The Gemara in Maseches Rosh Hashana asks, ‘Why do we blow Shofar?
“Why?” The Gemara retorts in surprise, “For the Torah has so commanded!”
“This is what we mean to ask: Why do we blow when we are seated and again when we stand?”
(The Shofar is blown before we commence the Musaf service at a time when we are not obligated to stand. The Shofar is blown again during the Musaf, as we “stand” for the Amidah. )
The Gemara is looking for a reason for this repetition of the Mitzvah.
The Gemara replies, “In order to confuse the Satan!”
“Confusing the Satan”
Rashi explains that when the accusing angels in Heaven see our devotion to Mitzvos, as we do this Mitzvah twice, they are “confused” as their accusations become confounded by this spectacle.
Tosafos, on the other hand, explains that Satan is “scared” by the extra Shofar blasts, thinking that they may be the great Shofar that will herald the coming of Moshiach – at which time G-d will have no use for Satan, and he will disappear.
While Tosafos’ answer is more mystical, it is also difficult. What type of fool is Satan for thinking our Shofar is the great Shofar and making this mistake every year?!
Shofar and the End Times
Several years ago, I shared a Dvar Torah here, connecting Rav Hirsch’s words on Tehillim 34 and the Ramban in Parshas Vayelech.
The strongly worded prophecies in Parshas Vayelech talk about the Jewish people in some distant future crying to Hashem from the misery they have found in their exile. In their despair, they remark, “Is it not because G-d was not in my midst that these have befallen me!” The prophecy continues, “And I will surely hide My face on that day!” More trouble follows, and then the prophecy concludes with the nation repenting. This seems very harsh, seeing that the nation has already reflected upon their distance from G-d! Ramban explains that Hashem “hides His face” further because while there was a moment of reflection, there was not a stirring up to change in the nation. Therefore, a period of “hidden salvation” ensues, where we stand at the door of rescue, but not yet there.
The lesson is that outside stimuli can only inspire us so much. We ultimately need to stir ourselves to repent and improve.
Rav Hirsch uses this prophetic sequence of events to explain the redundant verses at the end of Psalms 34.
שְׂא֤וּ שְׁעָרִ֨ים ׀ רָֽאשֵׁיכֶ֗ם וְֽ֭הִנָּשְׂאוּ פִּתְחֵ֣י עוֹלָ֑ם וְ֝יָב֗וֹא מֶ֣לֶךְ הַכָּבֽוֹד׃
O gates, lift up your heads!
Up high, you everlasting doors,
so the King of Glory may come in!Who is the King of Glory?—
the LORD, mighty and valiant,
the LORD, valiant in battle.
שְׂא֤וּ שְׁעָרִ֨ים ׀ רָֽאשֵׁיכֶ֗ם וּ֭שְׂאוּ פִּתְחֵ֣י עוֹלָ֑ם וְ֝יָבֹ֗א מֶ֣לֶךְ הַכָּבֽוֹד׃
O gates, lift up your heads!
Lift them up, you everlasting doors,
so the King of Glory may come in!Who is the King of Glory?—
the LORD of hosts,
He is the King of Glory! Selah.
Why are the “gates” summoned twice to “lift their heads”?
In the Hebrew, we will notice the first call to the gates is that they “allow the heads to be lifted”
The second calls for them “to lift their heads”.
There is an initial awakening from events and circumstances.
But it must be followed by an inner awakening.
This might explain the words of Tosafos.
When we blow Shofar, we isten to its sound as a herald. This is the Mitzvah.
But when we take the Shofar in hand as a part of our Amidah prayer and insert the act of the Shofar herald into OUR OWN supplications, this is a sign of the Jews finally awakening from within.
In Heaven, this must appear like the End of Days, where the sleeping giant of Israel is fully awake.
Kesivah Vachasima Tovah!
