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Week 41 - Tuesday - 5 September 2000

ROSH HASHANAH: CHAPTER 3: MISHNAH 2

All shofarot are acceptable except that of a cow, because it is a horn [keren]. Rabbi Yose said, But are not all shofarot called "horn" as it is written, "when they make a long blast with the horn of the yovel" (Josh. 6:5).

Kehati

The chief precept of Rosh Hashanah is the blowing of the shofar; this is why the Torah calls this holy day "a day of blowing," "a memorial proclaimed with the blast of horns." From here to the end of the Tractate, the mishnayot deal with the laws of the blowing of the shofar on Rosh Hashanah. This mishnah teaches which shofarot it is permitted to blow on Rosh Hashanah.

All the shofarot are acceptable - for the blowing on Rosh Hashanah, whether the shofar of a ram, which is normally bent, or the shofar of a ya'el (a type of wild mountain goat living in the rocks of Ein Gedi and the hills near the Dead Sea), which is straight, except that of a cow - or of a bull, because it is a horn [keren] - and it is not called a shofar, and only a shofar may be used on Rosh Hashanah. This is learned from Yom Kippur of the Yovel year, regarding which it is written, "Then you shall make proclamations with the blast of the shofar on the tenth day of the seventh month" (Lev. 25:9).

Rabbi Yose said, But are not all shofarot called "horn"? as it is written, "when they make a long blast with the horn of the yovel" - i.e., with the shofar made from the horn of the ram, for yovel means ram. Some versions of this mishnah include the rest of the verse from Joshua: "And it shall be, that when they make a long blast with the horn of the yovel, and when you hear the sound of the shofar" - implying that the shofar of a ram is also called "horn," and if the horn of a ram is fit for blowing, why should the horn of a cow not be fit for blowing on Rosh Hashanah? The Gemara cites the Sages' reply to Rabbi Yose: All the shofarot are called both "horn" and "shofar," but that of a cow is called only "horn," and is not called "shofar." Therefore, the horn of a cow is not fit for blowing. Another reason cited by the Gemara is because the accuser cannot become the advocate. Since the cow is reminiscent of the sin of the Golden Calf, it is symbolic of an accuser; its horn therefore may not be used as a shofar, which symbolizes an advocate, when we come on Rosh Hashanah to ask for forgiveness from the Creator.

Tosafot explains that the mishnah does not mention the horn of the re'em (the wild ox) or that of the deer, because they are not hollow, and are not usable as a shofar, and are invalid according to all opinions. Rabbeinu Nissim observes that it is a shofar only when it is hollow, for the word shofar is derived from the word shefoferet, tube.

ROSH HASHANAH: CHAPTER 3: MISHNAH 3

The shofar of Rosh Hashanah is of a wild goat, straight, and its mouthpiece is coated with gold, and two trumpets at the sides. A shofar sounds a long note and the trumpets a short note, for the obligation of the day is with the shofar.

Kehati

The shofar of Rosh Hashanah is of a wild goat, straight - the commandment is to blow with a shofar of a wild goat, which is not bent but straight. Rabbi Yehudah, however, disagrees with this mishnah, and holds that on Rosh Hashanah a bent shofar of a wild goat must be blown (see mishnah 5, below). The Gemara explains that the Tanna of this mishnah holds, "The more a person straightens his mind, the better" i.e., since the shofar blasts on Rosh Hashanah are for the purpose of remembrance and prayer, it is important that a person's thinking shall be simple and straightforward on this day (for the joy of the day also fills his heart with the belief and assurance that God will hear his prayers, and will inscribe him for life and for peace). It follows that the obligation is to blow with a simple shofar. And Rabbi Yehudah holds, the more a person bends his mind, the better is his prayer - it is important that on Rosh Hashanah a person bow his head during prayer, and pray contritely, and with a penitent heart, and therefore the obligation is to blow with a bent shofar. Rambam writes: "And the shofar with which we blow, on Rosh Hashanah, and on the Yovel, is a bent sheep's horn" (Hil. shofar 1:1). The Gemara also states, "Why do we blow with the shofar of a ram? The Holy One, blessed be He, said, 'Blow before Me the shofar of a ram, so that I will remember on your behalf the binding of Isaac" (R. H. 16a); and its - the shofar's, mouthpiece is coated with gold - this refers to the shofar of the Temple; the Gemara explains that it was not coated with gold where the lips touched it because this would invalidate the shofar; and two trumpets at the sides - i.e., in the Temple two people stood, one on either side of the person blowing the shofar, and blew with him trumpets, as it is written, "With trumpets and sound of the shofar make joyous acclamation before the King, the Lord" (Ps. 98:6).

A shofar sounds a long note and the trumpets a short note - the person blowing the shofar continues to blow after the trumpeters have ceased blowing, so that only the sound of the shofar is heard at the end, for the obligation of the day is with the shofar - i.e., the shofar extends its sound in order to announce that the obligation of the day is with the shofar. Rabbeinu Nissim notes that the person blowing the shofar stands in the middle because good manners demand that if three people are walking, the most distinguished one of them should walk in the middle.

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