Additional Shofar Blasts And בל תוסיף

Tosfos Rosh Hashana (16b) asks how we can blow an additional set of shofar blasts in order to לערבב השטן if it is a violation of בל תוסיף, adding on to the Bibical mitzvah?  Tosfos ends up answering that doing a mitzvah multiple times does not constitute בל תוסיף.  The simple understanding is that the Torah gives a minimal shiur to do the mitzvah but it is not the maximum that one should violate בל תוסיף for doing more.  The Rashba answers the question of Tosfos that since one is blowing to fulfill the takanah of Chazal that is not a violation of בל תוסיף.  The Achronim discuss is there a machlokes in the answers, does Tosfos not hold like the answer of the Rashba and visa versa or did they just give alternate answers.  

The Minchas Chinuch (454) says the Rashba must agree to the severah of Tosfos for וכי תעלה על הדעת דלהרשב"א אסור ליטול לולב או להניח תפילין כ"פ ביום או הרבה זיתים מצה וכדומה, how can it be that Rashba won't allow you to carry around a luluv or eat a lot of matzah?  He must agree to Tosfos.  One could argue that the Rashba holds that is not a proof for all those examples are cases where adding to the mtizvah is an additional kium mitzvah, every taking of the luluv, every eating of the matzah, the mitzvah of tefillin is to wear it all day but blowing more shofar blasts is no additional kium mitzvah and maybe that is בל תוסיף to add to the mitzvah.  

Other Achronim attack the other way, how can Tosfos not say like the Rashba, why is sitting in the Sukkah on Shemini Atzeret not a violation of בל תוסיף if Tosfos does not say doing an acting to fulfill the takkanah of Chazal is not in violation of בל תוסיף?  The Pney Yehoshua and Pri Migadim (Pesicha Kolleles volume 1 #38) both suggest Tosfos is agreement with the Rashba when the takkanah serves to alleviate a need, where there was some problem Chazal had to fix, but just to enact an additional blowing does not fit in the rubric of the license for takkanas and would be subject to בל תוסיף.  Rebbe Akiva Eger says that this is not so for Tosfos himself (28b) [on the same page where he repeats his yesod from 16b] says that sitting in the sukkah on Shemini Atzeret (to fulfill the takkanah derabbanan of ספיקא דיומא) would be a violation of בל תוסיף according to what the Gemarah entertains that בל תוסיף applies even outside the timeframe of the mitzvah even with out intent to fulfill a mitzvah.  In other words, Tosfos is saying that בל תוסיף does apply to a Rabbinic decree and it is not a violation merely because one is not intending to do a mitzvah; not like the Rashba?  

My great-grandfather suggests that the Tosfos there does not necessarily contradict the Rashba.  The point of the Rashba is that it is not בל תוסיף when one's intent is to fulfill the Rabbinic law, not to add to the mitzvah. Tosfos is talking in the opinion that one's intent doesn't matter, one violates בל תוסיף even without intent for a mitzvah so over there the words of the Rashba do not hold water and doing a Rabbinic law will be בל תוסיף.  However, according to the conclusion of the Gemarah that when violates בל תוסיף outside the timeframe of the mitzvah only with intent for a mitzvah, Tosfos will agree to the Rashba.  

If everyone is on the same page why did the Tosfos and the Rashba give two different answers?  My great-grandfather says that they are addressing two different forms of בל תוסיף.  Tosfos (16b) says that the additional shofar blows are considered in the timeframe of the mitzvah for one may be summoned to blow for a different tzibbur.  The בל תוסיף that one is violating is the בל תוסיף of adding to a mitzvah like adding a 5^th species to the 4 species taken on Sukkot.  For that form of בל תוסיף it doesn't help if your intent is to fulfill a Rabbinic decree, one is still changing the form of a mitzvah and will violate בל תוסיף.  Therefore, Tosfos needs to be מחדש doing the mitzvah many times is not בל תוסיף.  However, there is room to argue with Tosfos (as R.A.E. 16b does,) and say even though one may be called to blow for someone else, it is still not considered within the timeframe of the mitzvah for the one blowing the shofar already did his mitzvah and he is just being מוציא the new crowd.  The Rashba maybe held like that and he is not addressing the form of בל תוסיף of adding to the form of a mitzvah for the mitzvah is done.  The Rashba is addressing a different form of בל תוסיף and that is the Chazal adding another mitzvah to the Torah is also a violation of בל תוסיף and for that he answers a Rabbinic decree not given over a new mitzvah is not subject to בל תוסיף. 

(For further reading on the topic see Yarech L'moadim siman 16, ראש השנה – תקיעות דרבנן ואיסור בל תוסיף of Rav Asher Weiss, עשיית מצוות יותר מכשיעור ואיסור בל תוסיף by Rabbi Ehrman.)

How Much Torah Will You Learn

The Chidushay HaRim comments on Ha'azenu:

The ספר החיים  is the sefer of understanding of Torah as Torah is the עץ חיים.  We daven to be able to access new understandings in Torah.  That is בינו שנות דור ודור that every year a new understanding is given, the inspiration of brain power for the year is determined on Rosh Hashana as well (see also post of my father last year, "yom ha'din -- on Torah".) 

In the introduction of שארית יוסף volume 3 Rabbi Wahrman cites this Rim in conjunction with other sources that there is a precise time for a chiddush in Torah to be brought into the world.  We are davening to be able to merit to access the chiddushim that are meant to be revealed specifically in תשפ"ה.

Rebbe Nasan in Likutay Halachat Beis Hakeneset (5:19) notes that the word תרועה is made of the words תורה ע, the 70 various modes of interpreting Torah.  In the mitzvah of shofar itself we allude to the Torah for it is through the Torah that everything else falls in place.  

The Kedushas Levi says that we blow shofar on Rosh Hashana to "remind" Hashem of the time of Mattan Torah when the shofar was blown.  Every other nation said no to the Torah but we accepted.  It is that time of favor when Klal Yisrael chose to accept the Torah in which we seek to imitate now in order to arouse favor that no matter how far removed we seem from that exalted time deep down we are the same people.  It is the merit of the Torah that we seek to evoke through the shofar and blow new understandings into our learning for the new year. 

A New Path

The Minchas Chinuch (364:1) points out that it would seem that the mitzvah of teshuva and mitzvah of viduy are two distinct ideas.  One can do teshuva mentally without viduy and viduy is another mitzvah to confess one's sins.  He cites proof from open pessukim in this week's parsha which mention doing teshuva but no viduy.  In addition he cites the Gemarah Kiddushin (49b) that one is called a צדיק for הרהר תשובה and the Gemarah Yoma with Rashi (85b) that a korban atones without viduy.  He is troubled then as to why the Rambam in the beginning of the Laws of Teshuva indicates that one needs viduy to complete teshuva?  A similar issue is apparent is the Beis Shmuel (38:55) who rules that a thief who repents, even if one has not returned the stolen goods is a tzaddik (at least vis-a-vis the law marrying on condition that one is a tzaddik,) how can the thief be a tzaddik if his teshuva is not complete?   This issue is also apparent in our avodah on Rosh Hashana for it is one of the days of the repentance but we do not say and viduy on Rosh Hashana?   

The Midrash Tehillim (81) says תקעו בחדש שופר. רבנן אמרי חדשו מעשיכם ושפרו מעשיכם ואני מכסה על עונותיכם שנאמר (תהלים פה ג) נשאת עון עמך כסית כל חטאתם.  What does it mean תחדשו מעשיכם and then the sins will be covered?  

The Gemarah Rosh Hashana (16b) says אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק: אֵין דָּנִין אֶת הָאָדָם אֶלָּא לְפִי מַעֲשָׂיו שֶׁל אוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה.  Rabbenu Channanel adds (it only appears in some editions) ירושלמי ריב"ל אמר מהאי קרא אם זך וישר היית אין כתיב אלא אם זך וישר אתה עכשיו.  The past is ignored, only the current state of the person is judged.  How is the past just ignored, what happened to the need for teshuva? 

To reconcile these ideas Rav Solevetchik (and others) suggest that there are two levels to doing teshuva.  Full-blown bonified teshuva has all of the technical aspects of teshuva of abstaining from the sin, regret, accepting to not be a  repeat sinner and viduy.  That process is the full process that one must go through to become a complete ball teshuva.  However ,at its most basic level, the beginning of teshuva is about finding a new direction in life.  As the possuk says יעזב רשע דרכו, the wicked must change direction, forge a new path.  It is that שעה אחת, single turn ,when one commits to finding a new direction in life, that one can already be called a tzaddik.  The pessukim in the parsha, the man who is מהרהר תשובה, the thief who mentally decides to repent, have completed the first level of teshuva, they turned their life around and committed to lead a better life.  

This is the avodah of Rosh Hashana.  We do not mention a formal declaration of the teshuva process in the prayer service for what we are striving to do is to change our direction, to turn from the path of sin to the path of goodness.  This is what the Gemarah is teaching that דָּנִין אֶת הָאָדָם אֶלָּא לְפִי מַעֲשָׂיו שֶׁל אוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה.  According to the direction one is pointing toward, where one wishes to go on Rosh Hashana, will determine his judgement.  Although the past mat be riddled with sin and that will have to be examined and repaired correctly in due time, what matters on Rosh Hashana is where one wants to go.  That is what the Midrash is telling us; תחדשו מעשיכם, by choosing a new path, the sins will not be looked at, one will be judged according to the path that they are committing themselves to currently. 

Blow The Shofar Early

I saw the following suggestion on a otzar hachachma forum,  נשמע מצחיק, אך ראיתי מי שמפלפל שאפשר שבתאריך א' בתשרי יש לתקוע בשופר ורק שהלילה התמעט, ומי שקיבל תספת יו"ט יוכל לתקוע שהרי אצלו זהו תאריך של א' בתשרי ואין זה לילה.    

The Gemarah Rosh Hashana (34a) says we have a derash ביום ולא בלילה to tell us that the mitzvah of shofar does not apply by night.  The suggestion here is that if one accepts Rosh Hashana early and it is hence day, one can blow the shofar at that time.  

The basis for this chidush would seem to be based upon a number of (debatable) assumptions.

There are three ways to view tosefes Yom Tov.  One is that one has the ability to accept the isur melacha upon one's self at an earlier time but the keusha of the day only comes in when the actual Yom Tov commences.  Another way to understand is that one is able to even advance the kedushat hachag earlier and yet a third way is that the old day finishes and it is as if one starts the next day earlier with their acceptance of the Yom Tov.   This chidush assumes like the third way.  However, it says even though the next day is made earlier, it is not viewed as nighttime still it is still day ouside.   

The Rambam in Sefer Hamitzvot #170 says היא שצונו לשמוע קול שופר ביום ראשון מתשרי והוא אמרו יתעלה יום תרועה יהיה לכם.  In the heading of the Laws of Shofar in his description of the mitzvah he says as well לשמוע קול שופר באחד בתשרי.  In the first halacha he says מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה שֶׁל תּוֹרָה לִשְׁמֹעַ תְּרוּעַת הַשּׁוֹפָר בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה so why does he mention twice באחד בתשרי and not just say Rosh Hashana?  Rabbi Brown (Moadanay Moshe siman 36) explains that we see from the Rambam that the mitzvah is to blow on the first day of  Tishray even if it would be lacking in the kedusha of Rosh Hashana.  We see this concept illustrated in Rashi Rosh Hashana (24a) the Gemarah says in a case when everyone saw the new moon סָלְקָא דַּעְתָּךְ אָמֵינָא: הוֹאִיל וְרָאוּהוּ בֵּית דִּין וְכׇל יִשְׂרָאֵל, אִיפַּרְסְמָא וְלָא לִיעְבְּרוּהּ, קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן. and Rashi says סד"א לא ליעברוה ואי תנא הרי זה מתקדש למחר הוה אמינא לעולם מיומא קמא מתקנינן מועדותיה, I would think although since the kiddush of the day didn't occur until the next day it is Rosh Hashana tomorrow but today is day 1 of Tishray to count toward Yom Kippur and Sukkot.  Similarly this may explain the opinion of Rashi Menachot (100b) that even though there was a Rabbinic decree not to accept witnesses for the new moon of Rosh Hashana after the mincha time ,we still count that day as 1 Tishray for counting toward the holidays even though the kedusha of Rosh Hashana is only the next day, ואכ"מ.  The Rambam would be telling us then that the mitzvah is dependent on the date of the calendar not the kedusha of the day.  This chiddush also assumes that the mitzvah is dependent on the ate of 1 Tishray, not the kedusha of Rosh Hashana.  

I don't understand why they would suggest this combination of factors when it would be simpler to suggest that the kedusha of the Yom Tov is advanced earlier but it is still technically day and therefore, one can blow the shofar. 

The Taz (600:2) discusses a case where the khal accepted Shabbas early on second day Rosh Hashana on a cloudy day but they did not blow a shofar earlier that day, can they now blow shofar after they declared it to be Shabbas?  The Taz does not assume it is the next day and therefore they can't blow shofar.

The Maharil (#33) says  ומהר"א מווינא כתב בנימוקו. ויש שאין אוכלין ביום כדי שלא יוסיפו מחול על הקדש בהאי י"ט משום דיומא דדינא הוא וכמדומה שכן הורה מהר"מ ז"ל במעגניצ"א: ועל טעם זה תמהתי דהא כבר קדשוהו בתפלה: ושמא על הכוס עיקר דהוא דאורייתא.  It may be that those that did not eat early on Rosh Hashana but may have davened early is since they hold that the acceptance of the Yom Tov early in davening is accepting the prohibitions of the day early but to eat the seudah of Yom Tov requires accepting the kedusha of the day early and that they did not want to do so as to not extend the day of judgement (It is צ"ע for Yom Kippur is the source of adding to a holiday and that is adding to a day of judgement.  See also גליוני הש"ם יומא פא that asks many questions on the Maharil.)     

Standing Before Hashem

This post is based upon a shmuuz by R' Elefant. 

The Gemarah Rosh Hashana (26a) says  שופר כיון דלזכרון הוא כבפנים דמי.  What does זכרון have anything to do with making it כלפנים?  The Gemarah (16a) says אמר הקב"ה אמרו לפני בר"ה מלכיות זכרונות ושופרות. מלכיות – כדי שתמליכוני עליכם, זכרונות – כדי שיבא לפני זכרונכם לטובה.  How does saying pesskim of זכרונות cause us to be remembered for good?      

The possuk in Bechukosay (26:42) says וְזָכַרְתִּי אֶת בְּרִיתִי יַעֲקוֹב וְאַף אֶת בְּרִיתִי יִצְחָק וְאַף אֶת בְּרִיתִי אַבְרָהָם אֶזְכֹּר וְהָאָרֶץ אֶזְכֹּר Rashi says ולמה לא נאמרה זכירה ביצחק אלא אפרו של יצחק נראה לפני צבור ומונח על המזבח.  What does this mean that Yitzchak doesn't need to be remembered because his ashes are there?  Rav Tzaddok explains that Yitzchak had the middah of yirah which means he always saw himself as standing before Hashem.  Therefore, middah kineged middah, Hashem always is viewing Yitzchak.  When one recognizes that they are standing before Hashem, Hashem remembers the individual as well.  Hence, if one recites the pessukim of zichronot, one is cognizant of being before Hashem, then the individual is remembered.  That is what the Gemarah means that by blowing the shofar and accepting the fact that one is before Hashem, therefore one is as close to Hashem as can be just like the kohan gadol in the kodesh hakadashim. 

Why is Rosh Hashana the day for this focus?  Since it is the day of the creation of man, one can go back to the original point of creation where man recognized that he is always standing before Hashem.  

Why does Rosh Hashana come before Yom Kippur when it would seem more logical to come into the new year cleansed form sin?   

The Gemarah Sanhedrin (43b) says אריב"ל כל הזובח את יצרו ומתודה עליו מעלה עליו הכתוב כאילו כיבדו להקב"ה.  Why is saying viduy considered a kavod for Hashem?  We see in the intro. to vidduy תָּבֹא לְפָנֶיךָ תְּפִלָּתֵנוּ. וְאַל־תִּתְעַלַּם מַלְכֵּנוּ מִתְּחִנָּתֵנוּ.  Where is the תפלה and תחינה in vidduy?  

 The yesod of viduy is to say על חטא שחטאנו לפניך, to acknowledge that one is before Hashem and one's sins was due to a lack of that recognition.  Hence, when one does vidduy, and says I am before You, Hahem, that is an increase of the kavod Hashem in the world.  One has "brought" Hashem into a place of one's soul where Hi Presence was not felt yet.  That is why vidduy is called an act of prayer for prayer means to stand before Hashem (Rav Chayim Tefillah.)  So too, when one does vidduy one places themselves before Hashem.  That is the yesod of teshuva; to place Hashem before one's self.  וְהַחֲזִירֵנוּ בִתְשׁוּבָה שְׁלֵמָה לְפָנֶיךָ, to come before Hashem.  That is the prayer of the shofar a well.  It is man placing himself before Hashem.  This is a process that starts with the avodah of Rosh Hashana, of accepting Hashem's dominion over one's self and is completed with the vidduy on Yom Kippur.  The starting point has to be Rosh Hashana to inspire one's vidduy to be a true vidduy.

Yell Out

We say in the berachot of shofrot, כִּי אַתָּה שׁוֹמֵֽעַ קוֹל שׁוֹפָר וּמַאֲזִין תְּרוּעָה וְאֵין דּֽוֹמֶה לָּךְ.  What is the special praise that Hashem listens to the shofar?  As discussed previously,  The Briskor Rav explains that the shofar is a form of prayer.  What is so unique and special about the shofar prayer?   

We say in the parsha of reading bikkurim, וַנִּצְעַ֕ק אֶל־ה' אֱלֹקֵ֣י אֲבֹתֵ֑ינוּ וַיִּשְׁמַ֤ע ה' אֶת־קֹלֵ֔נוּ וַיַּ֧רְא אֶת־עׇנְיֵ֛נוּ וְאֶת־עֲמָלֵ֖נוּ וְאֶֽת־לַחֲצֵֽנוּ.  What is a צעקה?  The Netziv says, את קולנו. כבר ביארנו לעיל א׳ מ״ה וה׳ כ״ה משמעות קולנו. בלי דברי תפלה זכה. רק צעקה מעומק הלב. זהו פשטא דקרא.  The prayer of Klal Yisrael was a mere cry, without any clear structure.  The Chafetz Chayim comments on this verse that if one yells at a time of hardship, Hashem will answer immediately.  Why is such a prayer readily accepted?    

The Mabit questions that there are pessukim which describes how people's prayers were answered when they cried out loud but on the other hand the Gemarah Berachot (24b) says  הַמַּשְׁמִיעַ קוֹלוֹ בִּתְפִלָּתוֹ — הֲרֵי זֶה מִקְּטַנֵּי אֲמָנָה?  The answer maybe that when one is praying in a normal format then one should pray silently.  However, when one is in a situation of pain, then one's natural reaction is to yell.  It such a situation, yelling is the expected form of prayer.  Such a prayer, where one just cries out undiluted by words, is a cry from the depth of one's heart and such a prayer is readily accepted.   

The Shulchan Aruch (101:3) says י"א שבר"ה וי"ה מותר להשמיע קולו בתפלתו אפי' בציבור.  Why is there this custom?  See the M.B.  In light of this difference, we can say that on the High Holy Days one is considered to be in a situation of danger (see Beit Yosef 602, Or Yisrael siman 7) and hence one screams because of the difficult situation.  

That is the prayer of the shofar.  It is a cry which comes from the soul of the individual.  The beracha of shofrot reflects that Hashem perceives the feelings of the person expressed via the shofar and listens to the deep cry of the soul (based upon Yareach L'moadim maamer 37-38 and source sheets of Rabbi Yehuda Gutman.)  

The possuk in Tehillim (107:6) וַיִּצְעֲק֣וּ אֶל⁠־י֭״י בַּצַּ֣ר לָהֶ֑ם מִ֝מְּצ֥וּקוֹתֵיהֶ֗ם יַצִּילֵֽם.  The Alter Rebbe (Likutay Torah Nitzavim 45b) relates the word ויצעקו to the word ויצעק found in Shoftim (12:1) ויצעק איש אפרים which means to gather for in a צעקה one summons and gathers together all of one's feelings to pour them out to Hashem.  That it the prayer of the shofar.  It is the depths of the soul which are brought out through the cry of the shofar.

A Shofar Day

The Rambam Teshuva (3:4) אע"פ שתקיעת שופר בראש השנה גזירת הכתוב רמז יש בו כלומר עורו ישינים משנתכם ונרדמים הקיצו מתרדמתכם וחפשו במעשיכם וחזרו בתשובה וזכרו בוראכם.  Rav Chayim Kamil cites Rav Yechezkel Abramsky that the source of the Rambam is the possuk יום תרועה יהיה לכם.  The Torah doesn't say תריעו ביום זה which would mean to blow the shofar on the day but rather יום תרועה יהיה לכם, meaning the entire day should carry the feeling of the תרועה.  From here we see there is a message to the shofar which must be felt throughout the entirety of the day.  The Rambam says that message is the message of awakening from one's slumber. The Netziv says a similar idea on the possuk of זכרון תרועה (Emor 23:24) עוד יש להבין הא דכתיב כאן זכרון תרועה ובאמת המצוה להריע בפועל כמו שכתוב בפ׳ מוספין יום תרועה. וא״כ מהו זכרון. עוד יש להבין מה זה פי׳ הכתוב תרועה והלא אין תרועה בלי תקיעה. אלא כ״ז רמז על ענין קדושת היום ומוראו. והנה בפ׳ בהעלתך כתיב וביום שמחתכם וגו׳ ותקעתם וגו׳ וכי תבאו מלחמה וגו׳ והרעתם וגו׳ והקבלה ידועה שאין תקיעה בלי תרועה ואין תרועה בלי תקיעה לפניה ולאחריה. אלא המקרא מרמז עיקר תכלית המצוה. דביום שמחה התכלית הוא התקיעה שהוא לשמחה. והתרועה בא לצרוף ובא להזכיר ולהתעורר לשמור עצמו שלא יהא אחרית שמחה תוגה כדאי׳ שלהי קידושין סקבא דשתא ריגלא. משא״כ ביום רעה של המלחמה וכדומה עיקרו התרועה והתקיעה באה עמו לצירוף שלא יתייאש מן התקוה והגאולה. ומעתה דכתיב בר״ה יום תרועה למדנו דראוי להתעורר בו התעוררות תרועה שהוא יום הדין ולא תרועה בלבד אלא זכרון תרועה שיהא נזכר שהוא יום תרועה.  The blowing of the shofar is not just a mitzvah to be done on Rosh Hashana but defines the day of Rosh Hashana as a day of truah, a day of self awakening. 

The Gemarah Rosh Hahashana  (28a-b) says  שְׁלַחוּ לֵיהּ לַאֲבוּהּ דִּשְׁמוּאֵל: כְּפָאוֹ וְאָכַל מַצָּה — יָצָא. כְּפָאוֹ מַאן? אִילֵימָא כְּפָאוֹ שֵׁד, וְהָתַנְיָא: עִתִּים חָלִים עִתִּים שׁוֹטֶה, כְּשֶׁהוּא חָלִים — הֲרֵי הוּא כְּפִקֵּחַ לְכׇל דְּבָרָיו, כְּשֶׁהוּא שׁוֹטֶה — הֲרֵי הוּא כְּשׁוֹטֶה לְכׇל דְּבָרָיו! אָמַר רַב אָשֵׁי: שֶׁכְּפָאוּהוּ פָּרְסִיִּים. אָמַר רָבָא, זֹאת אוֹמֶרֶת: הַתּוֹקֵעַ לָשִׁיר — יָצָא. פְּשִׁיטָא, הַיְינוּ הָךְ! מַהוּ דְּתֵימָא: הָתָם, אֱכוֹל מַצָּה אָמַר רַחֲמָנָא — וְהָא אֲכַל, אֲבָל הָכָא, ״זִכְרוֹן תְּרוּעָה״ כְּתִיב, וְהַאי מִתְעַסֵּק בְּעָלְמָא הוּא — קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן.  Rashi explains the difference between matzah and shofar is that eating matzah is an action one gets pleasure from and we find that even a מתעסק is obligated for that, so I could have argued that one is yotzei when eating matzah under duress but blowing shofar without kavanah may not work, קמ"ל that mitzvot don't need kavanah.  

The Rambam Shofar (2:4) rules that הַמִּתְעַסֵּק בִּתְקִיעַת שׁוֹפָר לְהִתְלַמֵּד לֹא יָצָא יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ even though he rules if one eats matzah under duress he has fulfilled his obligation (Matzah 6:3.)  How do these two rulings not contradict each other?  The Kesef Mishne evokes the sevarah that Rashi said.  Only when it comes to matzah where one gets physical benefit is kavana not required but for shofar kavana is needed to fulfill the mitzvah.  The Netziv says that the girsa we have in the Gemarah indicates a different sevarah.  The Gemarah says the difference is that in regard to shofar it says זכרון תרועה, in other words the Gemarah is saying that the point of shofar is to awaken a person, as the Rambam describes, and therefore I might say that kavanah is meakav in the mitzvah.  The Rambam is ruling that only regarding the shofar because of the fact that the shofar contains a kavanah which defines the day does one need kavanah for the mitzvh even though normally he holds that one can fulfill a mitzvah without kavanah.  A shofar without kavana maybe a maaseh mitzvah but it lacks the component of arousing one from their lumber.

Sleeping

The Rambam Teshuva (3:4) says אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁתְּקִיעַת שׁוֹפָר בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה גְּזֵרַת הַכָּתוּב רֶמֶז יֵשׁ בּוֹ כְּלוֹמַר עוּרוּ יְשֵׁנִים מִשְּׁנַתְכֶם וְנִרְדָּמִים הָקִיצוּ מִתַּרְדֵּמַתְכֶם וְחַפְּשׂוּ בְּמַעֲשֵׂיכֶם וְחִזְרוּ בִּתְשׁוּבָה וְזִכְרוּ בּוֹרַאֲכֶם. אֵלּוּ הַשּׁוֹכְחִים אֶת הָאֱמֶת בְּהַבְלֵי הַזְּמַן וְשׁוֹגִים כָּל שְׁנָתָם בְּהֶבֶל וָרִיק אֲשֶׁר לֹא יוֹעִיל וְלֹא יַצִּיל, הַבִּיטוּ לְנַפְשׁוֹתֵיכֶם וְהֵיטִיבוּ דַּרְכֵיכֶם וּמַעַלְלֵיכֶם וְיַעֲזֹב כָּל אֶחָד מִכֶּם דַּרְכּוֹ הָרָעָה וּמַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ אֲשֶׁר לֹא טוֹבָה.  Where does this idea that people are sleepwalking come from?

Rav Shwab notes that when Adam is put to sleep for his wife creating surgery, the Torah never says he woke up.  Obviously he woke up but Rav Shwab suggests that besides a physical sleep, Adam was also put in a spiritual state of sleep which he never got up from.  He says that Klal Yisrael at Mattan Torah awoke but everyone else is stuck in a slumber.  With this idea he explains the brecha we say in the morning המעביר שינה מעיני ותנומה מעפעפי and then we continue תרגלנו בתורתך ודבקנו במצותיך etc.  What does this have to do with waking up?  And why is this beracha on walking up not the first one?  He says that the beracha is also referring to walking form a spiritual slumber.  Therefore, we follow with spiritual requests and we put the beracha at the end when one starts their new day of spiritual journey.  

With this ide we can explain the Rambam.  Over the year one falls back into the spiritual sleep that is placed on the world and needs the alarm clock to wake him up.  That is the shofar.  

The Shem MiShmuel asks what is the double terminology of עוּרוּ יְשֵׁנִים מִשְּׁנַתְכֶם וְנִרְדָּמִים הָקִיצוּ מִתַּרְדֵּמַתְכֶם?  He says it refers to the טמטום המוח והלב that have crept up over the year.   "אבל לפי דרכנו בדקדוק נאמר עפי"מ שהגדנו למעלה ששינה מתייחסת ללב, ותרדמה נראה שמתייחסת לשכל וכמ"ש (ישעי' כ"ט י') כי נסך עליכם ה' רוח תרדמה ויעצם את עיניכם, וזהו הרמז שבשופר שתקיעה שבמוח מקיצה הנרדמים שהוא חשכת השכל, והשברים שהם בלב נשבר מעוררין הישנים שהוא אוטם הלב."  There is the brain of a person that over the year becomes filled with false ideas that the shofar helps uproot as well as the heart which becomes devoid of emotion for Godliness which also is aroused through the shofar. 

New Year New Self

Why is Rosh Hashana before Yom Kippur, it should be reverse, one should repent before being judged?  

A couple of years ago we cited Rabbenu Yonah explains the avodah of Rosh Hashana is to give oneself a clean slate, a fresh start to be able to reconnect to Hashem.  That is why Rosh Hashana precedes Yom Kippur for one can only do teshuva and make a real change if they don't bring their old baggage with themselves going forward.  Why is that that the avodah connected to Rosh Hashana specifically?  

Rosh Hashana is היום הרת עולם, the beginning of the world.  Every Rosh Hashana the world goes back to a state of newness, a fresh beginning, and the shefa for the next year is provided for the world.  The avodah of the day parallels that which is going on in the entire world.  

The Midrash (Vayikra Rabbah 29:12) says אָמַר רַבִּי תַּחְלִיפָא קֵיסָרָא, בְּכָל מוּסָפִין כְּתִיב: וְהִקְרַבְתֶּם וְכָאן כְּתִיב: וַעֲשִׂיתֶם אִשֶּׁה, הָא כֵיצַד, אָמַר לָהֶן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, בָּנַי מַעֲלֶה אֲנִי עֲלֵיכֶם כְּאִלּוּ הַיּוֹם נַעֲשֵׂיתֶם לְפָנַי, כְּאִלּוּ הַיּוֹם בָּרָאתִי אֶתְכֶם בְּרִיָּה חֲדָשָׁה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (ישעיה סו, כב): כִּי כַאֲשֶׁר הַשָּׁמַיִם הַחֲדָשִׁים וְהָאָרֶץ הַחֲדָשָׁה.  The Midrash is conveying the above lesson.  On Rosh Hashana, it's a day of renewal and you are viewed as a fresh, new person free from the errors of the past.  

Chazal say אורי refers to Rosh Hashana.  Why is Rosh Hashana known as אורי?  In Nussach Ashkenaz it says אור חדש על ציון תאיר, where there is אור, there is a clarity of the truth.  On Rosh Hashana things go back to their source, a person goes back to their beginning before sin led them off the straight path.  It is on Rosh Hashana that we are given a new beginning to be able to move forward. 

The Yalkut Shimoni on Tehillim (831:6) says  ד"א בשופר אני מכסה עונותיכם תקעו בחדש שופר.  When the shofar is blown, the sins are covered over, hidden from sight.  It doesn't say they are forgiven, but they are not looked at.  How does blowing the shofar accomplish this?  The Gemarah says the blowing of the shofar is the means to convey acceptance of the malchut of Hashem, אמרו לפני בראש השנה מלכיות זכרונות ושופרות מלכיות כדי שתמליכוני עליכם זכרונות כדי שיעלה זכרוניכם לפני לטובה ובמה בשופר.  The shofar is the method used to express kabblat malchut.  When one is mekabal the malchut, as we said before, one is given a fresh start and the sins are not examined.  The possuk in Balak (23:21) says לֹֽא־הִבִּ֥יט אָ֙וֶן֙ בְּיַעֲקֹ֔ב וְלֹא־רָאָ֥ה עָמָ֖ל בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל י״י֤ אֱלֹקיו עִמּ֔וֹ וּתְרוּעַ֥ת מֶ֖לֶךְ בּֽו.  Rashi says G-d doesn't look at the sins of Klal Yisrael because of the great love He has for them.  When we blow the תרועה it is an expression of our love for Hashem.  When there is this reciprocal relationship, the sins are inconsequential and are covered over.  (Based upon Yarech L'moadim simanim 31, 32.) 

The Beracha Of Malchiot

This post goes hand in hand with the sources here.

The fourth beracha of the mussaf on Rosh Hahana is unique in that besides the regular kedushat hayom we also say the pessukim of malchiot.  This follows the opinion of R' Akiva.  We can make a chakira as to how we view this beracha.  Is it the regular beracha of the kedushat hayom just malchiout is added in or is it the beracha of malchiot but its place is in the beracha of the kedushat hayom.  The Mishna in which R' Akiva appears says כולל מלכיות אם קדושת היום which indicates that the beracha is kedushat hayom with malchiot inserted.  However, the Gemarah cites a machlokes where the beracha of kedushat hayom should be said and the opinion of Rebbe is to say it in the beracha of malchiot.  The Gemarah sounds like the beracha is malchiot with kedushat hayom attached.  

The Tur is clear that that the beracha is defined as the beracha of malchiot with kedushat hayom included in it.  The Rambam also identifies the beracha as malchiot. 

צ"ע on the Lechem Mishne for the Rambam is not ant clearer is the Laws of Prayer. 

The Meiri also identifies the words of מלך על כל הארץ that we say in the חתימה of the beracha as being the mention of malchiot, in other words, he holds that malchiot is part of the beracha like the Rambma and Tur not like the Abudraham.  He is even clearer about this in the Chibur Hateshuva where he says we say מלך על כל הארץ in the other prayers merely as a custom.  (Note also the thank you to Louis Ginzberg at the beginning of the sefer, here.) 

The Abudraham holds the beracha is kedushat hayom and malchiot is the reciting of the pessukim. We see that the chakira is a machlokes Rishonim.  

This issue seems to have seem to have prompted the Chayei Adam to entertain that possibly מלך על כל הארץ would be מעכב in the beracha of mussaf for although he understands that it would not be מעכב anywhere else by mussaff it may be necessary for malchiot.  He conludes that the beracha is kedushat hayom and malchiot is merely the pessukim.  

Rav Chayim had a different approach.  He holds by all the berachot of Rosh Hashana the מלך על כל הארץ is part of the integral text of the beracha for malchiot is the theme of the day.  In other words, he holds the מלך על כל הארץ is not for malchiot per say like the Abudraham but he holds it is a necessary part of the text of the beracha, not like the Chayei Adam. 

What is the source for this debate?  The Haghos Vichidushim on the Tur asks why the Tur calls it the beracha of malchiot if the Mishna calls it the beracha of kedushat hayom?  He answers that the Mishna refers to it as such only in the opinion of R' Yochanan ben Nuri who holds malchiot is part of the beracha of kedushat hashem but according to R' Akiva the beracha is malchiot with kedushat hayom attached.  How did the Tur know to make this distinction? 

R' Akiva says he disagrees with R' Yochanan ben Nuri for he holds one should blow the shofar after malchiot.  The Achronim ask if that's his argument why does he shift malchiot to the beracha of kedushat hayom just blow after the beracha of kedushat hashem with malchiot included?  (See Tom Terua, Turay Even, Aruch Lenar.)

The Aruch Lenar says that even though R' Akiva holds fundamentally R' Yochanan ben Nuri is right that malchiot belongs with kedushat hashem but that is superseded by his desire to avoid having an interruption in the shofar blowings of another beracha in the middle and hence he moves malchiot to kedushat hayom.  According to the approach of the Aruch Lenari malchiot tags along to the beracha of kedushat hashem.  The Tur may have been bothered by the same question and therefore he understands R' Akiva holds one can't put malchiot together with kedushat hashem and make it secondary to the standard blessing of the entire year rather it is its own beracha and we stick kedushat hayom into the beracha (explanation of Yareach L'moadim siman 7 and based upon article here pg. 8-11, see also Sharay Shmuot siman 9.) 

What I don't understand about the whole sugyah in the Gemarah is why do two two berachot have to go to together, why don't we just have 10 berachot of mussaf, the kedushat hayom like every other Shemone Esrai of the holiday, a beracha for malchiot, a beracha for zichronot and a beracha for shofrot? 

Briskor Rav And Tehillim

 From משנת הגר"מ (son of Briskor Rav)

The Inner Cry Of Truth

How does the shofar cause the transfer from kissay hadin to rachamim as it says in Vakiyra Rabbah (39:3)? The Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar Ch. 30 says that Balak said if you can't curse the Jews now, maybe curse them when Yehoshua takes over.  Bilim said that will also be unsuccessful as Yehoshu will blow shofrot and the walls of Yericho will fall, that is what is means ותרועת מלך בו.  Why do the shofar blasts cause the walls of Yericho to fall?  

We have mentioned in the past that the shofar is a form of prayer that comes from the depths of a person.  We have spent the month of Elul and will spend a long time on Rosh Hashana praying but when we use use words it means it is a prayer affected by our processing of information.  There is our ego put into it.  Sometimes we must stop and just cry out without any words.  It is the pure sound of the person, the רוח של נשמת חיים that can erupt and accept the kingship of Hashem.  The Ritva in Rosh Hashana (16a) says the shofar is part of the malchiot.  The sound of the shofar is the sound of putting aside one's agendas and desires and trying to to accept the malchut of Hashem.  When one does that all the blockages, all the walls in life, the walls of Yericho come tumbling down.  That is what causes the transference to the kissay of rachamim.  When one is willing to put aside their own desires and can just focus on the pure cry of accepting the kingship of Hashem (based upon a shmuz by Rabbi Elefant.) 

Portfolio Day

 In the Mizmor L'dovid we say on the high holy days, the tefillah l'parnasah, we say מי יעלה בהר ה ומי יקום במקום קדשו נקי כפים ובר לבב אשר לא נשא לשוא נפשי ולא נשבע למרמה.  Why the repetition, if he is נקי כפים, it follows that אשר לא נשא לשוא נפשי?  Rav Simcha Zisal Brody brings from the Chofetz Chayim:

G-d invests in you.  G-d doesn't buy into your stock to merely not cause Him losses, he expects a gain for His return. It is not enough to avoid sin, G-d wants לא נשא לשוא נפשי, that the person raises his soul to additional heights.  Every year G-d goes over his portfolio and checks how His stocks are doing.  He wants to know if a person is raising themselves up, if they are accessing their full potential.  As discussed here Rosh Hashana is a time for a person to reflect on their capabilities and bring them to the forth front.

Access Your Potential

The Gemorah in Rosh Hashana (11a) says בר"ה נפקדה שרה רחל וחנה בר"ה יצא יוסף מבית האסורין בר"ה בטלה עבודה מאבותינו במצרים.  Why did all these events happen on Rosh Hashana?   תקעו בחדש שופר בכסה ליום חגנו.  Why is Rosh Hashana called the day the moon is covered, what is its significance?  And why does Rosh Hashana occur on Rosh Chodesh, is there a shared theme? 

היום הרת עולם. But the world was created on 25 Elul?  Because man was created on Rosh Hashana it is considered the birth of the world.  Why is man's creation celebrated as the beginning of the world?  Because it is mankind that was granted the ability and capability to bring out the full potential of all the ingredients imbedded in the world.  All of the events that Chazal enumerate happened on Rosh Hashana ware various forms of people being freed from shackles that have held them back from being able to bring out their potential.  Yosef was locked in jail and subsequently the entire nation was enslaved holding them back from being able to accomplish great tasks such as saving Egypt from famine and Mattan Torah.  This potential for greatness was unlocked on Rosh Hashana.  The same is true of Sarah, Rachel and Chanah, all who could not bear children.  Their wombs, their place of bringing forth offspring into the world were closed up.  The ability to bring out that locked up potential was accessed on Rosh Hashana.  The word רחם, womb is also the root of the word רחמים.  We ask for mercy, meaning we ask Hashem to open our wombs, to open our capabilities to succeed.

The possuk (Devarim 11:12) says אֶ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־י״י֥ אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ דֹּרֵ֣שׁ אֹתָ֑הּ תָּמִ֗יד עֵינֵ֨י י״י֤ אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ בָּ֔הּ מֵֽרֵשִׁית֙ הַשָּׁנָ֔ה וְעַ֖ד אַחֲרִ֥ית שָׁנָֽה.  It says השנה and ends שנה, what happened to the ה?  There is a vort that at the beginning of the year people say it is the year!  They have a book full of new years resolutions all and are sure that this year they will accomplish all that they have been wishing to do.  However, as the year moves in it turns into שנה.  The book of resolutions, the dreams and hopes are all gone and it is just another year.  Rosh Hashana is the time to say השנה!  It is my year this year.  It is the time when one can take a hard look at themselves and look at all the potential that they have.  This is what is represented by the the כסא ליום חגנו.  The moon is currently hidden from sight but we know that its full self is still there just looking to realign itself in order to shine its brightest.  So too we just need to turn a little in order to be able to shine.  There is a מעין, a זעיר אנפין of this every Rosh Chodesh when the moon fades away but we celebrate that we know it will come back in full force.  This reminds us of our abilities which may be blocked out but are still there and can be brought out.  Rosh Hashana is the super Rosh Chodesh.  It is the time to daven to be able to accomplish one's dreams not just for the month but for the entire year. 

Set The Goal

The possuk in Balak (23:21) says י״י֤ אֱלֹהָיו֙ עִמּ֔וֹ וּתְרוּעַ֥ת מֶ֖לֶךְ בּֽוֹ.  The Seforno relates the word תרועת to the blowing of the shofrot when the camp moved ותרועת מלך בו – בנסוע המחנות הם תוקעים תרועה בנסוע המשכן, לשמחה שיגילו במלכם.  (The Even Ezra learns similarly, not like Rashi that understands it to mean friendship.)  What is so great about the fact that we blow shofrot?  Rov Dovid Solovetchik explains based upon the yesod of his father that the shofar is also a form of prayer that such a concept is only applicable by Jews.  All individuals of the world can pray, ביתי בית תפלה יקרא לכל העמים but the prayer of the shofar is unique to Klal Yisroel.  Why is this form of prayer unique to Klal Yisroel?

Chazal say (midrash Tehillim Ch. 27) אורי זה ראש השנה.  Why is Rosh Hashana called the light?  Just as one who is lost needs to know where the light at the end of the tunnel is in order to go in the right direction, so too Rosh Hashana is our light to show us the way.  Rosh Hashana is the time to focus on the goal of the journey of teshuva.  We first set our sights on the goal and then can travel through the path of teshuva.   The Baal Shem Tov gives a mashal to explain tekias shofar of a prince who is lost from his father ,the king.  Years later, he comes back but no one recognizes him and he has long forgotten the language of the land.  So all he can do is cry out and hope his father recognizes his voice.  So too if Klal Yisroel has become unrecognizable, at least the voice, the קול קול יעקב can still be recognized.  The Midrash Eichah (3:8) says that the nations of the world look to the various ministers, the governing powers of nature to give them success, but Klal Yisroel turns directly to Hashem.  The recognition that the goal is 'ושבת עד ה is only something that Klal Yisroel has.  The other nations may pray for their own success but they lack in the innate desire to be recognized by Hashem is unique to Klal Yisroel.   

New Year

One of the famous questions on Rosh Hashana is where is the mention of sin, the teshuva, it does after all make up the first 2 days of repentance?  Rabbenu Yonah at the beginning of Yesod Hateshuva (usually printed in the back of Sharey Teshuva) says that in order to teshuva, one must first ignore the past, dedicate toward a better future and only then dwell on the past.  One cannot come into Rosh Hashana, a new year, traumatized from their errors of last year.  One must view themselves as having a clean slate, be ממליך ה, accept a brighter future and then throughout the rest of the repentance days one can fill in the charatah of the past.  This is not a false mind game, that is the truth of teshuvah.  

   

That is also answers the question of why Rosh Hashana precedes Yom Kippur.  One can't do teshuvah for the past, before starting fresh and anew.  

That is why every year we renew "our faith."  It seems hypocritical, every year new kabaalot, last year's is already long gone in the garbage?  Things age and become decrepit and stale in the world.  That is the nature.  Precisely because of this, Hashem gave us Rosh Hashana to start fresh, and renew our self.  We don't focus on what happened last year, we infuse ourselves with new energy and the kabbalah is new and will last however long it does.  (See Rav Yeruchem on Elul volume 2 #63.) [ Based upon a shmuz from Rabbi Elefant.]

Two Aspects Of Rosh Hashana

The Rambam Sefer Hamitzvot #170 says the mitzvah of shofar is to hear the shofar on the first day of Tishray.  He opens the Laws of Shofar by saying the mitzvah is to hear the shofar on Rosh Hashana.  Why does he switch terminoligy from the first of Tishray to Rosh Hashana? 

The Rambam if Teshuvah (3:4) says that blowing the shofar is a גזירת הכתוב but nonetheless there is a message in it which is to wake up and repent.  The Briskor Rav said the source for the Rambam is the verse in Psalms (91:5) כי חק לישראל הוא משפט לאלקי יעקב.  We see there are two aspects to the shofar, it is both a חק and a משפט.  What is the nature of these two aspects of shofar? 

In Parshas Pinchas (29:1) it says  וּבַחֹ֨דֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֜י בְּאֶחָ֣ד לַחֹ֗דֶשׁ מִֽקְרָא־קֹ֙דֶשׁ֙ יִהְיֶ֣ה לָכֶ֔ם כׇּל־מְלֶ֥אכֶת עֲבֹדָ֖ה לֹ֣א תַעֲשׂ֑וּ י֥וֹם תְּרוּעָ֖ה יִהְיֶ֥ה לָכֶֽם, the day being a holy day precedes the commandment to blow shofar.  On the other hand, in Emor it says  דַּבֵּ֛ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר בַּחֹ֨דֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֜י בְּאֶחָ֣ד לַחֹ֗דֶשׁ יִהְיֶ֤ה לָכֶם֙ שַׁבָּת֔וֹן זִכְר֥וֹן תְּרוּעָ֖ה מִקְרָא־קֹֽדֶשׁ, the commandment of shofar precedes that of establishing the day as a holiday.  Why the change?

The Ramban in Emor notes that the reason for blowing the shofar is not given in the Torah: ולא פירש הכתוב טעם המצוה הזאת, למה התרועה, ולמה נצטרך זכרון לפני השם ביום הזה יותר משאר הימים, ולמה יצוה להיותו מקרא קדש, אבל מפני שהוא בחדשו של יום הכפורים בראש החודש נראה שבו יהיה דין לפניו יתברך, כי בם ידין עמים, בראש השנה ישב לכסא שופט צדק, ואחרי כן בעשרת הימים ישא לפשע עבדיו, רמז הכתוב הענין כאשר נודע בישראל מפי הנביאים ואבות קדושים.  The Maharal in Teferes at the end of ch. 27 adds that the Torah never mentions Rosh Hashana as a day of judgement because that is not a reason that people will feel is worthy of celebrating.  In this verse when the Torah is alluding to the judgement of Rosh Hashana, the obligation to blow shofar is not a ressult of it being a מקרא קודש, hence it precedes the מקרא קודש in the possuk.  This obligation of shofar is a result of it being the first day of Tishray.  In Pinchas, where there is no mention of זכרון, there is no hint to the judgement, it is just a festive day to blow horns, that is an outgrowth of the מקרא קודש, it is a mitzvah of Rosh Hashana ,the holiday.  

We see from here there are two aspects to Rosh Hashana.  It is both a festive day worthy of celebrating, part of the set of holidays, and a day of judgement, worthy of being scared.  These two aspects are reflected in these two pessukim of shofar.  That is why there is much debate in the authorities as to if one may fast on Rosh Hashana, the question being as to which aspect of the day has the upper hand.

The מהרי"ל in siman 33 brings an opinion that one should not do תוספת ראש השנה by eating early on Rosh Hashana because it is a day of judgment.  The Maharil points out that he does not know whatthey are gaining because they davened early and hence accepted the day early anyway.  However, in light of this, we can understand that one can do תוספת ראש השנה for the holiday aspect of Rosh Hashana and not for the judgment aspect.  By davening early, they accepted the holiday oכ Rosh Hashana early, but did not bring upon themselves the day of judgment.  (Based upon Rinas Yitzchak to Nach Tehillim, Shoalin V'dorshin volume 7, see also T'shuvot V'hanhagot volume 4 #101.)

Blow Inward

In the laining of the first day Rosh Hashana (22:13) it says וַיִּשָּׂ֨א אַבְרָהָ֜ם אֶת־עֵינָ֗יו וַיַּרְא֙ וְהִנֵּה־אַ֔יִל אַחַ֕ר נֶאֱחַ֥ז בַּסְּבַ֖ךְ בְּקַרְנָ֑יו וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ אַבְרָהָם֙ וַיִּקַּ֣ח אֶת־הָאַ֔יִל וַיַּעֲלֵ֥הוּ לְעֹלָ֖ה תַּ֥חַת בְּנֽוֹ׃.  What does אחר  mean?  Rashi says it means after, אחר – אחרי שאמר לו המלאך: אל תשלח ידך (בראשית כ״ב:י״ב), ראהו כשהוא נאחז.  Most Rishonim learn it's some variant of after, explaining after what in different ways. The Kli Yakar notes that the word still seems to have a connotation of another, מלת אחר משמעותו הוא כאילו היה כאן שני אלים ורצה להבדיל ביניהם ואמר שזה איל אחר מן הראשון כי אע״פ שלפי זה היה לינקד צירי תחת החי״ת, מ״מ יש לפרשו כאלו הוא נקוד צירי, כי נקודות החי״ת בפתח אינו מתישב כל כך, מדכתיב מלת אחר בין איל ובין נאחז.  If that is the case, what is the other ram, are there two rams?  The Kli Yakar says the other ram is a person that sins הקרוב אלי לומר בזה, שכל מי שהוא חוטא ורב מרי נמשל לאיש בעל קרנים מנגח כלפי מעלה, בעבירות שבין אדם למקום ב״ה.  The hint to Avrohom was that he also stumbled in sin and should really be sacrificing himself, but the ram will take his place.  ודבר זה נרמז לאברהם, יען כי אדם אין צדיק בארץ אשר יעשה טוב ולא יחטא וכ״ש לדעת האומרים (נדרים ל״ב) שגלות מצרים היה בחטאו של אברהם שאמר במה אדע, וגרם לבניו עינוי ועבדות ומיתת הבנים במצרים כאילו היה מנגח בהם ימין ושמאל ע״כ דינו להקריב איל אחר, והוא אחר מן הראשון, כי האיל הראשון הוא האדם החוטא המנגח צפונה ונגבה ובחמלת ה׳ לקח תמורתו איל אשר היה נאחז בסבך בקרניו. ענין היותו נאחז בסבך היינו אילן, רמז שככה החוטא נסתבך בחטא הנמשך מאכילת עץ הדעת, אשר היה סבה לכל חטאת. וענין בקרניו כי קרני החוטא גרמו לו להסתבך בחטא, כאילו אמר שהאדם נתפש ונאחז במצודה, בעבור היות לו קרני ראם קרניו, מרים קרן למרום או לימין ושמאל.

The midrash learns the word means after but with a message for Klal Yisroel,  מהו אחר, כל הימים ישראל נאחזים בעבירות ומסתבכים בצרות וסופן להגאל בקרניו של איל.  How does the shofar remove the sins and troubles that befall Klal Yisroel?  The Gemorah in Rosh Hashana (16a) says that we blow the shofar of a ram show that Hashem should remember the akedah and it should count as if we bound ourselves before Him.  How does blowing the shofar act as if we went through with the akedah?

We say in the לדוד ה' אורי that we recite during these days,לך אמר לבי בקשו פני.  What does this mean?  The Alter Rebbe in Epistle 4 says פירוש בקשו פנימית הלב ... ופנימי' הלב היא הנקודה שבפנימיות הלב ועומקא דליבא שהיא למעלה מעלה מבחי' הדעת והתבונה שיוכל האדם להתבונן בלבו בגדולת ה'. וכמ"ש ממעמקים קראתיך ה' מעומקא דליבא (ועד"מ כמו במילי דעלמא לפעמים יש ענין גדול מאד מאד שכל חיות האדם תלוי בו ונוגע עד נקודת פנימיות הלב ועד בכלל וגורם לו לפעמים לעשות מעשים ולדבר דברים שלא בדעת כלל.)  [With this we understand the end of the possuk, אֶת פָּנֶיךָ ה' אֲבַקֵּשׁ, because one who has revealed the essence of their heart will by definition long for Hashem.  To contrast the Alter Rebbe's peshat with what the Rishonim say, see this article.]  This interpretation is not local to this possuk but is the essence of the avodah of shofar and of the entire Rosh Hashana.  The blowing of the shofar is not meant merely to blow outward, but to blow inward.  We are blowing away the blockage on our heart, the ערלת הלב and bringing to the surface the פנימיות הלב.  All the crookedness, the סבכים, are removed via the shofar and hence we are redeemed.  It is not the outward blowing of the shofar that is as if one bound himself before Hashem, but by contemplating and ruminating one one's פנימיות הלב and its connection to Hashem that one can reach the level of bittul to Hashem akin to Yitzchak on the akedah. 

The mountain that the akedah occurred on is ויקרא אברהם שם המקום ההוא ה' יראה אשר יאמר בהר ה' יראה.  This means Hashem sees the פנימיות הלב.  The akedah is the place that was מגלה what was in the פנימיות הלב of Avrohom and Yitzchak and it is this action that we seek to replicate via blowing the shofar. (See here and  here.)

25, Rosh Hashana, Chanukah, Lab B'omer, 9 Av

Why is Rosh Hashana on the 6^th day of creation, not on the first?  Dovid Hamelech told Naval (Shmuel l  25:6) ואמרתם כה לחי ואתה שלום וביתך שלום וכל אשר לך שלום.  Why would Dovid promise Nava;, such a wicked man peace, and he died a few days later, so how was it fulfilled?  The Zohar Vaerah (23b) says: אֶלָּא, הַהוּא יוֹמָא, יוֹמָא טָבָא דְרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה הֲוָה, וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יָתִיב בְּדִינָא עַל עָלְמָא, וּבְגִין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא קָאָמַר, וַאֲמַרְתֶּם כֹּה, לֶחָי, לְקַשְּׁרָא כֹּה, לֶחָי, דְּכָל חַיִּין בֵּיהּ תַּלְיָין. וְאַתָּה שָׁלוֹם, מַאי וְאַתָּה אַתָּה מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ. אֶלָּא, וְאַתָּה כֹּלָּא לְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא קָאָמַר, בְּגִין לְקַשְּׁרָא קִשְׁרָא דִּמְהֵימָנוּתָא וְכַדְקָא יֵאוֹת.  In English: That day was the holy day of Rosh Hashanah (the New Year) and the Holy One, blessed be He, was sitting in judgment over the world. For the Holy One, blessed be He, said, "And you shall say כֹּה to the living" in order to attach 'כֹּה' to the 'living', from which all life comes. "Peace be both to you." What is "both to you?" "Both to you" refers to the Holy One, blessed be He, in order to connect the link of Faith, as is proper.

The Zohar says Dovid was talking about Hashem.  His talk with Naval took place on Rosh Hashana and he was connecting כה to חי.  What does it mean to connect כה to חי and what does this have to do with Rosh Hashana?  The world was created on 25 Elul, it is the day of כה.  Rashi Mattos (30:2) says that all the נביאים  received their prophesy through כה, only Moshe received his prophesy with זה.  The word כה indicates a distance, a lack of clarity.  The world is a cheftzah of כה.  The involvement of Hashem is unclear, it is hidden in the כה אלול, the creation of the world.  Man was created on the 6^th day.  It is the job of mankind to recognize Hashem, to so to speak "bring Him" into the world.  That is what it means to attach כה to חי.  Rosh Hashana is the day that we must "bring" Hashem into the כה, the ambiguity that was created on כה אלול (based upon notes of Tzemach Tzedek to Likutay Torah Netzavim pg. מז.) 

It is possibly to this that the Ben Eish Chai was alluding to in his song for Rashbi, וַאֲמַרְתֶּם כֹּה לֶחָי רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בַּר יוֹחַאי.  It is the pnemious haTorah that illuminates every detail and nuance of the world to be filled with Godliness.  That is why Chanukah which celebrates the Torah of the שמן = רזין דתורה (see Emrey Binah (Mittler Rebbe) Krias Shemah #53,) is celebrated on the כה of כסלו.  It is the power of the pnimious haTorah to cancel out the deep darkness of the כה of the dark days of כסלו. 

The word איכה is only a contraction of the words אי כה.  It is the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash that plunged the world into a state of a complete lack of an obvious Godly presence.  The prophet bemones, how can we fall into a deeper state of כה.  It is on this holiday of Rosh Hashana that we have the opportunity to fix  the איכה by לְקַשְּׁרָא כֹּה, לֶחָי.  

The Voices

While I was sitting at davening at a shabbat hatan this week a thought jumbled of previous ideas jumped into my head.  The Gemorah in Berachot 6b says  אמר רבי חלבו אמר רב הונא: כל הנהנה מסעודת חתן ואינו משמחו עובר בחמישה קולות, שנאמר: קול ששון וקול שמחה קול חתן וקול כלה קול אומרים הודו את ה' צבאות. ואם משמחו מה שכרו?  אמר רבי יהושע בן לוי: זוכה לתורה שנתנה בחמישה קולות וכו.  Why is there a connection between being משמח the hatan and kallah and Torah?  What is the significance of the קול and specifically 5 קולות?  The Maharal often writes that the complete square has 4 sides, the number 4 represents the completion of this world.  The number 5 is the inner core, the inside of the box.  In the kabbalistic jargon, the mitzvot are אור מקיף and Torah is אור פנימי.  It is Torah that Chazal refer to as bread that enters the blood stream of a person.  That is because it is through learning Torah that a person's mind becomes intertwined with the שכל אלקי present in the Torah.  It is the greatest connection one can have to Hashem (see Tanya Ch. 4-5.)  It is this internal connection that is represented by the number 5. The deepest relationship in this world, what Chazal and especially in the kabbilistic literature use as the mashal for the relationship between Klal Yisroel and Hashem is that of a hatan and kallah.  The connection of האי ארעא that is representative of the connection between Hashem and our neshama is that of the hatan and kallah.  One who is משמח the hatan and kallah, one who is able to appreciate this connection, is a siman that their neshama is able to be connected to Hashem via His Torah.  

A קול is a voice without any words, it is just a sound.  The siman to know if a person is really in tune with someone else is if they can understand the קול alone without words.  For the hatan and kallah that deeply understand each other there is no need for words, the קול itself is enough.  This is the idea of blowing shofar.  As the Briskor Rav explains, discussed here, the shofar is a form of prayer.  What's the point of this form of prayer, just say some more words?  Because when the neshama has the longing for Hashem that it feels on Rosh Hashana, it can't be expressed in words, in can only be expressed through a simple קול.  It is an expression of the soul that can't be limited by words.