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B"H
QUESTION: Up until the days of Rav Abhu of Caesarea (around the 3rd Century C.E.), all of Israel practiced blowing only three series of three blasts (Teki'ah, Teru'ah and Teki'ah), for a total of nine blasts, made by the Shofar on the Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashana). This is the teaching carried in our Mishnah, Rosh Hashana 4:9. Rambam follows-up with a halachic ruling that there are to be a total of 30 blasts made by the Shofar! (Maimonides, Hilchos Shofar 3:3) Some communities practice making 70 blasts, while most communities, following the Shulchan Arukh, will make a total of 101 blasts on Rosh Hashana. What is the cause for all this inconsistency in our teachings? ANSWER: Indeed, the original practice in Israel was to hear a total of only nine blasts made by the Shofar on Rosh Hashana. This practice was later changed, as you correctly noted, by Rav Abhu, because of doubts that had arisen surrounding the actual performance of this commandment. During the first series, Rab Abhu enacted that they blow a [very long] sustained blast (Teki'ah), followed by three [short] lilting blasts (Shevarim), followed by a [long] quavering blast (Teru'ah), and again by a [very long] sustained blast (Teki'ah). This series was to be repeated three times. During the second series, he enacted that they blow one [very long] sustained blast (Teki'ah), followed by three [short] lilting blasts (Shevarim), followed by a [very long] sustained blast (Teki'ah). This series was also to be repeated three times. During the third series, he enacted that they blow a [very long] sustained blast (Teki'ah), followed by a [long] quavering blast (Teru'ah), and again a [very long] sustained blast (Teki'ah). Again, this series was to be repeated three times. (The first series has a combination of four interchanging sounds made by the horn, which, when repeated thrice, make for a total of twelve blasts. The second series has a combination of three interchanging sounds, which, when repeated thrice, make for a total of nine blasts. The third and final series has a combination of three interchanging sounds, which, when repeated thrice, make for a total of nine blasts. The sum total is thirty blasts.) Besides the greater number of blasts made by the horn, the substantial change made by Rab Abhu is in his adding the "short, lilting blasts" (Shevarim), which blasts have the resounding pitch of a person who is crying. This was added because of a doubt originating over the meaning of the word used by Onkelos and Yonathan ben Uzziel in their Aramaic translations on Vayikra 23:24 and Bamidbar 29:1, where they both translated "a quavering blast" (Teru'ah) as "a wailing sound," (Aramaic: "Yababa"), which happens to be also the same word used in describing the sound made by the mother of Sisera in Judges 5:28, when she moaned the loss of her son. With the ram's horn, it was not known if this word meant short, intermittent lilting blasts, or one long quavering blast, from whence he prescribed that we do both in the first series. Another doubt, however, arose because of this enactment. It was not known whether or not the addition of "three short lilting blasts" in between the older practice would disqualify the whole. For this reason, we also blow "three short lilting blasts" in a series by itself, and "one long quavering blast" in a series by itself. Each are done separately. Those who practice making 70 blasts with the ram's horn (Shofar), more notably the Yemenite Jews of the Baladi-rite, do so only because the first thirty blasts are made while the congregation is sitting. These same thirty blasts are repeated when the congregation stands up during the Musaf-prayer, during which time the emissary of the congregation (Shaliach Tzibbur) leads them in prayer out-loud. Since he fulfills their obligation, the Musaf-prayer is only said once by them. There is no "chazarah," and subsequently, there is no need to make an additional thirty blasts at this time. Another ten blasts are made at the end of the prayer, in accordance with a tradition passed down from the days of the Geonim. Those who practice 101 blasts, follow a teaching that is first mentioned by the "Ba'alei Tosfos." Thirty blasts are blown while the congregation is sitting. Another thirty blasts are made while standing silently in the Musaf-prayer. Another thirty blasts are made at the "chazarah" of the Musaf-prayer. Ten blasts are made at the end of the prayer, according to a tradition left with us by the Geonim. These are usually blown while in the midst of saying the "Kadish Tiskabal." Finally, a long quavering blast is made at the end of all these, concluding the Shul service on Rosh Hashana. This last blast is said to have the effect of confusing Satan. It should be noted, here, that in some Sephardic and Ashkenazi traditions, the quavering blast (Teru'ah) is believed to be a string of many short-lived, broken blasts made by the tongue (e.g. tut-tut-tut-tut, etc.), rather than a long, trembling blast originating from the stomach as practiced by the Yemenites and Babylonian Jewish community. Each community is admonished to persist in the tradition which his fathers received. |
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GY Moderator  |
Thank you R' David for that.
Our custom here in England among the Ashkenazim (and probably in the US as well) is to blow 100 notes, leaving out the one long one you mention at the very end. There are also different customs as to whether or not the Shofar is sounded during the silent Musaf Amidah, as well as during the repetition.. |
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Volunteer |
Reb Yisroel, according to what you are saying, is that, the minhag in England is to not blow a Tekiah Gedolah?
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GY Moderator |
Note #100 is a Tekiah Gedolah. What R' David was saying was that some communities blow separately an extra Tekiah Gedolah as note #101.
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B"H
Rebbe Yisroel, Yes, the source for blowing only one-hundred notes during Rosh Hashana , as opposed to one-hundred and one, is mentioned in the Talmud, Rosh Hashana 33b (Tosfos, s.v. שעור), where it says in the name of the Arukh that the one-hundred blasts represent the one-hundred moans (Heb. פעיות) made by the mother of Sisera. Therefore, in order to reach that number, the series of thirty blasts had to be repeated twice during the Musaf-prayers. The Yemenite Jews of the Baladi-rite altogether omit these additional blasts, relying on a teaching in the Jerusalem Talmud (Berakhot 36a) that the Musaf-prayer on Rosh Hashana (באלין תקיעתא) can be said only once, outloud, by the Shaliach Tzibbur, without the congregation having to say it silently, since he fulfills their duty on that day. This has always been the practice of the Yemenites, since earliest times. |
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As we say in Hebrew, I have already been in this movie.
The Rosh asked how can we blow 100 blasts, isn't it Baal Tosef, adding to the commandment which HaShem gave us. This is a bigger problem on a Holiday, since playing instuments is forbidden on holidays. Various answers are given: 1. There is no law against repeating a mitzveh. I can pick up and put down the lulav all day. However, personally I think it incorrect to announce to the congregation they should have all the Shofer blasts in mind as if it was one mitveh when saying the blessing. 2. Baal Toseph only applies to individuals. If the whole congregation under the leadership of their Rabbis adapts a custom, it is not Baal Toseph. For those who follow the history of Midrash, the original midrash was the cry of Sarah when she heard that Yitchak had been sacrificed which would make sense. However this midrash was lost in most ms's of Tanchuma, so when the Rabbis of the middle ages had to guess the origin, they picked on Sisera mother. As for not repeating the Shemoneh Esreh on Rosh HaShanah, the Meor Hakatan says that in his youth his community adapted the custom. However, after a few years, they figured they liked the old way better and went back to repeating the Shemoneh Esreh of Musaf. I believe this is the shortes half-life of a minhag on record. |
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