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Post by alon on Sept 28, 2014 14:43:14 GMT -8
30. It is a positive commandment to hear the sound of the shofar (ram's horn) on the first of Tishri, which is Rosh haShanah
Bamidbar 29:1 (OJB) And in the Chodesh Hashevi’i [i.e., Tishri] on the first day of the month, ye shall have a mikra kodesh; ye shall do no melekhet avodah; it is a Yom Teruah (Day of the sounding of the Shofar, i.e., Rosh Hashanah) unto you.
Numbers 29:1 (CJB) "'In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you are to have a holy convocation; do not do any kind of ordinary work; it is a day of blowing the shofar for you."
The shofar is the horn of a sheep, which is curved; other kinds of shofar are not acceptable. One has the duty to hear nine sounds of the shofar on Rosh Hashanah: three times [the series of] t'ki'ah (a clear, straight sound), t'ru'ah (a series of short, broken sounds), t'ki'ah. We are not certain however what the t'ru'ah should be; and therefore we blow three times t'ki'ah, sh'varim, (a series of moderately short sounds), t'ru'ah (a series of very short sounds), t'ki'ah; then three times t'ki'ah, sh'varim, t'ki'ah; and then three times t'ki'ah, t'ru'ah, t'ki'ah -- so as to be free of any doubt.
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Post by alon on Sept 28, 2014 14:58:37 GMT -8
30. It is a positive commandment to hear the sound of the shofar (ram's horn) on the first of Tishri, which is Rosh haShanah
Bamidbar 29:1 (OJB) And in the Chodesh Hashevi’i [i.e., Tishri] on the first day of the month, ye shall have a mikra kodesh; ye shall do no melekhet avodah; it is a Yom Teruah (Day of the sounding of the Shofar, i.e., Rosh Hashanah) unto you.
Numbers 29:1 (CJB) "'In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you are to have a holy convocation; do not do any kind of ordinary work; it is a day of blowing the shofar for you."
The shofar is the horn of a sheep, which is curved; other kinds of shofar are not acceptable. One has the duty to hear nine sounds of the shofar on Rosh Hashanah: three times [the series of] t'ki'ah (a clear, straight sound), t'ru'ah (a series of short, broken sounds), t'ki'ah. We are not certain however what the t'ru'ah should be; and therefore we blow three times t'ki'ah, sh'varim, (a series of moderately short sounds), t'ru'ah (a series of very short sounds), t'ki'ah; then three times t'ki'ah, sh'varim, t'ki'ah; and then three times t'ki'ah, t'ru'ah, t'ki'ah -- so as to be free of any doubt.
First off, it becomes apparent that the book I'm using is of the Ashkenazi Jews, because they are the only one's that put the restriction on that it must be a "ram's horn." Most use the horns of any kosher animal other than a cow's horn (which reminds us of the golden calf debacle). Ram's, antelope's, gazelle's, goat's; all are commonly used.
Next the sounds ... I can tell you the sounds made at our synagogue, which I see by browsing the net are pretty common:
T'ki'ah – One long blast
Sh'vra'im – Three medium blasts
T'ru'ah – Nine short, staccato notes
T'ki'ah G'dolah – One extra long note
Dan C |
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Post by alon on Sept 28, 2014 15:04:58 GMT -8
30. It is a positive commandment to hear the sound of the shofar (ram's horn) on the first of Tishri, which is Rosh haShanah
www.mazornet.com/holidays/RoshHashanah/shofar.htm
Shofar Notes: The Soul Awakens
The tekiah, long and uninterrupted, represents complacency with the status quo. I’m a good Jew. I’m a good person. Shevarim, literally translates to mean “broken,” is the sound of the first glance within the self, an awakening, the heartbroken feeling that comes with unflinching self-evaluation. Lastly, the teruah and its nine or ten short blasts of truth parses these deficiencies into easy-to-swallow pieces to bring about repentance and growth. Bit by bit. A closing tekiah symbolizes the birth of a new and better self.
Shofar Notes: Looking Outward
Rabbi Donald Rossoff of Temple Bnei Or, a Reform synagogue in Morristown, N.J., explains the shofar sounds with a different twist. Tekiah was the sound used for nationally meaningful occasions. Tekiot heralded holidays and new months and called the nation to ready for battle. Today the tekiah commands action and courage. Shevarim, a note broken into three, continues the tekiah’s message. It is a call to look beyond self-absorption to see the pain of a shattered world. This brings the shofar listener to the third sound, teruah. When the Israelites in the desert head the sharp short teruah notes they knew to break camp and prepare to move onward toward the Promised Land. Today a teruah directs listeners to shake up the behaviors and habits that constitute the status quo.
Rabbi Rossoff sums up the three shofars sounds: “Tekiah – Hear the call of the community. Shevarim – Harken to the pain of the world. Teruah – move in a direction of meaning and knowledge.”
And yes, the biblical command is to hear the shofar; but I'd suggest that hearing also involves some thought and understanding. Jewish thought is not about just saying "I heard." A Jewish person will always want to know what you get out of it, and most importantly how it manifests in action! What did it inspire you to DO!?
Dan C
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