The Shofar Communicates a Message Rabbi Bernie Fox

After the Torah is read and returned to hear its sounds but that we obey their command. its place, the congregation is seated. What is the command communicated by One person stands and recites the the shofar? The first step toward answering this blessing: Blessed are You, Hashem, L- question is to identify the theme of Rosh rd of the universe, who has sanctified HaShanah. us with His commandments and commanded us to hear the sound of the shofar. (Maimonides, Mishne You were revealed in Your cloud of Torah, Hilchot Shofar, Lulav, v’Sucah glory to Your sacred people to speak 3:10) with them. From the heavens You made them hear Your voice and revealed Yourself to them in thick The shofar communicates a message we are clouds of purity. Moreover, the entire called upon to obey universe shuddered before You and The sounding of the shofar is the central practice the creatures of creation trembled of Rosh HaShanah. Hearing its sounds is one of before You during Your revelation, Our King, on Mount Sinai to teach Your the Torah’s 613 commandments. The people Torah and commandments. ….. performance of many positive commandments You were revealed to them and with is preceded by a blessing.[1] There are a number the sound of the shofar You appeared of opinions regarding the proper blessing for to them. (Musaf Amidah of Rosh the mitzvah of shofar. The accepted opinion is HaShanah) presented above. Maimonides rules that the blessing ends with the words lishmoa kol shofar – to hear the sound of the shofar. In this The theme of Rosh HaShanah is Hashem’s blessing we acknowledge that Hashem kingship commanded us to hear the sounds of the shofar. The musaf amidah of Rosh HaShanah includes Rabbeinu Asher accepts the opinion above but three unique central blessings. The first of these notes variants of the benediction suggested by blessings – malchuyot – deals with Hashem’s other authorities. One alternative is to end the sovereignty. The second – zichronot – discusses blessing with the words lishmoa ba’kol shofar.[2] His providence over humankind and the Jewish This variant adds the ba prefix to the word kol – people. The final blessing – shofarot – is devoted sound. Although this addition seems minor, it to exploring the meaning of the shofar. The changes the meaning of the blessing. With this opening paragraph of this blessing is quoted addition, the blessing means to obey the sound above. It associates the shofar with the Sinai of the shofar.[3] revelation. The blessing suggests that We do not accept this opinion. However, its the shofar blast announces the revealed premise is important. This opinion points out presence of Hashem as sovereign of the that the fulfillment of universe. In other words, the shofar is akin to the the mitzvah of shofar requires that we not only trumpet blast proclaiming the entrance of a king. The Shofar Communicates a Message Rabbi Bernie Fox

The shofar’s proclamation of Hashem’s presence In the above quotation, Maimonides discusses is an expression of the day’s overall theme. Rosh the meaning of the shofar. He explains that HaShanah is the celebration of Hashem’s the shofar serves as a wake-up call. It urges us to sovereignty over the universe. This theme is fully reconsider our lives, renew our devotion to developed in the first of the central blessings of Hashem, abandon our sins, and repent. This the musaf amidah. This is the blessing message seems to be different from of malchuyot which discusses the sovereignty of the amidah’s commentary of the meaning of Hashem. The blessing has a second theme. It is the shofar. According to Maimonindes, also the blessing of kedushat ha’yom. It is the shofar beckons us to repent. According to devoted to describing the unique sanctity of the commentary of the amidah the shofar Rosh HaShanah. The combination of these two proclaims Hashem’s sovereignty. In order to themes suggests that they are closely related or respond to this issue, let us consider other even synonymous. The day’s sanctity is derived comments of Maimonides. from its designation as our celebration of

Hashem’s sovereignty.[4] Even though repentance and calling We now have a response to our question. What out [to Hashem] are desirable at all is the message of the shofar that we are called times, during the ten days between upon to obey? Rosh HaShanah celebrates Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, they Hashem’s sovereignty. The shofar announces are even more desirable and will be the entrance of the king. The shofar declares accepted immediately as [Isaiah 55:6] that Hashem is our king and that He is the ruler states: “Seek Hashem when He is to be of the entire universe. We obey the voice of found.” (Maimonides, Mishne Torah, the shofar by acknowledging Hashem’s kingship Hilchot Teshuvah 2:6) and serving Him as our ruler. For these reasons, it is customary for all of Israel to give profusely to charity, perform many good deeds, and be Even though the sounding of the occupied with mitzvot from Rosh shofar on Rosh HaShanah is a decree, HaShanah until Yom Kippur to a it contains an allusion. It is as if [the greater extent than during the shofar’s call] is saying: Wake up, remainder of the year. During these sleepy ones from your sleep and you ten days, the custom is for everyone to who slumber, arise. Inspect your rise [while it is still] night and pray in deeds, repent, remember your the synagogues with heart-rending Creator. Those who forget the truth in words of supplication until daybreak. the vanities of time and throughout the (Maimonides, Mishne Torah, Hilchot entire year, devote their energies to Teshuvah 3:4) vanity and emptiness which will not benefit or save: Look to your souls. Improve your ways and your deeds The Ten Days of Repentance and let every one of you abandon his evil path and thoughts. (Maimonides, Maimonides explains that during the period Mishne Torah, Hilchot Teshuvah 3:4) beginning with Rosh HaShannah and continuing through Yom Kippur emphasis should be given to

repentance. Conventionally, this period is The sounds of the shofar call upon us to repent referred to as the Aseret Yemai Teshuvah – the

2 OU Chag at Home 5781 The Shofar Communicates a Message Rabbi Bernie Fox

Ten Days of Repentance. The special character of was hated by the Omnipresent, this period is reflected in the practices that disgusting, far removed, and Maimonides associates it. These include giving abominable. Now, he is beloved and more intense and consistent attention to the desirable, close, and dear. performance of mitzvot and rising in the (Maimonides, Mishne Torah, Hilchot morning to recite selichot – prayers of Teshuvah 7:6) supplication and penitence. In practice, the liturgy of Rosh HaShanah does not include such Two Aspects of Repentance prayers. We do not recite vedoi – the confession of our sins. We do not engage in expression of The answer lies appreciating that there are two contrition.[5] This is because Rosh HaShanah aspects to teshuvah – to repentance. First, the celebrates Hashem’s sovereignty. Its mood is commitment of a sin requires that we repent. festive and joyous.[6] It is not appropriate in this This aspect is explained by Maimonides in the context to dwell upon our sins and engage in first quotation above. In the second quotation, expressions of contrition. But how do we Maimonides focuses upon the second aspect reconcile our observance of Rosh HaShanah with of teshuvah. When we sin we move away from Maimonides’ assertion that it initiates a period Hashem. Our sins create a partition between us of repentance? Where in our observance of Rosh and Hashem. Teshuvah is the means of restoring HaShanah is there any element of repentance or our relationship with Him. It rips down the contrition? barrier that separates between us and Hashem. In short, teshuvah is a response to sin and it is a If a person transgresses any of the mitzvot of the Torah, whether a restoration of our relationship with Hashem. positive command or a negative The Aseret Yemai Teshuvah are devoted to both command – whether willingly or aspects of teshuvah. They are a time to repent inadvertently – when he repents, and our sins and atone for the specific sins we have returns from his sin, he must confess committed. They are also a time to return to before the L-rd, blessed be, He as Hashem and restore our relationship with Him. [Numbers 5:6-7] states: “If a man or a Appropriately, Rosh HaShanah initiates this woman commit any of the sins of period. We begin our return to Hashem by man… they must confess the sin that acknowledging and personally accepting His they committed.” (Maimonides, sovereignty. Rosh HaShanah does not Mishne Torah, Hilchot Teshuvah 1:1) feature vedoi or expression of contrition. But its Teshuvah is great for it draws a man clear resounding declaration of Hashem’s close to the Shechinah as [Hoshea majesty is the beginning of the process of 14:2] states: “Return, O Israel, to returning to Him and restoring our relationship Hashem, your L-rd;” [Amos 4:6] states: with Him. “`You have not returned to Me,’ declares Hashem;” and [Jeremiah 4:1] Let us consider an analogy. Many of us have states: “`If you will return, 0 Israel,’ entered into a conflict with a friend and after declares Hashem, `You will return to time wished to bring the conflict to a close. We Me.'” Implied is that if you will return apologized and perhaps, we exchanged in teshuvah, you will cling to Me. apologies with the other person. But even after Teshuvah brings near those who were apologies were exchanged, tension remained. far removed. Previously, this person

3 OU Chag at Home 5781 The Shofar Communicates a Message Rabbi Bernie Fox

The relationship that we enjoyed before the relationship with Him. This is our wake-up call. conflict was not restored. Once we acknowledge His sovereignty and embrace the challenge of returning to Him, we How could we have secured a better outcome? feel compelled to consider our lives, repent from What measure would have restored the our sins and seek His forgiveness.[7] relationship that we miss? Well, what would have happened if instead of offering a simple [1] Not every positive commandment is apology, we had first spoken to our friend about preceded by a blessing. For example, we are the meaningfulness of the relationship that we commanded to honor our parents. When one shared, then described how much we miss this cares for one’s parents this commandment is relationship, and finally apologized for specific fulfilled. Nonetheless, no blessing is recited prior wrongs? I suspect that this apology would have to the fulfilling the commandment. Why some been more effective. This is because our friend positive commandments are preceded by a would understand that it is not merely an blessing and others are not is discussed apology for a specific wrongdoing; it is an extensively among the authorities. apology for discounting the importance of our [2] Rabbaynu Asher, Commentary on the relationship and allowing this conflict to Talmud, Mesechet Rosh HaShanah, Chapter 4, undermine it. note 10. The point of this analogy is that like two friends [3] This conclusion assumes that when in conflict, we too must take responsibility for the ba prefix is added to the word kol and our wrongdoings and apologize; we must repent follows a conjugation of the verb ShMA – for for our sins. But this repentance is more example, liShMoA – it changes the meaning of meaningful when it is founded upon a desire to the phrase from hear the voice to obey the voice. restore our relationship with Hashem. Rosh This conclusion is based upon the meaning of HaShanah expresses that desire to restore our this expression in the Torah. For example, see: relationship with Hashem. Through our Sefer Beresheit 21:12, 27:8, Sefer Shemot 4:1, declaration of His sovereignty, we declare that 23:21, Sefer BeMidbar 14:22, Sefer Devarim we wish to return to Him. Upon this foundation, 9:23, and 21:18. An exception is Sefer BeMidbar we move forward during the remaining days of 21:3. In this instance, the phrase means the Aseret Yemai Teshuvah and offer to respond to the voice. Thank you to Rabbi our vedoi and supplications. Michael Taubes for this insight into the significance of this variation from the accepted version of the blessing. (Is There a Mitzvah of Acknowledgment of Hashem’s kingship is the Teshuvah on Rosh HaShana?, YUTorah.org). foundation of our repentance [4] The Talmud in Mesechet Berachot explains We can now return to our original question. that a blessing must conclude with a single What is the message of the shofar? Is it a theme. The conclusion of malchiyot / kedushat proclamation of Hashem’s presence as our king ha’yom is Blessed are You, Hashem, King over all or is it a wake-up call to perform teshuvah? the world, Who sanctifies Israel and the Day of It is fundamentally a declaration of Hashem’s Remembrance. This conclusion combines kingship. But in the context of Rosh HaShanah, reference to Hashem’s sovereignty with this declaration wakes us up to the imperative to description of the day’s unique sanctity as the perform teshuvah. We declare that Hashem is Day of Remembrance. This formulation seems to our king and proclaim our desire to renew our violate the rule that a blessing must conclude

4 OU Chag at Home 5781 The Shofar Communicates a Message Rabbi Bernie Fox with a single theme. Based upon the above an historical connection between the sounding discussion, this issue is easily resolved. Because to the shofar and the first day of Elul. Also, it Hashem’s sovereignty is fundamental to the associates the shofar blast with Hashem’s theme of the Day of Remembrance these are not presence. He ascends with the blast of two separate themes but merge into a single the shofar. However, we do not sound theme. See similar remarks by Rav Yosef Dov the shofar during the month of Elul solely to Soloveitchik, Harerai Kedem vol 1 p 45. acknowledge Hashem’s presence or His approach. As on Rosh HaShanah, it is intended to [5] On Rosh HaShanah, it is customary to evoke an urgency to repent. Tur provides a recite Avinu Malkaynu following the leader’s second source that describes the shofar as such repetition of the amidah. However, there is a wake-up call. In other words, dispute among the authorities as to whether the inherently, shofar proclaims Hashem’s first line should be included. This is because this sovereignty. However, our objective in sounding line proclaims that we have sinned before the shofar during Elul is not only to announce His Hashem. The authorities who exclude this line presence but also to thereby, inspire argue that it is inconsistent with the theme of repentance. Rosh HaShanah. We do not focus upon confessing our sins or engage in expressions of contrition. See: Mishne Berurah 584:3. [6] Of course, the atmosphere of joy is accompanied by our recognition that on Rosh HaShanah Hashem sits in judgment. The Avinu Malkaynu verses that are recited are comprised of various petitions for salvation. These verse acknowledge that Hashem is our king and that He determines our destiny. Also, other elements of the liturgy focus upon judgment and appeal to Hashem for salvation. Nonetheless, our awareness of the seriousness of the occasion is not intended to negate the joy of the day. [7] Tur, Orech Chayim 581 discusses the custom of sounding the shofar from the beginning of Elul. He cites two sources. The first is a midrash. Moshe ascended Mount Sinai on the first of Elul to receive the second Tablets. Accompanying his ascent, a shofar was sounded in the camp. The midrash adds that also Hashem “ascended with that shofar blast”. Tur adds that the shofar is also associate with repentance. The commentaries on Tur discuss his reasons for providing two explanations of the significance of shofar in support of the custom. According to the above, Tur’s comments can be explained. Tur first quotes the midrash. The midrash provides

5 OU Chag at Home 5781