אַשְׁרֵ֣י הָ֭עָם יֹדְעֵ֣י תְרוּעָ֑ה (ה׳ בְּֽאוֹר־פָּנֶ֥יךָ יְהַלֵּכֽוּן)׃
Fortunate are the people who know the teruah (the shofar blast)...
וּבַחֹ֨דֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֜י בְּאֶחָ֣ד לַחֹ֗דֶשׁ מִֽקְרָא־קֹ֙דֶשׁ֙ יִהְיֶ֣ה לָכֶ֔ם כׇּל־מְלֶ֥אכֶת עֲבֹדָ֖ה לֹ֣א תַעֲשׂ֑וּ י֥וֹם תְּרוּעָ֖ה יִהְיֶ֥ה לָכֶֽם׃
The first day of the seventh month shall be a sacred holiday to you when you shall not do any work of consequence. It shall be a day of sounding the ram’s horn.
הַיּוֹם הֲרַת עוֹלָם. הַיּוֹם יַעֲמִיד בַּמִּשְׁפָּט כָּל יְצוּרֵי עוֹלָמִים.
Today (the 1st of Tishrei) is the birthday of the world (the day the world came into being); On this day, He brings to judgment all the creatures of the worlds
עָלֵֽינוּ לְשַׁבֵּֽחַ לַאֲדוֹן הַכֹּל לָתֵת גְּדֻלָּה לְיוֹצֵר בְּרֵאשִׁית...
כַּכָּתוּב בְּתוֹרָתֶֽךָ ה׳ יִמְלֹךְ לְעֹלָם וָעֶד
וְנֶאֱמַר לֹא הִבִּיט אָֽוֶן בְּיַעֲקֹב וְלֹא רָאָה עָמָל בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל ה׳ אֱלֹקָיו עִמּוֹ וּתְרוּעַת מֶֽלֶךְ בּוֹ:
וְנֶאֱמַר וַיְהִי בִישֻׁרוּן מֶֽלֶךְ בְּהִתְאַסֵּף רָֽאשֵׁי עָם יַֽחַד שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל:
וּבְדִבְרֵי קָדְשְׁךָ כָּתוּב לֵאמֹר: כִּי לַה׳ הַמְּלוּכָה וּמשֵׁל בַּגּוֹיִם:
וְנֶאֱמַר ה׳ מָלָךְ גֵּאוּת לָבֵשׁ לָבֵשׁ ה׳ עֹז הִתְאַזָּר אַף תִּכּוֹן תֵּבֵל בַּל תִּמּוֹט:
וְנֶאֱמַר שְׂאוּ שְׁעָרִים רָאשֵׁיכֶם וְהִנָּשְׂאוּ פִּתְחֵי עוֹלָם וְיָבוֹא מֶֽלֶךְ הַכָּבוֹד: מִי זֶה מֶֽלֶךְ הַכָּבוֹד ה׳ עִזּוּז וְגִבּוֹר ה׳ גִּבּוֹר מִלְחָמָה: שְׂאוּ שְׁעָרִים רָאשֵׁיכֶם וּשְׂאוּ פִּתְחֵי עוֹלָם וְיָבֹא מֶֽלֶךְ הַכָּבוֹד: מִי הוּא זֶה מֶֽלֶךְ הַכָּבוֹד ה׳ צְבָאוֹת הוּא מֶֽלֶךְ הַכָּבוֹד סֶֽלָה:
וְעַל יְדֵי עֲבָדֶֽיךָ הַנְּבִיאִים כָּתוּב לֵאמֹר: כֹּה אָמַר ה׳ מֶֽלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגֹאֲלוֹ ה׳ צְבָאוֹת אֲנִי רִאשׁוֹן וַאֲנִי אַחֲרוֹן וּמִבַּלְעָדַי אֵין אֱלֹקִים:
וְנֶאֱמַר וְעָלוּ מוֹשִׁיעִים בְּהַר צִיּוֹן לִשְׁפֹּט אֶת הַר עֵשָׂו וְהָיְתָה לַה׳ הַמְּלוּכָה: וְנֶאֱמַר וְהָיָה ה׳ לְמֶֽלֶךְ עַל כָּל הָאָֽרֶץ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִהְיֶה ה׳ אֶחָד וּשְׁמוֹ אֶחָד:
וּבְתוֹרָתְךָ כָּתוּב לֵאמֹר: שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל ה׳ אֱלֹקֵֽינוּ ה׳ אֶחָד:
... בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה׳ מֶֽלֶךְ עַל כָּל הָאָֽרֶץ מְקַדֵּשׁ (הַשַּׁבָּת וְ) יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיוֹם הַזִּכָּרוֹן:
Introduction to מַלְכֻיּוֹת, זִכְרוֹנוֹת, וְשׁוֹפָרוֹתThe major portion of the Musaf service, is based on the three concepts:
מַלְכֻיּוֹת, namely, that God reigns over the world and we accept His rule;
זִכְרוֹנוֹת, that He remembers as He reviews our past;
שׁוֹפָרוֹת, that we are called upon to follow Him into a new future of Torah obedience and fulfillment.
For each of these three concepts we are given ten Biblical quotations, three from the Torah, three from Sacred Writings, (כְּתוּבִים), and three from the Prophets, (נְבִיאִים). The final quotation is again taken from the Torah;
The prayer of עָלֵינוּ sets the tone of מַלְכֻיּוֹת for it declares our acceptance of God as our Master and Creator. It concludes with the proclamation that all men will eventually accept upon themselves the yoke of His Kingdom.
It is our obligation to praise the Master of all, to ascribe greatness to the Creator of [the world in] the beginning...
1)as it is written in Your Torah: “Hashem will reignforever and ever.”
2)And it is said: “He beheld no iniquity in Yaakov, nor did He see wrongdoing in Yisrael; Hashem, His God is with him, and the love of the kingis among them.”
3)And it is said: “And He was Kingin Yeshurun, with the gathering of the heads of the people, the tribes of Yisrael were united.”
1)And in Your holy words it is written: “For the kingship is Hashem’s, and He rules over nations.”
2)And it is said: “Hashem has begun His reign, He has clothed Himself in majesty...
3)And it is said: “Lift up your heads,—gates, and be uplifted entranceways to eternity, so that the King of Glory may enter....
1)Andby the hand of Your servants, the Prophets it is written: “Thus said Hashem, King of Yisrael and its Redeemer, Hashem Tzevakos: ‘I am the first and I am the last; and beside Me, there is no God’.”
2)And it is said: “And deliverers will go up to Mount Tziyon to judge the mount of Esav, and the kingdom will be Hashem’s.”
3)And it is said: “And Hashem will be King over the whole earth; on that day Hashem will be One and His Name One.”
1)And in Your Torah it is written: “Hear, Yisrael: Hashem is our God Hashem is One!”
...Blessed are You Hashem, King over all the earth, Sanctifier of Yisrael and the Day of Remembrance.
עָלָ֣ה אֱ֭לֹקִים בִּתְרוּעָ֑ה ה׳ בְּק֣וֹל שׁוֹפָֽר׃
G d shall be exalted with the teruah, Hashem (is exalted) with the sound of the shofar.
אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁתְּקִיעַת שׁוֹפָר בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה גְּזֵרַת הַכָּתוּב רֶמֶז יֵשׁ בּוֹ כְּלוֹמַר עוּרוּ יְשֵׁנִים מִשְּׁנַתְכֶם
Even though the sounding of the shofar on Rosh HaShanah is a decree (without an explicit reason), it contains an allusion. It is as if [the shofar's call] is saying: Wake up you sleepy ones from your sleep and you who slumber, arise.
לָמָּה תּוֹקְעִין וּמְרִיעִין כְּשֶׁהֵן יוֹשְׁבִין, וְתוֹקְעִין וּמְרִיעִין כְּשֶׁהֵן עוֹמְדִין — כְּדֵי לְעַרְבֵּב הַשָּׂטָן.
Why does one sound a series of blasts while the congregation is still sitting before the silent prayer, and then sound again a ta series of blasts while they are standing in the Amida prayer?
In order to confuse the Satan, for this double blowing of the shofar demonstrates Israel’s love for the mitzva, and this will confuse Satan when he brings his accusations against Israel before the heavenly court, and the Jewish people will receive a favorable judgment.
TARosh Hashanah - The King
Part I. Blowing the Shofar
The Mysterious Shofar Blast
In Tehillim (89:16), it states: אַשְׁרֵי הָעָם יוֹדְעֵי תְרוּעָה – Fortunate is the nation that knows the shofar blasts. Now, in the Torah, Rosh Hashanah is known as יוֹם תְּרוּעָה – ‘The day of the shofar blast’(Bamidbar 29:1), and Dovid Hamelech is telling us here that besides for blowing the shofar on the day of Rosh Hashanah, there is something called ‘knowing the shofar blasts’. It’s those individuals who make an effort to understand the lesson of the shofar blasts, they are the most fortunate among us; they are the ones who will have a successful Rosh Hashanah.
In Tehillim (89:16), it states: אַשְׁרֵי הָעָם יוֹדְעֵי תְרוּעָה – Fortunate is the nation that knows the shofar blasts. Now, in the Torah, Rosh Hashanah is known as יוֹם תְּרוּעָה – ‘The day of the shofar blast’(Bamidbar 29:1), and Dovid Hamelech is telling us here that besides for blowing the shofar on the day of Rosh Hashanah, there is something called ‘knowing the shofar blasts’. It’s those individuals who make an effort to understand the lesson of the shofar blasts, they are the most fortunate among us; they are the ones who will have a successful Rosh Hashanah.
But when you look in the Torah it’s a mystery. The mitzvah of blowing shofar is stated in the Torah without any reason. וּבַחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי בְּאֶחָד לַחֹדֶשׁ … יוֹם תְּרוּעָה יִהְיֶה לָכֶם – In the seventh month on the first of the month … it should be a day of shofar blowing for you(Bamidbar 29:1). That’s all; it doesn’t even mention the word Rosh Hashanah – & surely not a reason for the shofar blasts. In one other place something is mentioned: "It should be a זִכְרוֹן תְּרוּעָה" – a shofar blast that reminds you(Vaykira 23:24). But to remind us of what?! It’s a blank.
The Machzor’s Answer
And what do the Sages tell us to explain what it's all about? So when you look in the machzoryou see that Rosh Hashanah is all about malchiyos (kingship); everything revolves around Hashem’s Kingship.
And what do the Sages tell us to explain what it's all about? So when you look in the machzoryou see that Rosh Hashanah is all about malchiyos (kingship); everything revolves around Hashem’s Kingship.
Yes, you’ll find that there are other aspects too but even they are all connected to the element of proclaiming Hashem the Melech. When we blow the shofar, those blasts are coming to proclaim His Malchus (Kingship / Sovereignty) . That was the practice in the olden days, when a king began his reign it was announced by the blowing of trumpets. And that’s what we’re doing on Rosh Hashanah; we’re announcing that He is the Melech. ‘Hashem Melech!’ – that’s the theme of the day.
A Different Type of King
Now, I use the word Melechdeliberately because the English word ‘king’ doesn’t do any justice at all to the word melech. When we say Hashem is King, it means something else altogether. Because Hashem is not someone Who came to a country that already existed and He was chosen King or He conquered them and became their King. No, our King is something very different – He madethe country and He madethe people. And then He put the people into the country and that’s how He became King.
Now, I use the word Melechdeliberately because the English word ‘king’ doesn’t do any justice at all to the word melech. When we say Hashem is King, it means something else altogether. Because Hashem is not someone Who came to a country that already existed and He was chosen King or He conquered them and became their King. No, our King is something very different – He madethe country and He madethe people. And then He put the people into the country and that’s how He became King.
That, by the way, is why Rosh Hashanah is on the first of Tishrei, the day He created the world. הַיּוֹם הֲרַת עוֹלָם – Today is the birthday of the world. We say that again and again on Rosh Hashanah. And it’s not a separate subject from Hashem Melech. It’s the explanation of Hashem Melech.
How did He become King? When He made the world yesh me’ayin (ex nihilo); He brought it into being out of nothing. Before, there was no world. It was "ayin" – there was nothing at all except Hashem. And when He made the universe, He became a Melech. Hashem Melech means He created His kingdom, and thereby He became the King. Now that’sa King! Everything else, all of creation, it’s only His wish that makes it exist; but intrinsically nothing has any existence. And that’s what Rosh Hashanah is saying – our King is something entirely different because He’s the only real existence in the world.
A Virtual Reality
That’s why when we say various pessukim about Hashem’s Malchus in the Rosh Hashanah mussaf tefillah so the last one is שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל ה’ אֱלֹקֵינוּ ה’ אֶחָד. All the other pesukim mention the word Melech. That’s the point of the ten pesukim of Kingship. But the last one, the grand finale, seems to be missing the most important word. It’s just שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל ה’ אֱלֹקֵינוּ ה’ אֶחָד; it doesn’t mention anything about Hashem being the King.
That’s why when we say various pessukim about Hashem’s Malchus in the Rosh Hashanah mussaf tefillah so the last one is שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל ה’ אֱלֹקֵינוּ ה’ אֶחָד. All the other pesukim mention the word Melech. That’s the point of the ten pesukim of Kingship. But the last one, the grand finale, seems to be missing the most important word. It’s just שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל ה’ אֱלֹקֵינוּ ה’ אֶחָד; it doesn’t mention anything about Hashem being the King.
But Hashem Echad, that’s the true explanation of Hashem Melech, because Echad means that He is the only One Who exists. The only One? Don’t we exist? So the Rambam explains that He is the only One Whose existence is a real existence; everything else in the world exists only because Hashem wants it to be in existence. We exist only in the sense that He causes us to be in existence through His will– if He stopped imagining us into existence we would disappear into nothing. Of course, His Imagination is a significant Imagination. You can pinch yourself; you see that you’re real. But still, it’s only His Imagination. Our King is the only One Who actually exists.
And that means that He’s the only One we should be thinking about. Hashem Echad means that He should be the Echad in our thoughts. No matter what you are doing – no matter what you are thinking about, He’s the One Who you should be thinking about most. And that’s the teruah, the blast we blow, to announce His Kingship, to proclaim to all that His existence is the only One in the world.
Trumpeting Moshiach
Now why don’t we just get together and shout? Who needs a shofar blast? The answer is that the human voice is not strong enough to emphasize the greatness of the occasion – it requires the big blast of the shofar. Like it says about that day that we’re all looking forward to, the day of תְּקַע בְּשׁוֹפָר גָּדוֹל לְחֵרוּתֵנוּ – Hakadosh Baruch Hu will someday sound a great shofar and take us out of golus (exile). Now why will He sound a great shofar? Let Him just come and take us out. We need trumpets? Just take us out and we’ll be happy.
Now why don’t we just get together and shout? Who needs a shofar blast? The answer is that the human voice is not strong enough to emphasize the greatness of the occasion – it requires the big blast of the shofar. Like it says about that day that we’re all looking forward to, the day of תְּקַע בְּשׁוֹפָר גָּדוֹל לְחֵרוּתֵנוּ – Hakadosh Baruch Hu will someday sound a great shofar and take us out of golus (exile). Now why will He sound a great shofar? Let Him just come and take us out. We need trumpets? Just take us out and we’ll be happy.
The answer is that the greatness of the event requires a shofar blast. Just like the great event of Mattan Torah (the giving of the Torah) came with a blast, Moshiach will also come with a loud blast. The whole world is finally going to know the truth; it will be revealed that Hashem is King and that all the ideologies of the nations are false.
Let’s Have a Blast
And that’s why the declaration of His Kingship we do by means of a shofar. Not quietly. A declaration with a blast. Because in this world the great truths are not heard – מִקּוֹל הֲמוֹנָהּ שֶׁל רוֹמִי – because of the great noise that comes from Rome (Yoma 20b). Now it doesn’t mean only from Rome in Italy. It also means the great noise that comes from the tumah (impurity, immorality) of New York and the tumah of London and Paris and Tel-Aviv and Berlin and Moscow.
And that’s why the declaration of His Kingship we do by means of a shofar. Not quietly. A declaration with a blast. Because in this world the great truths are not heard – מִקּוֹל הֲמוֹנָהּ שֶׁל רוֹמִי – because of the great noise that comes from Rome (Yoma 20b). Now it doesn’t mean only from Rome in Italy. It also means the great noise that comes from the tumah (impurity, immorality) of New York and the tumah of London and Paris and Tel-Aviv and Berlin and Moscow.
All over the world, the centers of gentile civilization are producing noise of sheker (falsehood). The scientists and evolutionists, the politicians and entertainers and televisions and newspapers; a world full of apikorsim (heretics, atheists)) making noise. And so today we make a big blast to remind ourselves that our job is to drown out their noises. Hashem Melech means we’re shouting them down; we’re laughing at them.
Hashem Melech means that we are drowning out all of the noise from the other religions too. Because they’re nothing. I don’t want to insult the religions because we are good friends of everybody. Along with being loyal citizens of our country, we’re good with everybody. But it’s plain ridiculous. All the religions are ridiculous. And because the world makes noise about nothing, we need the shofar blast to drown them out.
Know the Shofar Blast
And so we come back now to אַשְׁרֵי הָעָם יוֹדְעֵי תְרוּעָה – Fortunate are those who know what the teruah is all about, and we’ll say now that this is the purpose of the shofar blasts; Hakadosh Baruch Hu is being proclaimed by us as the Melech!
And so we come back now to אַשְׁרֵי הָעָם יוֹדְעֵי תְרוּעָה – Fortunate are those who know what the teruah is all about, and we’ll say now that this is the purpose of the shofar blasts; Hakadosh Baruch Hu is being proclaimed by us as the Melech!
Rosh Hashanah is dedicated to making ourselves aware that there is only One thing in the world and there is only One thing that matters in the world: Hashem Melech, Hashem Echad. And as much noise as the world wants to make, we’re going to stand our ground. We’re putting the world on notice: as far as we’re concerned ה’ מֶלֶךְ ה’ מָלָךְ ה’ יִמְלֹךְ לְעֹלָם וָעֶד – Hashem always was King, Hashem is King now, and Hashem will be King forever and ever.
Part II. Listening to the Shofar
The Purpose of blowing
And so we begin to see now what the "Yom Teruah" ("day of blowing") means to those who are yod’ei teruah - who understand the blowing of the shofar. It’s not just a sound that we listen to for one or two days; we listen to the shofar in order that it should have very far-reaching consequences after Rosh Hashanah too. "Yom Teruah" means “Make this day your model for the rest of the days of the year. Make noise about Hashem all year long!”
And so we begin to see now what the "Yom Teruah" ("day of blowing") means to those who are yod’ei teruah - who understand the blowing of the shofar. It’s not just a sound that we listen to for one or two days; we listen to the shofar in order that it should have very far-reaching consequences after Rosh Hashanah too. "Yom Teruah" means “Make this day your model for the rest of the days of the year. Make noise about Hashem all year long!”
But the question is, are we here in this world just to make noise for other people to hear, to proclaim to the world? Is it all for export? Actually the mitzvah is for every individual to hear the shofar, and so we must say that the most important target at which we are aiming all the noise is ourselves. We are the ones who will benefit most by hearing the kol shofar and therefore we are the ones who have to listen most.
After all, you’re not doing it for Hashem. He doesn’t need our coronation to ascend the throne. That’s as silly as could be; a little man on this earth takes a ram, saws off its horn, stands up in shul, and gives a blow, & that gives honor to The King??? The Creator of the universe Who created billions of star worlds in which this earth is a speck of dust, and because one human being or a thousand or even a million human beings blow on the shofar, so He becomes exalted now from our shofar blowing? Of course not. We won’t make Him any more of a Melech no matter how much we blow.
So what is meant when we say "עָלָה אֱלֹקִים בִּתְרוּעָה", that He is exalted by our shofar blowing? The answer is that when we announce Hashem’s Kingship He becomes exalted in our own minds.
Learning to Listen
Now don’t think it’s such a simple matter; because people are always hearing things and never gaining anything.One must acquire the knack of assimilating within yourself what you’re hearing. To listen and to take it seriously – to let it enter into your bones – it saturates your mind and you become changed gradually; you become actually a new person by listening.
Now don’t think it’s such a simple matter; because people are always hearing things and never gaining anything.One must acquire the knack of assimilating within yourself what you’re hearing. To listen and to take it seriously – to let it enter into your bones – it saturates your mind and you become changed gradually; you become actually a new person by listening.
It’s not enough merely to stand and think “I’m listening.” Of course we have to listen, but we shouldn’t stop there – you have to understand that it’s talking to you.
The Talking Ram-Horn
The Rambam says that the shofar is telling you something: עוּרוּ יְשֵׁנִים מִשִׁינַתְכֶם – ‘Awake o’ sleepers from your slumber וְנִרְדָּמִים הָקִיצוּ מִתַּרְדֵּמַתְכֶם – Sleepyheads arise!’ (Hilchos Teshuva 3:4).
The Rambam says that the shofar is telling you something: עוּרוּ יְשֵׁנִים מִשִׁינַתְכֶם – ‘Awake o’ sleepers from your slumber וְנִרְדָּמִים הָקִיצוּ מִתַּרְדֵּמַתְכֶם – Sleepyheads arise!’ (Hilchos Teshuva 3:4).
That’s the purpose of the shofar, so that we ourselves should wake up and hear that Hashem is the King. Because we’ve been fast asleep for many months now – Olam Hazeh (this world) - does that to a person; it’s a lullaby that knocks us out – and so the shofar comes along and blows, Wake up, you sleepers!” That’s how a person has to stand in shul when the baal tokeia is blowing; he’s trying to wake himself up. “Miller! Do you hear that?! Wake up, Miller! They’re announcing ‘Hashem Melech!’”
Bestir yourself! Throw off all the styles and fads and ideas of the day, all the things that people are busy with and go back again to the original Source where it’s Hashem Melech and nothing else. Shema Yisroel, Hashem Echad! Hashem is the only One to Whom we listen. All of our attitudes have to come back to the Torah; that’s our Source for our thoughts and for our emotions. That’s what the shofar is telling us. That’s what Hashem Melech means. It means that we are going to be busy all year reminding ourselves that there is nothing important in this world except for Hashem
A Thoughtful People
How is that? How is Hashem One? Only if people make up their minds to listen only to Him. Because if you were affected by the shofar, you'd begin to understand clearly all the issues involved in living and that life has a purpose. If you were listening to the coronation of the King you’d understand that the coming year means a year of responsibility.
How is that? How is Hashem One? Only if people make up their minds to listen only to Him. Because if you were affected by the shofar, you'd begin to understand clearly all the issues involved in living and that life has a purpose. If you were listening to the coronation of the King you’d understand that the coming year means a year of responsibility.
New Year’s Resolutions
And that’s why on Rosh Hashanah among the most important functions is to make kabalos (resolutions, commitments), to take upon ourselves certain plans for the ensuing year or for our entire lives. The early generations used to do that. They would spend some time thinking about themselves and seeing in which areas they need improvement and then they planned certain stratagems, plans, how to solve the problems of their behavior.
And that’s why on Rosh Hashanah among the most important functions is to make kabalos (resolutions, commitments), to take upon ourselves certain plans for the ensuing year or for our entire lives. The early generations used to do that. They would spend some time thinking about themselves and seeing in which areas they need improvement and then they planned certain stratagems, plans, how to solve the problems of their behavior.
So why shouldn’t we do that too? Even small kabalos (resolutions/commitments), at least it’s a promise for the future that things should be somewhat different than what they were up till now. Whether it’s in shalom bayis (treating one's spouse properly), your behavior towards your fellow man, in the way you daven, your ambitions to learn Torah, undertaking maasim tovim (good deeds) and new mitzvos, whatever it is, to listen to the voice of the shofar and to understand that there’s work to be done.
The First New Year’s Resolution
And yet, among all the resolutions, as important as each one might be, the first and most important Rosh Hashanah resolution is that this year I’m going to make Hashem the Melech in my life. That’s more important than any other teshuvah (repentance).
And yet, among all the resolutions, as important as each one might be, the first and most important Rosh Hashanah resolution is that this year I’m going to make Hashem the Melech in my life. That’s more important than any other teshuvah (repentance).
This answers a question that everyone asks. We know that Rosh Hashanah is a day of the greatest sakanah (danger). It's the Yom Hadin (day of judgement)! Now since the din judgement depends on merits and demerits, it would seem that our biggest job, the main function of Rosh Hashanah, would be to stand all day long and to say al cheit. How can it wait? Who knows what our status is? Maybe even one aveirah less will tip the scale,so how can we postpone this teshuvah (repentance) and wait until Yom Kippur? It’s an emergency! If we could throw overboard some aveiros on Rosh Hashanah we might save ourselves – and instead we’re busy with Hashem Melech and shofar blasts.
And the answer is that we’re throwing overboard the biggest sin of all. We’re doing the biggest teshuvah possible by saying ‘Hashem Melech’ all day long.
Teshuvah on details is a very good thing but the most important teshuvah is, “Am I thinking, ‘Hashem Melech’?” Not only now on Rosh Hashanah; Rosh Hashanah teshuvah means that I’m full of regret for all the times this past year that I forgot this foundation of foundations; I forgot to listen to the lesson of the shofar all year long. And that this year is going to be different.
Next Week Is For Details
Now after a person has successfully utilized Rosh Hashanah to gain the feeling that Hashem is a Melech, but still there remain some stains on his neshamah which he has to remove yet, some sins. After all, who doesn’t commit some misdeeds in the details? And so Yom Kippur comes to take off the spots. Yes, Yom Kippur is vital for a Jew but if he didn’t succeed in the most important function of Hashem Melech, then Yom Kippur is a failure for him.
Now after a person has successfully utilized Rosh Hashanah to gain the feeling that Hashem is a Melech, but still there remain some stains on his neshamah which he has to remove yet, some sins. After all, who doesn’t commit some misdeeds in the details? And so Yom Kippur comes to take off the spots. Yes, Yom Kippur is vital for a Jew but if he didn’t succeed in the most important function of Hashem Melech, then Yom Kippur is a failure for him.
So first you have to blow the shofar and shout with all your heart all day long that Hashem is a Melech. You’ll shout and blow and shout and blow and maybe you’ll listen a little bit to what your mouth is shouting, that you’re crowning Hashem as Melech.
Part III. Blowing the Tekios Again
Stop Blowing It
But there’s a question here. Because it seems like the Am Yisroel goes a bit overboard with this mitzvah. After all, how many tekios are required to coronate Hashem as King? According to the Torah a few short blasts are sufficient to fulfill the Torah obligation. And yet we do much more than that.
But there’s a question here. Because it seems like the Am Yisroel goes a bit overboard with this mitzvah. After all, how many tekios are required to coronate Hashem as King? According to the Torah a few short blasts are sufficient to fulfill the Torah obligation. And yet we do much more than that.
The Gemara in Rosh Hashanah (16b) asks that question. לָמָּה תּוֹקְעִין וּמְרִיעִין כְּשֶׁהֵן יוֹשְׁבִין וְתוֹקְעִים וּמְרִיעִין כְּשֶׁהֵן עוֹמְדִים – Why do we blow shofar again and again on Rosh Hashanah? Besides for the tekios before mussaf – that’s already enough to fulfill our obligation – we blow again more tekios during mussaf; and then again another set of tekios after mussaf. The seudah is waiting for us at home but we keep going strong. ‘Let the food wait,’ we say, ‘we’re busy blowing shofar.’ And so the question is, why is this so? Why do we blow so much?
The Confused Angel
And the answer given there is we do it in order to confuse the satan, כְּדֵי לְעַרְבֵּב הַשָּׂטָן. On Rosh Hashanah the satan wishes to accuse the Am Yisroel and in order to throw him off balance and counter his accusations, we blow the shofar again and again, much more than required.
And the answer given there is we do it in order to confuse the satan, כְּדֵי לְעַרְבֵּב הַשָּׂטָן. On Rosh Hashanah the satan wishes to accuse the Am Yisroel and in order to throw him off balance and counter his accusations, we blow the shofar again and again, much more than required.
Now that’s not so simple because the satan actually is not going to be confused by any amount of noise that we make. You can’t fool him because he is nothing but intellect. He’s a malach whose function is to present facts to Beis Din shel maalah. That’s his job, to present the facts of the past and thereby deprive the accused of their future. And so no matter what we do, nine blasts or a hundred, he’s going to present his case and say, “So and so doesn’t deserve another chance.”
A Wild Future
So pay attention now to the answer. If the satan is trying to deprive us of our future – that’s his job after all – so our chief function on Rosh Hashanah is to convince Hakadosh Baruch Hu that we do have a future, that it does pay to give us another chance. And that’s what we intend when we blow the shofar again and again; that’s what we intend when we make even more noise than is required. We’re not only proclaiming Hashem the King but we’re making a tumult about it; we’re getting excited about it.
So pay attention now to the answer. If the satan is trying to deprive us of our future – that’s his job after all – so our chief function on Rosh Hashanah is to convince Hakadosh Baruch Hu that we do have a future, that it does pay to give us another chance. And that’s what we intend when we blow the shofar again and again; that’s what we intend when we make even more noise than is required. We’re not only proclaiming Hashem the King but we’re making a tumult about it; we’re getting excited about it.
And that’s the promise we’re making when we blow the shofar again and again. We’re not just going to anoint You as king; we’re going to be excited about it. We’ll do it again and again until it finally runs off on us that you’re Hashem Echad. We won’t do it quietly. “Hashem Melech!” we’ll shout.
The Missing Word
The world keeps quiet about Him. In the street we don’t hear the Name of Hakadosh Baruch Hu among the nations or irreligious Jews. The newspapers, all the media, they don’t speak about Hashem at all. They ignore that subject entirely.
The world keeps quiet about Him. In the street we don’t hear the Name of Hakadosh Baruch Hu among the nations or irreligious Jews. The newspapers, all the media, they don’t speak about Hashem at all. They ignore that subject entirely.
Even in the yiddish newspapers it’s not in the headlines. They don’t put in the headlines ‘Hashem did this,’ ‘Hashem did that.’ Unfortunately even among observant Jews, I’m sorry to say that to a big extent you don’t hear thename of Hakadosh Baruch Hu .
A Mouthful
The old Jews did that. In the olden days – the name of Hashem was always in the mouths of the Am Yisroel.
The old Jews did that. In the olden days – the name of Hashem was always in the mouths of the Am Yisroel.
You remember when Yaakov Avinu saw Yosef’s little boys and he said, מִי אֵלֶּה לָּךְ – who are these boys?
So Yosef said, בָּנַי הֵם – “They are my children.” Now he should have stopped talking –
“they are my children.” But he added, אֲשֶׁר נָתַן לִי אֱלֹקִים בָּזֶה –that Hashem gave me (Bereishis 48:9)
“they are my children.” But he added, אֲשֶׁר נָתַן לִי אֱלֹקִים בָּזֶה –that Hashem gave me (Bereishis 48:9)
Naturally if you have children, Hashem gave it! You don’t go out and buy them in the supermarket. Why is it necessary to add, “that Hashem gave me”?
The answer is that they were always thinking about Him. Hashem was always in the headlines for the ancient Jew.
When Rochel didn’t have any children and she complained, what did Yaakov Avinu answer her? הֲתַחַת אֱלֹקִים אָנִי אֲשֶׁר מָנַע מִמֵּךְ פְּרִי בָטֶן – Hashem withheld from you children (ibid. 30:2). He didn’t say that ‘you didn’t have any children’. They didn’t talk that way. Only Hashem gives and takes.
And so when Iyov lost his property he said (1:21) ה’ נָתַן וַה’ לָקָח - Hashem gives & Hashem takes
You remember when Boaz was walking by his field and he saw the reapers? He said to them, “Hashem imachem" - May Hashem be with you
And they answered “Yevarechecha Hashem” (Rus 2:4)
And they answered “Yevarechecha Hashem” (Rus 2:4)
That’s how they spoke in those days. Always, at every opportunity, they brought Hashem to the forefront. And not only they spoke that way, that’s how they thought.
Show and Tell
The great tragedy is when Hashem remains in the siddur or the machzor. Isn’t that a pity, that Hashem is relegated only to the siddur today? That’s called a King?
The great tragedy is when Hashem remains in the siddur or the machzor. Isn’t that a pity, that Hashem is relegated only to the siddur today? That’s called a King?
So at the beginning of the year we say that we’re going to turn over a new leaf – we’re going to take Hashem out of the siddur and bring Him out into the street. That’s what we’re saying when we blow again and again. We’ll talk about Him always and mention Him always. We’ll make noise about Him.
Make Big Noise
Teruah doesn’t mean merely noise; it means a big noise. Make a big noise about everything that has to do with Hashem. A big noise about Torah. Torah learning should always be praised. When somebody is a talmid chochom, praise him. When somebody is a servant of Hashem, praise him.
Teruah doesn’t mean merely noise; it means a big noise. Make a big noise about everything that has to do with Hashem. A big noise about Torah. Torah learning should always be praised. When somebody is a talmid chochom, praise him. When somebody is a servant of Hashem, praise him.
Speak to your children. Praise to them the quality of davening sincerely. Speak about that constantly, how good it is to talk to Hashem about everything. Speak to them how good it is to make a brachah aloud. Teach your children how good it is to love mitzvahs, to kiss the sefer Torah, to kiss the mezuzah.
Speak highly of yeshivahs. Speak highly of religious Jews. Even to yourself you should speak. Speak highly of gedolei yisroel - our great sages & righteous leaders; Speak of them all the time in your homes. Constantly aggrandize everything, praise the Torah and praise service of Hashem.
And by doing these things we are fulfilling our function of teruah - of making a big noise about Hakadosh Baruch Hu in this world.
That’s what our noise has to be about, only about Hashem. Otherwise we shouldn't get excited at all. If a man is interested in talking to you about business and the market and politics, if he’s excited to tell you about a baseball game and special sales in the stores, so the shofar says, “Quiet! There’s nothing in the world to be excited about. Only the emes - the truth. The real emes is HashemMelech. That’s where you have to make the noise.”
The Non-Stop Resolution
And by blowing shofar once and then again during davening and then again after davening we show we mean business. And even when we can’t blow we shout ‘Hashem Melech’ again and again. We’ll make a blast of noise and another blast and we’ll keep at it, even more than required, because we’re making a commitment now. “Don’t listen to the satan,” we say, “He’s talking about the past but we’re thinking ahead. We’re telling you what’s going to be in the future. We’re going to be making noise about Hashem Melech non-stop.”
And by blowing shofar once and then again during davening and then again after davening we show we mean business. And even when we can’t blow we shout ‘Hashem Melech’ again and again. We’ll make a blast of noise and another blast and we’ll keep at it, even more than required, because we’re making a commitment now. “Don’t listen to the satan,” we say, “He’s talking about the past but we’re thinking ahead. We’re telling you what’s going to be in the future. We’re going to be making noise about Hashem Melech non-stop.”
And when the satan sees that we mean business, that we’re committed for the future, that confuses the satan and makes him give up. “Oh,” says the satan, “what can I do with these people?” And he retires in confusion; he gives up.
We will be worthy of getting a charter for the new year, a new year of life and happiness and success, because we are committed to this program of making a big noise about Hashem always, about being excited always only about Him.