Rebbi Chaim Elazar Spira, known as the Minchat Elazar, loved his grandson, Tzvi, in a exaggerated way.
On the first day of the month of Elul when he blew the Shofar, as is the custom, Tzvi was in the room and was visibly excited by its sounds.
He asked his grandfather for one more blast, and his grandfather gladly obliged. For the remainder of the month, this became a ritual; the Rebbe blowing the shofar each day for little Tzvi. On the day before Rosh Hashanah, Tzvi was there, awaiting his daily blast, but he was disappointed.
"Today is the day before Rosh Hashanah," his grandfather explained. "Today we do not blow the shofar. Tomorrow, on Rosh Hashana, we will blow the shofar in the synagogue."
The child did not comprehend. He kicked and screamed, "One more blast! One more blast!"
After a while, the grandfather softened at the sound of his favorite grandchild crying, and he took the shofar and blew one blast.
The next day, the Rebbe went up before the ark, opened it and said: "Master of the Universe, I have to repent. It's written that on the day before Rosh Hashanah one mustn't blow shofar, yet I did." He then began to cry and continued, "do you know why I transgressed this custom? It was because my young grandchild lay on the floor begging and crying that I should only blow one blast of the shofar for him. My heart melted, I couldn't bear to watch him cry and so I blew once for him.
"Tatte (Father), how can You stand by and see how millions of Your children are down on the floor, and crying out to You?! Tatte, one blast! Sound the blast of the "Great Shofar" which will herald the final Redemption! Even if the time for Moshiach has yet to arrive, Your children are crying out to You, Grant them their request!
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