“In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe…a zichron truah, a sacred day, a remembrance [with] loud blasts” (Vayikra 23:24).
“In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe a sacred occasion…a day of truah, blasts, it should be for you” (Bamidbar 29:2).
These are the only two places in the Torah that refer to the holiday that we call Rosh Hashanah. The Torah calls this holiday, celebrated on the first day of the seventh month, a Yom Truah, a day of blowing [the shofar] and a Zichron Truah, a term which Rashi translates, day in which we blow the shofar as a prayer that G-d will remember us for good.
Shofar is not only integral to Rosh Hashanah, it is the essence of the day. We take the lulav on Sukkot but there is so much more to Sukkot than the lulav. Even matza, important as it is, is just one of the many aspects of Pesach. But Rosh Hashanah without shofar is, well it’s hard to call it Rosh Hashanah. Even the special prayers we say on Rosh Hashanah, Malchiot, Zichronot and Shofarot are focused on the shofar. The theme of Shofarot is, as its name clearly indicates, about shofar. In Zichronot we make mention of the Biblical verses which speak of the blowing of the Shofar and pray that the blowing of the shofar will evoke Divine mercy. Malchiot, the coronation of G-d, is done through the shofar. As our Sages note “And recite before Me on Rosh Hashanah [verses that mention] Kingships, Remembrances, and Shofarot: Kingships so that you will crown Me as King over you; Remembrances so that your remembrance will rise before Me for good; and with what will the remembrance rise, with the shofar” (Rosh Hashanah 16a).
As Rav Soloveitchik explains shofar is actually a form, perhaps the best form of prayer. Words are limiting, and after having mumbled some we cry out to G-d with the sound of the shofar. Just as the cries of the baby evoke compassion and mercy of the parents, we cry to our Father in heaven beseeching Him for compassion. That shofar is the mechanism by which we pray on Rosh Hashanah is highlighted by the fact that the mitzva of blowing the shofar is fulfilled during the recital of Malchiot, Zichronot and Shofarot[1].
So integral is shofar to G-d’s kingship, to Rosh Hashanah itself, that Rabbi Akiva argued “If one does not sound the shofar for the blessing of Kingship, why mention it?” (Mishna Rosh Hashanah 4:5).
Moreover, even if the Torah did not specifically tell us to blow shofar on the first day of the seventh month, there would still be an obligation to blow the shofar. Rosh Hashanah is also Rosh Chodesh, the first day of the new month and the first day of every month is a time of shofar blowing. “In the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, you shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your G-d: I am the Lord your G-d” (Bamidbar 10:10).
Yet this year we will ignore the clear directive of the Torah and not blow the shofar on the day the Torah tells us we must. How can that be? So radical is the cancelation of this mitzva, the mitzva of the day, maybe even of the year, that our Talmudic rabbis thought that there had to be some Biblical support for not blowing shofar on shabbat.
Noting how the Torah refers to Rosh Hashanah both as a Yom Truah and a Zichron Truah the Talmud suggest that zicharon, related to the word, zachor, to remember, refers to a year in which Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbat. In those years we will remember the shofar, we will make mention of it, but we will not blow it. This interpretation is rejected by the Talmud; if this interpretation would be correct then why does the Mishna teach the shofar was blown on Shabbat in the Temple even when Rosh Hashanah fell on Shabbat?
Rather, the Talmud notes, it is rabbinic decree “as Rabba said: All are obligated to sound the shofar, but not all are experts in sounding the shofar. This is a decree lest he take the shofar in his hand and go to an expert to learn and he will carry it four cubits in the public domain” (Rosh Hashanah 29b). This is a remarkable argument.
It is true that under certain circumstances the rabbis have the right to tell us to passively ignore a mitzva but why would they do so regarding shofar? Is the fear that the ba’al tokea, the one who blows the shofar, will need expert advice on the morning of and actually carry the shofar on shabbat, a legitimate fear? For this rather far-fetched fear the entire Jewish people should have to miss shofar?[2] Other mitzvot such as brit milah or korban pesach were not cancelled due to Shabbat where the fear, especially by korban pesach, that someone may carry on Shabbat is many times greater.
Clearly there is something about shofar which our Sages felt would allow us to miss it every few years.
“Rabbi Abbahu said: Why does one sound a shofar from a ram’s horn? The Holy One, Blessed be He, said: Sound before Me with a shofar from a ram’s horn, so that I will remember for you the binding of Isaac, son of Abraham, [in whose stead a ram was sacrificed] and I will ascribe it to you as if you had bound yourselves before Me” (Rosh Hashanah 16a).
The theme of Akeidat Yitzchak, the binding of Yitzchak, is central to Rosh Hashanah, from the many prayers that highlight it, to the Torah reading, and culminating with the shofar. The story of the Akeidah is one of silence. G-d appears to Abraham and asks him to offer his son on the altar. Avraham does not say a word. This in marked contrast to his reaction when G-d told him He would destroy the city of Sedom. Yet he traveled for three days with his son and two servants and not a word is spoken[3]. Only as they near the mountain, Avraham tells his servants to stay behind as he will go alone – in silence – to sacrifice his son. The only words are the innocent, even naïve, question of Yitzchak, “Here are the firestone and the wood; but where is the sheep for the burnt offering?”
This is the first we hear of an offering of a sheep as it was inconceivable to Yitzhak that anything else but an animal would be offered. To which Avraham, not being fully forthcoming, responds “G-d will show the lamb for a burnt-offering, my son, and the two of them walked together” in silence until “they came to the place”. When they arrived, Avraham ties up his son, puts him on the altar, takes a knife and readies to slaughter his son – in total silence. We hear nary a word from Avraham nor from Yitzchak. Was Yitzchak yelling and screaming, praying, or happy to be sacrificed to G-d? The Torah is silent. Only when a heavenly voice orders Avraham to stop is the silence broken. Avraham looks up sees a ram caught by its horn – its shofar – in the bushes, takes it and sacrifices it on the altar.
It is this shofar, the shofar of silence, that plays such an important role on Rosh Hashanah.
On Rosh Hashanah we blow the shofar to coronate G-d as the King of kings, the Master of the Universe. It is a “100-gun salute”. But when Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbat we coronate G-d through silence. We are reminded of the Akeidah, of bending our will to the will of G-d, despite the sacrifices demanded. While Avraham did not have to carry out an actual Akeidah, sadly all too often there was no angel to save Jewish children, and adults, from being sacrificed. The one who would be in charge of the Altar, Aharon suffered through an actual Akeidah with two sons dying as they we making an offering on the altar. “Vayidom Aharon, and Aharon was silent”. In the face of tragedy, there are no words to say. This is why one may not offer comfort to one who has not yet buried their dead, no words of comfort are yet possible. One may not even speak upon entering a house of mourning unless and until the mourner speaks first.
The books of life and death are opened on Rosh Hashanah. We hope and pray the we, the Jewish people and the world at large, will be inscribed in the books of health, joy, peace and all good things. We are excited to acknowledge that our King is also our loving Father, willing to overlook our shortcomings, and announce His dominion to the world. Yet “one is obligated to bless on the bad just as one blesses for the good" (Brachot 54a). At times the book of life is closed and our prayers are turned away. We accept the Divine decree in silence - the sounds of the shofar are silent.
While the first day of Rosh Hashana can fall on Shabbat the second day cannot. The Jewish people are eternal optimists and always end with a message of hope. Even when the shofar is sadly silent we look forward to hearing its glorious sounds as we rejoice with G-d when “the Yom Tov of Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbat[4]”.
[1] As the Ba’al Hamaor explains we blow shofar before the Amidah for the benefit of those who are unable to stay in shul for the entire repetition of the Amidah. Some go so far and suggest that if one knows (is that actually possible?) that one will stay in shul to end they should have in mind not to fulfil the obligation of shofar with this first blowing before Mussaf. This is not something we would recommend but it does highlight the connection between prayer and shofar.
[2] No less an authority than the Chafetz Chaim, in his commentary to the Shulchan Aruch, Biur Halacha (Orach Chaim #303:18) wonders why we still maintain this policy. Basing himself of the view that nowadays we no longer have “public areas” and hence the prohibition to carry on Shabbat is a rabbinic prohibition, he wonders why we don’t blow shofar nowadays when Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbat? This is based on the concept that we are not allowed to make rabbinic decrees to protect other rabbinic decrees. He provides no answer to his query.
[3] Words may have been spoken but the Torah does not record them, urging us to understand this as a silent journey.
[4] The complete sentence reads “When the Yom Tov of Rosh Hashnah falls on Shabbat, in the Temple they would blow [the shofar] but not in the countryside” (Rosh Hashanah 29b). In the Temple where the presence of G-d dwells the shofar is never silenced.
