MISHNAH: If the holiday of the New Year falls on a Sabbath, in the Temple they were blowing but not in the countryside [Outside of the Temple.] . After the destruction of the Temple, Rabban Joḥanan ben Zakkai instituted that one should blow at any place where there is a Court [Competent to fix the calendar.] . Rebbi Eleazar said, Rebbi Joḥanan ben Zakkai instituted this only at Jabneh. They said to him, it is the same at Jabneh and at any place where there is a Court [While Rabban Joḥanan ben Zakkai instituted this at Jabneh, and he died while the Court was at Jabneh, the accepted interpretation was that this institution together with his other regulations for a reconstituted Synhedrion was transferred to the Galilean places where his institutions were reestablished after the Bar Kochba war.] .
HALAKHAH: “If the holiday of the New Year,” etc. Rebbi Abba bar Pappos said, Rebbi Joḥanan and Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish were sitting and questioning. They said, we have stated: “if the holiday of the New Year falls on a Sabbath, at the Temple they were blowing but not in the countryside.” If it is a word of the Torah, in the countryside it also should push aside [Since any positive commandment which must be performed at a fixed date pushes the Sabbath aside, such as the daily and Sabbath sacrifices in the Temple and circumcision on the eighth day.] ; if it is not a word of the Torah also in the Temple it should not push aside. Cahana passed by. They said, this is a [an important] [Corrector’s addition.] man whom we may ask. They went and asked him. He said to them, one verse says, a day of sounding; another verse says, a remembrance of sounding [In Num. 29:1, New Year’s Day is called a day of sounding, but in Lev. 23:24 it is remembrance of sounding.] . How is that? If it falls on a weekday, a day of sounding. If it falls on a Sabbath, a remembrance of sounding, one mentions it but does not blow. Rebbi Ze`ira told the colleagues to go and listen to Rebbi Levi preaching since it would be impossible that he would let a weekly reading go by without enlightenment. He came and said before them, one verse says, a day of sounding; another verse says, a remembrance of sounding. How is that? If it falls on a weekday, a day of sounding. If it falls on a Sabbath, a remembrance of sounding, one mentions it but does not blow [That this argument is treated as a novelty a full generation after R. Joḥanan shows that Cahana’s explanation was not disseminated.] . Then also in the Temple it should not push aside [The Babli 29b accepts this as proof that the prohibition of blowing the shofar outside the Temple on the Sabbath must be purely rabbinic.] . It was stated, on the first of the month [Both in Num. 29:1 and Lev. 23:24 this is the definition of the day.] . Then also anywhere they know that it is the first of the month it should push aside [Since it is known with certainty which day is a Sabbath, but the exact date of New Year’s day depends on a declaration from the calendar court, it should be clear that at a distance from the court, in Temple times at a distance from Jerusalem, one cannot blow the shofar on a 30 of Elul which is a Sabbath. (This argument is disputed in the Babli 29b).] . Rebbi Simeon ben Yoḥai stated, and you shall sacrifice [Lev. 23:24.] , at the place where the sacrifices are offered. The colleagues said before Rebbi Jonah. Is it not written, you shall convey a sounding shofar in the seventh month [Lev. 25:9. The verse continues, on the tenth of the month, on the Day of Atonement,you shall convey a shofar in all your Land. There can be no doubt that on a day of Atonement in a Jubilee year which is a Sabbath the shofar has to be sounded in all the Land of Israel, not just at the Temple. Since it was established in Halakhah 3:5 that the rules of New Year’s Day and Day of Atonement in a Jubilee year are identical, there seems to be no reason not to blow the shofar on a Sabbath outside the Temple.] , etc? He said to them, this one you convey in all your Land, therefore not another one [While this argument is attributed here to an Amora of the generation before the last, it is given in Sifra Behar Parashah 2(5): “Why does the verse say, on the tenth of the month, on the Day of Atonement? Since it says, on the Day of Atonement, would I not know that it is on the tenth of the month? But to tell you that on the tenth of the month it pushes the Sabbath aside in all of your Land, but the sound of New Year’s day does not push the Sabbath aside in all of your Land, only at the place of the Court.” This argument justifies Rabban Joḥanan ben Zakkai’s decision to have the shofar blown at Jabneh.] . They said to him, or we might say, this one you convey in your Land, therefore another one both in your Land and outside the Land. Rebbi Jonah said, if it were written “convey a shofar in your Land”, I would have said that here he restricted and at another place he extended. But in all your Land, here he extended and at another place he restricted [While this argument is attributed here to an Amora of the generation before the last, it is given in Sifra Behar Parashah 2(5): “Why does the verse say, on the tenth of the month, on the Day of Atonement? Since it says, on the Day of Atonement, would I not know that it is on the tenth of the month? But to tell you that on the tenth of the month it pushes the Sabbath aside in all of your Land, but the sound of New Year’s day does not push the Sabbath aside in all of your Land, only at the place of the Court.” This argument justifies Rabban Joḥanan ben Zakkai’s decision to have the shofar blown at Jabneh.] .
MISHNAH: And also in the following Jerusalem was more than Jabneh, that one blows in any village which sees, and hears, and is near, and is able to come; but in Jabneh one only blew in the Court.
HALAKHAH: But only if all conditions are satisfied [All conditions enumerated in Mishnah 2 are necessary conditions for blowing the shofar on a New Year’s day which is a Sabbath.] . It sees but does not hear; for example Jerusalem up high and it below. Hears but does not see; a mountain interrupts. Sees and hears but cannot come; outside the Sabbath domain. Sees, and hears, and is near, but is unable to come; a river separates [Babli 30a.] . Rebbi Jonah asked, if it were able to come by an eruv [The village is outside the Sabbath domain of Jerusalem. If people from there may go to Jerusalem by making an eruv before the Sabbath, they seem to be excluded not by a condition spelled out in the Mishnah but by the interpretation in the Halakhah of such a condition. Since the question is not practical before the time of the Messiah, the latter will be able to give the answer.] ? Just as you are saying in Jerusalem, that one blows in any village which sees, and hears, and is near, and is able to come, should we not say the same at Jabneh? Jerusalem is by word of the Torah and the nearby villages by word of the Torah, and Rabban Joḥanan would institute according to the words of the Torah [This does not imply that villages near Jerusalem did blow the shofar on a Sabbath by an ordinance of Rabban Joḥanan ben Zakkai, but is purely hypothetical, that he had biblical authority to do so had it not been an age-old custom.] . Jabneh is by their words, and the close by villages would be by their words, and Rabban Joḥanan ben Zakkai would institute by their words [Since there is biblical authority (cf. Note 13) for a rabbinical decree establishing shofar blowing at the place of the Calendar Court, there also should be authorization for blowing at all places where the decision of the Court to declare the Sabbath as New Year’s Day could be heard on the same day.] . Does there exist institution after institution [Since as a matter of principle, rabbinic decrees should not be piled one on top of the other, Rabban Joḥanan ben Zakkai was justified in instituting a very narrowly defined exception to the rule that one does not blow on the Sabbath. In the Babli, the rule is not applied to these circumstances, but to biblical prohibitions which can be safeguarded by a rabbinic “fence”, extending the prohibition to make it unlikely that the biblical prohibition be accidentally violated. But rabbinic fences need no fences. Yerushalmi Ḥallah1:1 (Note 79), Terumot9:1 (Note 10), Sukkah3:13 (Note 150); Babli Beṣah3a and 13 other references noted there on the margin of the Wilna Babli.] ?
Rebbi Simon in the name of Rebbi Joshua ben Levi: If the Court moved from place to place they were not blowing [In the interpretation of Tosaphot (30a s. v. אין), shofar blowing on the Sabbath was possible only when the Court was in session (which implies, not during musaf prayers.)] . Rebbi Yose asked before Rebbi Simon, even from house to house, from dining room [Latin triclinium.] to bedroom [Greek κοιτών.] ? He told him: Personality, so far I heard [If the interpretation of his statement is as given in Note 20, the answer obviously is that then the court was not in session. If the interpretation is that practice follows R. Eleazar in Mishnah 1, that shofar blowing was not continued in the Galilean Calendar Courts (which seems to be the historical fact), the question is irrelevant.] .
MISHNAH: [Sukkah Chapter 3, Notes 144–145.] Originally the lulav was taken at the Temple for seven {days}and in the country one day. After the destruction of the Temple, Rabban Joḥanan ben Zakkai instituted that the lulav be taken in the country for seven {days} as a remembrance of the Temple, and that the day of waving be entirely forbidden.
HALAKHAH: [Sukkah3:13, Notes 146–150.] It is written [Lev. 23:40, the verse about the lulav and the 4 kinds.] : and you shall enjoy before the Eternal, your God, for seven days. There are Tannaim who state, the verse speaks of the enjoyment of well-being sacrifices. There are Tannaim who state, the verse speaks of the enjoyment of the lulav. For him who is saying, the verse speaks of the enjoyment of well-being sacrifices, the first day is from a word of the Torah and the other days are from a word of the Torah, and Rabban Joḥanan ben Zakkai instituted on the basis of a word from the Torah. For him who is saying, the verse speaks of the enjoyment of lulav, the first day is from a word of the Torah and the other days are from their words, and Rabban Joḥanan ben Zakkai instituted on the basis of their words. But is there institution after institution?
[Sukkah3:14, Notes 153–159.] The colleagues asked before Rebbi Jonah: Since you are saying there, and you shall offer a gift to the Eternal seven days [Lev. 23:8.] , there are no seven without a Sabbath, why not similarly and you shall enjoy before the Eternal, your God, for seven days [Lev. 23:40, the verse about the lulav and the 4 kinds.] , there are no seven without a Sabbath? He answered them, there is a difference, for it is written You shall take for yourselves on the First Day [Lev. 23:40.] , He separated the first from them. Then it should push aside in the Temple, it should not push aside in the country. Rebbi Jonah said, if it had said, “you shall take before the Eternal, your God,” I would have said, here he excluded and elsewhere included. But you shall take for yourselves everywhere, and you shall enjoy before the Eternal, your God, for seven days, in Jerusalem.
MISHNAH: Originally they were accepting testimony about the new moon during the entire day [The 30 of Elul. Since the witnesses were expected on that day, one had to treat it as holiday from sundown the preceding evening; but the holiday sacrifices could only be brought upon instruction from the Calendar Court.] . Once the witnesses tarried to come and the Levites erred in the song [The problem was the song required at the daily evening sacrifice. In the morning when no witnesses were expected, they always sang the weekday song. In the afternoon they were expected to sing the holiday song. The weekday psalm never was sung on a holiday.] . They instituted that one would accept only up to the afternoon prayers [Which is the time of the daily afternoon sacrifice.] ; if witnesses came after afternoon prayers one kept the day holy and the next day holy [Since the witnesses were available, it is clear that the 30 of Elul was New Year’s Day and correctly treated as holiday. But since they came late, the weekday song was recited at the daily sacrifice, the musaf sacrifices could not be brought on that day, and the next day was the day of the holiday sacrifices.] . After the Temple was destroyed, Rabban Joḥanan ben Zakkai instituted that one accepted testimony about the new moon during the entire day [Since there were no sacrifices there was no problem with which Psalm be recited.] .
HALAKHAH: Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman said, because of what had happened. Once there was a rumor in the city that Saracens had come and took them [This expression is difficult to explain. What it seems to imply is that on the rumor of a marauding band of Saracens, bent on plunder, everybody stayed in his house to defend his property; so nobody dared to go to be a witness for the new moon.] , and the Levites spoiled the song. Rebbi Aḥa bar Pappus said before Rebbi Ze`ira that the colleagues asked before Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman, in whose name does the rabbi say this? He said to them, that is like you who have many teachers [Since they have many teachers they must be careful to keep the different traditions separate in order not to run into inconsistencies in their pronouncements. But the only teacher of R. Samuel bar Naḥman was R. Joshua ben Levi; he does not have to mention the tradition to which he adheres.] ! In the name of Rebbi Joshua ben Levi did he say it. But Rebbi La brought the reason for the practice, as it was stated: They were saying the song of Thursday, shout with joy for our mighty God [Ps.81:2.] . But on New Year’s Day they were saying, I removed his shoulder from hardship [Ps. 81:8. Even though blowing the shofar is mentioned in v. 4, the holiday song in the Temple started with v. 8, based on the midrash that Joseph was freed from jail on New Year’s Day (Babli 10b, Midrash Tehillim 81[7]).] . If the holiday fell on Thursday, in the morning they did say, shout with joy for our mighty God. In the afternoon they did say, I removed his shoulder from hardship; if they came after the afternoon prayers, they would say, shout with joy for our mighty God [The entire weekday song.] . Would they not say the song twice [While they kept the day as holiday, when only the second part of the song would have been appropriate. Differently in the Babli 30b.] ?
Rebbi Ada from Caesarea in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: Already most of the day did pass in holiness [This explains the statement in the Mishnah that when witnesses came late one treated both the 30th and the 31st of Elul as holidays.] .
Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said, Rebbi Joḥanan commanded those of the Kifra synagogue [A synagogue in Tiberias.] , trade so that you come home when it is still daytime and you should mention its time and its addition [This defines current practice. Since Elul is presumed to have only 29 days, one must stop all commercial activity in the afternoon of the 29th, and in the evening prayers one uses the text for holidays and mentions that the day is New Year’s Day, and continues the same for a second day the next evening and the following day.] .
MISHNAH: Rebbi Joshua ben Qorḥa said: In addition, Rabban Joḥanan ben Zakkai instituted that even if the head of the court be anywhere, the witnesses should only go to the seat of the council.
HALAKHAH: So is the Mishnah: To the seat of the Calendar Council [Since the declaration of the new moon is a collective enterprise of the court, the presence or absence of one member is irrelevant. Since in later times the Patriarch’s court was at Sepphoris or Tiberias, but the Calendar Court was sitting at Eintab, it is necessary to clarify that witnesses who violate Sabbath or holiday rules in order to testify may do so only when they are going to appear before the Calendar Court.] .
MISHNAH: The order of benedictions [For the musaf prayer on New Year’s Day.] : One recites “fathers”, “mightiness”, and “Sanctification of the Name” [All Amidah prayers, weekday, Sabbath, and holidays, start with the same three benedictions of praise. The first mentions the merit of the fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and ends with “Praise to You, Eternal, Abraham’s shield.” The second benediction mentions the equivalent divine powers of giving rain and resurrecting the dead, ending with “Praise to You, Eternal, Who returns life to the dead.” The third, which exists in a short private and an elaborate public (centered on the Trishagion) forms, ends with “Praise to You, Eternal, the Holy Power.” As the Halakhah explains, this may be changed for New Year’s Day (and, in practice, all through the day of Atonement.)] and includes Malkhiot [The three additions of New Year’s Day, Malkhiot, Zikhronot, Shofarot, are explained in Halakhah 3:5, Note 62.] but does not blow, “Sanctification of the Day” [The middle section of the musaf Amidah for Sabbath and holidays, ending with “Praise to You, Eternal, Who sanctifies …”.] and blows, Zikhronot and blows, Shofarot and blows, and recites “Service”, “Thanks”, and Priestly Blessing [The last three benedictions also are common to all Amidah prayers. The first one not only is a prayer for the restoration of the Temple service, but also that “the gifts of Israel and their prayers may be received with pleasure.” The Babylonian doxology is “Praise to You, Eternal, Who will return His Presence to Zion”, whereas the Palestinian was “for You alone in fear we worship” (Sotah7:6, Note 206). The second one gives praise to “the Benevolent One to Whom thanks are due.” The last one started in public service with the Priestly Blessing (which for some reason has disappeared from Ashkenazic service except on holidays) but always includes the prayer for peace following the last word “peace” of the Priestly Blessing. The Babylonian doxology is “Praise to You, Eternal, Who blesses His people Israel with peace”, whereas the Palestinian form was “Maker of peace”, retained in the Ashkenazic ritual for the Days of Repentance.] , the words of Rebbi Joḥanan ben Nuri.
HALAKHAH: [Pesaḥim 4:1 Note 57, 10:1 Note 95. Tosephta 2:11, Babli 32a.] In Judea one used to follow Rebbi Aqiba and in Galilee Rebbi Joḥanan ben Nuri. If he changed and in Judea acted as in Galilee or in Galilee as in Judea he discharged his obligation.
[This paragraph also is in Halakhah 3:1, Note 17.] “When they sanctified the year at Usha, on the first day Rebbi Ismael, the son of Rebbi Joḥanan ben Beroqa, led and recited following the opinion of Rebbi Joḥanan ben Nuri. Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel said, we did not follow this at Jabneh. On the second day, Rebbi Ḥananiah, the son of Rebbi Yose the Galilean, led and recited following Rebbi Aqiba. Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel said, this we did follow at Jabneh.”
Rebbi Abbahu in the name of Rebbi Eleazar: Everywhere if he acts as reader and says “Mighty in Kingdom” he did not fulfill his obligation except as a substitute for “Holy Power” on New Year’s Day, and only for musaf [Since the celebration of God’s Kingdom is a central theme of the musaf prayer of the day of Atonement. Cf. the author’s The Scholar’s Haggadah, pp. 385–386. In a Genizah text published by J. Mann (HUCA II(1925) p. 329), the formula is used for the fourth benediction.] . This follows Rebbi Joḥanan ben Nuri [Who holds that Malkhiot is part of the “Sanctification of the Name”, and therefore may be mentioned in the final doxology.] . [In the Babli 32a the text is as it is here, but in Tosephta 2:11, Sifra Emor Parashah 11(4), the arguments of Rebbi and Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel are switched.] Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel says, one recites the Sanctification of the Day together with Zikhronot; this follows Rebbi Aqiba [While R. Aqiba requires to recite Malkhiot with the Sanctification of the Day, his argument is that shofar blowing must accompany each of Malkhiot, Zikhronot, and Shofarot, and this is taken care of in Rabban Simeon’s arrangement.] . Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel said, since we find everywhere that one says it in the middle, here also one says it in the middle. Rebbi says, since we find everywhere that one says it as fourth, here also one says it as fourth [Both arguments are correct. Since the Amidah of Sabbath and holidays (other than the musaf of New Year’s Day) has seven benedictions, the fourth is the middle one. In formulating the Mishnah as it stands, Rebbi implicitly declared that practice has to follow his opinion.] .
Rebbi Jacob bar Aḥa, Rebbi Ze`ira, Ḥanin bar Abba in the name of Rav: one is obligated to say, the Holy Power [Cf. Babli Berakhot12b.] . Rebbi Abba in the name of Abba bar Rav Ḥuna: the Holy Power Who forgives much. Rabbi Abba in the name of Abba bar Jeremiah: In prayer [In the weekday Amidah, where in the Palestinian text the prayer for the Davidic dynasty and that for the rebuilding of Jerusalem are combined.] he says, David’s God and Builder of Jerusalem. For Prophets [In the benedictions recited after the reading from Prophets. (The Babylonian version is “David’s shield”.)] he says, David’s God Who causes help to blossom. On the holiday of New Year’s Day which falls on a Sabbath, there are Tannaim who state, he starts with the holiday and closes with the Sabbath [It seems reasonable to follow S. Liebermann’s interpretation (Tosephta kiFshutah 1, p. 42) that the text refers only to the text of the “Sanctification of the Day”, and not to the formulation of the final doxology of that benediction, against Rashi (Yom Ṭov 17a, s. v. ומסיים). In this interpretation, the fourth benediction starts with the prayer of the holiday, followed by that of the Sabbath, against our rule that the more frequently used text has to be recited first. Therefore one has to restrict the statement to the musaf of New Year’s Day where one argues with the House of Shammai that the more holy text has precedence.] . [There are Tannaim who state, he starts with the Sabbath and closes with the holiday.] [Corrector’s addition, not supported by parallel evidence. The addition is suspect since it would describe current practice in the interpretation of Rashi: Both in the body of the text and in the final doxology one mentions the Sabbath before the holiday; therefore overall one starts the benediction by mentioning the Sabbath and ends with mentioning the holiday.] Rebbi says, he starts with the Sabbath and closes with the Sabbath with the holiday in between [In the Tosephta (Berakhot3:13, Babli Yom Ṭov17a) this is the opinion of the House of Hillel and describes current practice in Liebermann’s interpretation: One first mentions the Sabbath, then the holiday with the holiday prayer, and ends with the Sabbath prayer celebrating the Sabbath as “remembrance of the Creation.”] . Rebbi Jehudah bar Pazi in the name of Rebbi Joshua ben Levi: Practice follows Rebbi.
MISHNAH: Rebbi Aqiba said to him, if he does not blow for Malkhiot, why does he recite? But one recites “fathers”, “mightiness”, and “Sanctification of the Name”, includes Malkhiot with “Sanctification of the Day” and blows, Zikhronot and blows, Shofarot and blows, and recites “Service”, “Thanks”, and Priestly Blessing [As the Halakhah notes, this is practice to be followed.] . One does not reduce to less than ten verses of Kingdom, ten verses of Remembrance, ten verses of Shofar. Rebbi Joḥanan ben Nuri says, if he said three of each he fulfilled his obligation. One does not mention verses of Kingdom, Remembrance, or Shofar of calamity. One starts with Torah and ends with Prophets; Rebbi Yose says, if he finished with Torah he fulfilled his obligation [Therefore the general practice is to recite of each kind 3 verses from the Torah, followed by three of Hagiographs, followed by three of Prophets, and the tenth verse again from the Torah (as prescribed by R. Joḥanan in the Halakhah.)] .
HALAKHAH: “One does not reduce to less than ten verses of Kingdom,” corresponding to the ten praises which David formulated, Hallelujah, praise God in his Sanctuary, praise Him in His mighty heaven, etc., up to every soul praise Jah, hallelujah [Ps.150. Babli 32a.] . Ten verses of Remembrance, corresponding to the ten confessions formulated by Isaiah, wash, cleanse, remove, etc.,learn to do good, seek justice, etc. What is written after this? Come and let us argue, says the Eternal, [Is. 1:16–18.] etc. Ten verses of Shofar, corresponding to the seven sheep, one ox, one ram, and one goat [The musaf sacrifices of the day.] .
“Powers” are counted as verses of kingdom, the words of Rebbi Jehudah; Rebbi Yose says, they do not count [The meaning of the root el is “power”. This fits a description of the executive power of a king, appropriate for a prayer celebrating the Eternal as King of the universe. On the other hand, the word routinely means “God”, not specifically adapted to the intended meaning.] . “Powers” and “kingdoms” are counted as two, the words of Rebbi Yose; Rebbi Jehudah says, they do not. Sing to God, sing; sing to our King, sing [Ps. 47:7. Since R. Yose does not accept the invocation of “God” as a celebration of Kingdom, he has only one reference.] , are counted as two, the words of Rebbi Jehudah; Rebbi Yose says, they are not. Rebbi Ze`ira asked, do they disagree about it and the sequel, or do they disagree about this text itself [The question is whether the next verse, Because God is King of all the Earth, sing intelligently, is a separate statement or not.] ? Since it was stated, everybody agrees about God is King over nations [Ps. 47:9: God is King over nations, God sits on His holy throne. There is only one mention of Kingdom. Babli 32b.] that it is one, this implies that they disagree about it and the sequel. Lift, o gates, your heads, and be raised, eternal doors; etc., Lift, o gates, your heads, and rise, eternal doors, etc. The first is counted as one and the second as two, the words of Rebbi Jehudah; Rebbi Yose said, the first as two and the second as three [Ps. 24:7–10. Here again, vv. 7–8 are considered one unit, vv. 9–10 the other. In v. 8, R. Jehudah considers who is the King of Glory as question, not an assertion of God’s kingship. R. Yose counts the number of mentions of “King” which are 2 in vv. 7–8, 3 in vv. 9–10. Babli 32b.] .
“Rebbi Joḥanan ben Nuri says, if he said three he fulfilled his obligation.” We wanted to say, three of each kind. It was found stated, even with three of all of them he fulfilled his obligation [The question is whether R. Joḥanan ben Nuri requires at least 9 verses for each of the three categories, and his difference with the anonymous Tanna is only about the tenth verse, or whether he only requires 3 verses for Malkhiot, 3 for Zikhronot, 3 for Shofarot, with a total of 9 verses for all three sections together. The second version is accepted. Babli 32a.] .
“One does not mention verses of Remembrance, or Kingdom, or Shofar of calamity.” Remembrance as it is written, those the Eternal remembered [Jer. 44:21.] etc. Kingdom as it is written, by My Life, says the Master, the Eternal, if not witha Strong Hand, [Ez. 20:33. Babli 32b.] etc. Shofar as it is written, for my soul hears the sound of shofar, the shout of war [Jer. 4:19.] .
“One starts with Torah and ends with Prophets.” What, in the past? Therefore not from the start [The question is not about the text quoted, but about R. Yose’s statement: “if he finished with Torah.” This seems to say that it is tolerated, but not desirable, contradicting practice. Babli 32b.] ? Rebbi Joḥanan said, so is the Mishnah: It is necessary that one finish with a verse from the Torah.
MISHNAH: Of those who stand before the Ark [The reader.] on New Year’s Day the second one [The reader of the musaf prayers.] leads the shofar blowing, but at the time of Ḥallel [Ps. 113–118, recited on the three holidays of pilgrimage.] the first one [The reader of the morning prayers.] reads the Hallel.
HALAKHAH: Rebbi Jacob bar Aḥa in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: Because of what had happened [The time of shofar blowing on New Year’s Day is in musaf for historical reasons. It is asserted that since one should try to fulfill biblical commandments as quickly as possible, originally the nine-part Amidah and the blowing of the shofar were part of the early morning service. Also in the Babli 32b, R. Joḥanan asserts that the times were switched because of intervention of the Roman government. It is to be noted that the Babylonian way of combining early blowing with the musaf service prescribed by the Mishnah by blowing immediately after the Torah reading (or, as in the Yemenite ritual, immediately after sunrise) and then a second (or third) time for musaf is totally unknown to Yerushalmi sources.] . Once they blew early and the haters thought that maybe they want to go against us [Since the shofar historically was a trumpet to be used to give military signals.] , they attacked them and killed them. Since they are seeing that they read the shema`, and pray, and read in the Torah, and pray while blowing, they are saying, they are occupied with their secret rites.
Should one not say the same for Hallel? Not all people are there [Since Hallel draws large crowds and they respond in chorus “hallelujah” to the reader’s words (cf. Šabbat16, Note 59), the service also could be mistaken as start of an insurrection.] . Then should one not say the same for blowing, not all people are there [This makes R. Joḥanan ’s explanation unlikely.] ? Rebbi Jonah said, it is written, day, day they will seek [Is.58:2, read as asserting that on two days of the year everybody comes (early) to the synagogue, New Year’s day and the Seventh day of Tabernacles.] , that is shofar blowing and willow twigs. Rebbi Joshua ben Levi in the name of Rebbi Alexander heard it from the following: [Ps.17:2.] Eternal, listen to sincerity, this is the reading of the shema`. Take note of my song, this is the song of Torah [The recitation of the Torah following musical accents.] . Listen to my prayer, this is prayer. Disregard swindling lips, this is musaf. What is written afterwards? From before You may my judgment come [Ps.17:3. This makes blowing at musaf a Davidic institution, contradicting R. Joḥanan ’s explanation.] . Rebbi Aḥa bar Pappus said before Rebbi Ze`ira, there is a difference, since the obligation of the day is in musaf [The biblical obligations of the day are all expressed in terms of the musaf sacrifice.] . Rebbi Taḥlifa from Caesarea said, the verse says so: A day of shofar blowing, and you shall make [Num. 29:1–2.] . Rebbi Eleazar ben Rebbi Yose in the name of Rebbi Yose bar Qaṣarta: For all sacrifices it is written and you shall offer, but here is written, you shall make [New Year’s Day’s musaf is the only one characterized as doing, not offering. This is taken as a hint that some other activity besides sacrificing is involved, referring to blowing the shofar..] . The Holy One, praise to Him, said to them, since you came before Me in judgment on New Year’s day and left in peace, I consider it as if you were newly created [One could vocalize בִּרְייָה חֲדָשָׁה “a new creature”.] .
Rebbi Mesharshia in the name of Rebbi Idi: For all sacrifices it is written “sin”, but on Pentecost it is not written “sin. [This homily is appended because it parallels the preceding one. On all holidays a goat is sacrificed as purification sacrifice. On all holidays except Pentecost, it is described as חַטָּאת, interpreted here as sin (offering).] ” The Holy One, praise to Him, said to them, since you accepted the yoke of the Torah on you, I consider it as if you never sinned.
MISHNAH: For the shofar of New Year’s Day [Since blowing the shofar on Sabbath or holiday does not violate any biblical prohibition, neither biblical nor rabbinic holiday prohibitions may be violated in preparing the shofar.] one neither crosses the Sabbath boundary [The Sabbath boundary may not be crossed either to bring a shofar to a place or by a person to go to a place where he may hear the blowing.] , nor does one dig out from a heap [If a building collapsed and buried the shofar, the debris is muqṣeh and may not be moved.] , nor does one climb on a tree [A rabbinic prohibition.] , nor ride on an animal [A horn still attached to an animal (a biblical violation) or a carcass (a rabbinic violation) may not be cut on the holiday to create a shofar.] , nor swim in the water [A rabbinic prohibition.] , nor cut it in any way [A horn still attached to an animal (a biblical violation) or a carcass (a rabbinic violation) may not be cut on the holiday to create a shofar.] , whether it be rabbinically or biblically forbidden. But if one wants to put wine or water into it [To make the shofar easier to blow.] , he may do so. One does not prevent children from blowing but teaches them until they have learned [Since in blowing no biblical violation may possibly occur.] . The teacher does not fulfill his obligation [Since he has no intent of fulfilling his obligation, the obligation is not fulfilled either for him or any listener.] , nor did one who heard from a teacher fulfill his obligation.
HALAKHAH: So is the Mishnah: What is forbidden rabbinically and biblically [Biblically forbidden would be making the horn into a musical instrument (by removing it from the carcass and drilling a hole at the other end); everything else is rabbinic. The Mishnah singles out to exclude biblically prohibited actions performed in a way (“with the back of one’s hand”) which only is a rabbinic infraction.] .
Rebbi Eleazar said, the Mishnah [The one about teaching how to blow the shofar originally extended to blowing on a Sabbath at a place where the shofar was blown in the Calendar Court. Even there a grown-up could not blow except the one appointed by the court.] is about an older one on New Year’s day which falls on a Sabbath. And it was stated so: One teaches not to blow on a Sabbath [Even a place where the shofar was blown in the Calendar Court.] ; one does not prevent children from blowing [All kinds of minors, from toddlers to almost adults.] on the holiday.
MISHNAH: The order of shofar blowing is three times three each [While for each of Malkhiot, Zikhronot, and Shofarot one has to blow a straight tone, a modulated one, followed by a straight tone, the obligation is the combination of the three, Note 111.] . The measure of a straight sound is that of three modulated sounds [Since the obligation of the modulated sound are three variations in tone, the duration of each straight sound has to be equal to that of the modulated one.] . The measure of a modulated sound are three whimpers [The time used for one modulation of sound is that needed for three very short sounds; this makes the full modulated sound the equivalent of 9 very short sounds.] . If he blew straight for the first set and continued a double length for the second he has only one in his hand [Two consecutive straight sounds must be separated by an audible pause, otherwise it is a single sound.] . If somebody prayed [The 9 part musaf without a shofar.] and later has access to a shofar, he blows straight, modulated, and straight three times [He blows 3 times the 3 sounds one after the other with an audible pause between the sets.] . A private person is obligated [To pray the lengthy 9 part musaf of the day.] just as the public reader is obligated; Rabban Gamliel says, the public reader absolves the public from their obligation [Since this prayer is recited only once a year one cannot assume that most people are conversant with the text (and only the very rich could afford a manuscript prayer book), by listening to the reader from beginning to end and answering “Amen” where required, the public has satisfied its obligation.] .
HALAKHAH: If he said them in one breath? It was found stated, if he said them in one breath he fulfilled his obligation [There has to be an audible pause between straight sounds but otherwise nothing is prescribed.] . But did we not state, “the order of shofar blowing is three times three each [This seems to prescribe 9 different sounds with 9 breaths.] ”? That he do not less [Only the minimal numbers are prescribed.] . Rebbi Ze`ira, Rebbi Abba bar Ilai in the name of Rav: One has to blow the modulation continuing the straight one [He requires that the modulated sound follow the straight one without audible pause.] . Rebbi Abba in the name of Abba bar Rav Ḥuna: One does not have to blow the modulation continuing the straight one. What is the modulated? Rebbi Ḥanania and Rebbi Mana, One said, [trembling] [Text of the corrector, Greek προμετρός, “trembling”, used in Galen VI, 769, to describe a soft boiled egg with solid egg white but soft yolk which trembles if shelled; Mishnah Nedarim 6:1, Note 4. The original text, erased by the corrector, was the word preserved in the Genizah text, טרפוסה, Arabic טִרפסא “to put on a multitude of garments”, here meaning “producing plenty of different notes.”] . But the other one said, three short ones. Rebbi Ḥanania was concerned about that of Rebbi Mana and ours [Instead of 3 times 3 sounds he blew 6 times 3, 3 for each kind of modulated sound. Cf. Babli 34a.]
[This is copied from Halakhah 3:2, Notes 50–51. To fit the text here, the introductory clause, “and where is this said”, should be deleted.] And where is this said? “If he blew straight for the first set and continued at double length for the second he has only one in his hand. [As the Halakhah notes, this is practice to be followed.] ” Rebbi Abba bar Zamina in the name of Rebbi Ze`ira: Not even one is in his hand. Why? The beginning combines with the end and the end combines with the beginning. The first part has no end and the second part has no beginning [Pesaḥim 4:1 Note 57, 10:1 Note 95. Tosephta 2:11, Babli 32a.] .
At one place one blows, at one place one says musaf. There are Tannaim who state, he goes to the one who blows; there are Tannaim who state, to the one who says musaf. He who said, he goes to the one who blows, if there is no time left to blow; he who said, he goes to the one who says musaf, if there is time left to blow [In principle, the biblical obligation to hear the shofar should have precedence over the rabbinic obligation of any kind of prayer. But since it is easy to find people who blow the shofar but few who know the 9 benedictions of New Year’s Day, and in addition according to Rabban Gamliel only listening to the public reader absolves the public from its obligation. In the morning one has to go to the prayers but in the afternoon after prayers one goes to the person who blows.] . Let us hear from the following, what Rebbi Jacob bar Idi said in the name of Rebbi Joshua ben Levi: At one place one blows, at one place one says musaf, he goes to the one who blows and does not go to the one who says musaf [If at the person’s own place one neither blows nor prays musaf and he has to decide to make an eruv either to the place with a known blower or a place with an organized synagogue and a known public reader, one has to choose to fulfill the biblical obligation of shofar rather than the rabbinic 9 benedictions. Babli 34b.] . And who said the following? On a New Year’s Day which falls on a Sabbath, at one place one blows, at one place one says musaf, he goes to the one who says musaf and does not go to the one who blows [Since there is no general obligation of shofar, restricted to the Calendar Court.] . Why? Because everybody knows how to blow [Anybody may blow for another with the intent of have him fulfill his biblical obligation, but only the public reader can absolve the public from its obligation. Therefore going to the synagogue creates a strong possibility to find a shofar blower even if there is no official one.] but not everybody known how to say musaf [To pray the lengthy 9 part musaf of the day.] . Another explanation: A person frees another from his obligation in blowing; a person does not free another from his obligation in prayer [In principle, the biblical obligation to hear the shofar should have precedence over the rabbinic obligation of any kind of prayer. But since it is easy to find people who blow the shofar but few who know the 9 benedictions of New Year’s Day, and in addition according to Rabban Gamliel only listening to the public reader absolves the public from its obligation. In the morning one has to go to the prayers but in the afternoon after prayers one goes to the person who blows.] . And is a New Year’s Day which falls on a Sabbath not a day where there is no time left to blow [Since one blows only once in the Court, whereas on a weekday the entire day is a valid occasion for blowing.] ? And you are saying, he goes to the one who says musaf? This implies that they disagree [There is a genuine disagreement in the matter; one cannot say that the different Tannaim address different situations but follow the same rules.] .
“Rabban Gamliel says, the public reader absolves the public from their obligation.” The great Rabbi Ḥuna of Sepphoris in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: Practice follows Rabban Gamliel in this prayer combined with shofar blowing [Babli 34b. While Rabban Gamliel made his statement in general, that any obligation of prayer can be fulfilled by attentively listening to the public reader reciting the relevant prayer, in practice this is accepted only for the musaf of New Year’s Day (and in the Babli 35a also for prayers of the Day of Atonement containing the recital of the High Priest’s service of the day.)] . Rebbi Ze`ira [According to G this was a Rabbi Ze`ira distinct from Ze`ura, the Tiberian head of Academy.] and Rav Ḥisda were sitting there [In Babylonia.] during the prayer combined with shofar blowing. After they finished praying the prayer, Rav Ḥisda got up and prepared to pray. Rebbi Ze`ira said to him, did we not pray already? He said to him, we prayed and I am going back to pray, for Westerners came down and said (there) [To be deleted with G.] in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan, practice follows Rabban Gamliel in this prayer combined with shofar blowing; but I did not concentrate. If I had concentrated I would have fulfilled my obligation. Rebbi Ze`ira said, this is correct. All Tannaim state this in the name of Rabban Gamliel, but Rebbi Hoshaia states it in the name of the Sages [Cf. Tosephta 2:18.] . Rebbi Ada from Caesarea in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: But only if he is present from the start of the prayer [And listens to the entire prayer without missing a word.] . Rebbi Tanḥum ben Rebbi Jeremiah said, the Mishnah implies this [Mishnah 6.] : “The order of benedictions [For the musaf prayer on New Year’s Day.] : One recites “fathers”, “mightiness”, and “Sanctification of the name. [Since the prayer during which shofar is blown is quoted in the Mishnah with three sections for which no blowing is ordained, it is clear that these are indispensable parts of the obligation.] ”