authority of anyone else. The "Curse" as a Correction ( Tikun ) To fix this innate arrogance, God instituted what is commonly called a "curse," but which the Nefesh HaChaim interprets as a correction ( Tikun ). God told man, "B'zeat apecha tochal lechem"—"By the sweat of your brow you will eat bread." And to the woman, "B'etzev teldi banim"—"In pain you will give birth to children." Why these two specific things? Because when is a person closest to feeling like a creator? When a man plants a seed in the ground and out comes a tree. When a woman conceives a seed in her womb and out comes a baby. In these moments, one is most likely to exclaim, " I'm the boss! Look what I just did! " God's wisdom ensures that precisely in these areas—your business and your family—where you feel most in control, a curveball will appear: a setback in your work or a difficulty in raising your children. The purpose ( Tachlit ) is to force us to cry out to God and declare, "I realize I'm not in charge; You are in charge." This is the meaning of the Tikun —the correction. The entire season of the High Holidays, symbolized by the bent Shofar , is designed to help us internalize this essential truth of humility and dependence on God.