The sounding of the Shofar is a central mitzvah of Rosh Hashanah. The Rambam explains that the institution is designed to wake us from our slumber, from being lost in the fleeting endeavors of our times, to do Teshuva and remember our creator (Laws of Teshuva 3:4). While we are used to seeing the Shofar blown in the context of the synagogue service, it looks slightly different when performed in the temple.

רמב“ם – שופר וסוכה ולולב א:ב

(ב) במקדש היו תוקעין בראש השנה בשופר אחד, ושתי חצוצרות מן הצדדין, השופר מאריך והחצוצרות מקצרות, שמצות היום בשופר. ולמה תוקעין עמו בחצוצרות, משום שנאמר ״בחצוצרות וקול שופר הריעו לפני המלך י״י״ (תהלים צ״ח:ו׳). אבל בשאר מקומות אין תוקעין בראש השנה אלא בשופר בלבד:

Rambam – Laws of Shofar Sukkah and Lualv 1:2

(2) In the Temple, on Rosh HaShanah, they would blow [the shofar in the following manner]: There was one shofar and two trumpets, [one on either] side. The sounding of the shofar was extended, while that of the trumpets was shortened, because the mitzvah of the day is performed with the shofar. Why were the trumpets sounded together with it? Because [Psalms 98:6] states: "You shall sound trumpets and the voice of the shofar before God, the King." However, in other places on Rosh Hashanah, only the shofar is blown.

When the mitzvah of Shofar is performed in the Beit Hamikdash, the temple, it is accompanied by the sounding of two silver trumpets. However, the Shofar sound is extended while the sounding of the trumpets is curtailed. The main mitzvah of the day is the Shofar.

רמב"ם – תעניות א:ד

ובימי התעניות האלו, זועקין בתפילות ומתחננים, ומריעין בחצוצרות בלבד. ואם היו במקדש, מריעין בחצוצרות ובשופר, השופר מקצר והחצוצרות מאריכות, שמצות היום בחצוצרות. ואין תוקעין בחצוצרות ושופר כאחד אלא במקדש, שנאמר "בחצוצרות וקול שופר הריעו לפני המלך י"י" (תהלים צ"ח:ו'):

Rambam – Laws of Fast Days 1:4

On these fast days, we cry out in prayer, offer supplications, and sound the trumpets only. In the Temple, we sound both the trumpets and the shofar. The shofar blasts should be shortened and the trumpet blasts extended, for the mitzvah of the day is with the trumpets. The trumpets are sounded together with the shofar only in the Temple, as [can be inferred from Psalms 98:6]: "Sound trumpets and shofar blasts before God, the King."

In the context of a national tragedy, the trumpets are sounded in the temple along with the Shofar. The shofar is curtailed, while the trumpets are extended. The main mitzvah in this circumstance is the trumpets.

On Rosh Hashanah, the Shofar takes center stage and the trumpets accompany the shofar. On a national fast day, the trumpets take center stage, and the shofar accompanies the trumpets. But in each instance, the Rambam emphasizes that the “mitzvah of the day” is Shofar on Rosh Hashanah, and the trumpets on a national fast day. Why not stick with one or the other? Why mix the messages? What is the idea behind this combination? To gain some context, let’s examine the Torah’s description of the trumpets:

במדבר י

א( וַיְדַבֵּר ה, אֶל-מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר. ב( עֲשֵׂה לְךָ, שְׁתֵּי חֲצוֹצְרֹת כֶּסֶף--מִקְשָׁה, תַּעֲשֶׂה אֹתָם; וְהָיוּ לְךָ לְמִקְרָא הָעֵדָה, וּלְמַסַּע אֶת-הַמַּחֲנוֹת. ג( וְתָקְעוּ, בָּהֵן--וְנוֹעֲדוּ אֵלֶיךָ כָּל-הָעֵדָה, אֶל-פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד. ד( וְאִם-בְּאַחַת, יִתְקָעוּ--וְנוֹעֲדוּ אֵלֶיךָ הַנְּשִׂיאִים, רָאשֵׁי אַלְפֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. ה( וּתְקַעְתֶּם, תְּרוּעָה--וְנָסְעוּ, הַמַּחֲנוֹת, הַחֹנִים, קֵדְמָה. ו( וּתְקַעְתֶּם תְּרוּעָה, שֵׁנִית--וְנָסְעוּ הַמַּחֲנוֹת, הַחֹנִים תֵּימָנָה; תְּרוּעָה יִתְקְעוּ, לְמַסְעֵיהֶם. ז( וּבְהַקְהִיל, אֶת-הַקָּהָל--תִּתְקְעוּ, וְלֹא תָרִיעוּ. ח( וּבְנֵי אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֲנִים, יִתְקְעוּ בַּחֲצֹצְרוֹת; וְהָיוּ לָכֶם לְחֻקַּת עוֹלָם, לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם. ט( וְכִי-תָבֹאוּ מִלְחָמָה בְּאַרְצְכֶם, עַל-הַצַּר הַצֹּרֵר אֶתְכֶם--וַהֲרֵעֹתֶם, בַּחֲצֹצְרֹת; וְנִזְכַּרְתֶּם, לִפְנֵי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, וְנוֹשַׁעְתֶּם, מֵאֹיְבֵיכֶם. י( וּבְיוֹם שִׂמְחַתְכֶם וּבְמוֹעֲדֵיכֶם, וּבְרָאשֵׁי חָדְשֵׁיכֶם--וּתְקַעְתֶּם בַּחֲצֹצְרֹת עַל עֹלֹתֵיכֶם, וְעַל זִבְחֵי שַׁלְמֵיכֶם; וְהָיוּ לָכֶם לְזִכָּרוֹן לִפְנֵי אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, אֲנִי ה׳ אֱלֹקיכֶם.

Bamidbar 10

The Lord spoke to Moses saying: 2) Make yourself two silver trumpets; you shall make them [from a] beaten [form]; they shall be used by you to summon the congregation and to announce the departure of the camps. 3) When they blow on them, the entire congregation shall assemble to you, at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. 4) If they blow one of them, the princes, the leaders of Israel's thousands, shall convene to you. 5) When you blow a teruah [a series of short blasts, the camps which are encamped to the east shall travel. 6) When you blow a second teruah, the camps encamped to the south shall travel; they shall blow a teruah for traveling. 7) But when assembling the congregation, you shall blow a tekiah [long blast] but not a teruah. 8) The descendants of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets; this shall be an eternal statute for your generations. 9) If you go to war in your land against an adversary that oppresses you, you shall blow a teruah with the trumpets and be remembered before the Lord your God, and thus be saved from your enemies. 10) On the days of your rejoicing, on your festivals and on your new-moon celebrations, you shall blow on the trumpets for your ascent-offerings and your peace sacrifices, and it shall be a remembrance before your God; I am the Lord your God.

The trumpets are sounded on 4 occasions. To 1) gather the nation or the leaders together, 2) to initiate national travel, 3) at a time of war or adversity, and 4) on holidays. What do these 4 occasions have in common?

Each of these occasions is a national event. The trumpets function to bring to mind our national identity. Imagine the king’s arrival at a royal event in an ancient kingdom. The trumpets indicate the event’s national importance. A modern day example might be a nation’s flag. One might find the flag flown at a sporting event as an expression of a nation’s freedom. We see the flag planted on the moon as a demonstration of a nation’s technological achievements. At a memorial service a flag might recognize an individual’s sacrifice and contribution to their country. In these instances we aim to highlight our common national identity.

Similarly within the Torah system, when gathering the congregation or its leaders, initiating national travel, at a time of war or adversity, and when offerings are made in the temple on behalf of the nation, the silver trumpets are blown. The trumpets function to put these specific events in their proper national context. They are not isolated events, but part of the Jewish people’s national story.

On Titus’ arch commemorating the sacking of Jerusalem, one sees the menorah prominently, along with two large trumpets. Both these items related to the identity of the Jewish nation. During Bar Kochba’s revolt, he minted coins with two trumpets, along with the inscription “to the freedom of Jerusalem”. While the Menorah is often thought of as a symbol of the Jewish people, the silver trumpets and their sound would have likely been at least equally prominent in the minds of ancient Jews.

The Shofar on Rosh Hashanah reminds the individual to engage in Teshuva. The trumpets on a fast day bring to mind our national identity, and prompt the nation to change its path, thereby removing the danger and threat from before it. But in the temple the shofar is blown along with the trumpets. A nation is made up of individuals. Individual errors can play out on a national stage, and individual mistakes can cause national tragedies. And sometimes individual failings reflect shortcomings in the society around them. Societal failings can breed individual faults. At different times during the year, we give emphasis to one over the other. But we don’t lose sight of the fact that they are interrelated. The fast of Gedalia represents a national tragedy caused by individual malice and misjudgment. Whenever we look to improve our situation and cast our past errors behind us, we must examine the mistakes and incredible potential we possess as individuals and as a nation.

References

Maimonides, M., Touger, E., Kaplan, B., Abramson, Z., & Silverstein, S. (2007). Mishneh Torah. New York: Moznaim Pub. Retrieved from: https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/682956/jewish/Mishneh-Torah.htm

Rosenberg, A. (1980). A new English translation of the Hebrew Bible text and Rashi, with a commentary digest. New York: Judaica Press. Retrieved from: https://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/

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