007 —מאמרים מלוקט חלק א - ליל ערב ראש-השנה ה'תשמ"ג

B"H, Night of the Eve of Rosh Hashanah, 5743.

Yom Tov Shel Rosh HaShanah SheChal Lihyos BeShabbos BaMikdash Hayu Tok'in Aval Lo BaMedinah.

We need to understand, as the Tzemach Tzedek emphasizes in his maamar "LeHavin HaTaam"^[1], that the mitzvah of shofar blowing is a Torah commandment, as it says "Yom Teruah Yihiyeh Lachem" ("It shall be a day of sounding the shofar for you"), so how could the Sages nullify it because of the decree lest someone carry it, etc.^[2] Even more, since in the Beis HaMikdash they would blow the shofar even when Rosh Hashanah fell on Shabbos, it proves that the mitzvah of shofar blowing applies in practice even on such a Yom Tov, so why was it nullified elsewhere due to the decree? Also, why do we recite the verses of shofar even when Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbos, since the verses are connected to the shofar blowing, and yet, even when there is no shofar blowing in the provinces, we still recite the verses?

This is explained (in the above maamar) based on the well-known principle that all our mitzvos are in order that through our arousal from below, there is an arousal from Above. That is, when Jews perform mitzvos, it causes the corresponding mitzvos Above. All the mitzvos Above are accomplished by the actions of people below, as it says, "Va'Asitem Otam, Atem Ketiv, Ma'aleh Ani Aleichem Ke'ilu Asauni" ("You shall do them, 'you' is written, I consider it as if you made Me"), and "Ramach Pikudin Inun Ramach Eivarim D'Malka" ("the 248 mitzvos correspond to the 248 limbs of the King"), referring to Zeir Anpin. The drawing down of light into the vessels of Zeir Anpin and the expansion of those vessels is specifically through the mitzvah performance of the person below, as it says, "Asher Ya'aseh Otam HaAdam V'Chai Bahem" ("that a person shall do them and live by them"), meaning the mitzvos Above are specifically accomplished through the action of a soul in a body. Similarly, with the mitzvah of shofar blowing: when Jews blow the shofar, it causes the shofar blowing Above^[3].

This explains the verse "Tiku BaChodesh Shofar" ("Blow the shofar at the new moon"), about which the Baal Shem Tov notes that it should have said "Tiku Shofar BaChodesh". The explanation is that "BaChodesh" ("in the month") is connected to "Tiku" ("blow"), teaching that each year the shofar blowing must be in a new way. The reason is that each year, a new aspect of shofar is drawn down. Since all things Above are accomplished through the service of the Jewish people, as the Maggid teaches on the Mishnah "Da Ma L'Ma'alah Mimcha" ("Know what is above you"), meaning everything Above is from you, therefore the shofar blowing of Israel must be new each year so that a new aspect is drawn down Above.

2) Just as the mitzvah of shofar blowing on Rosh Hashanah each year is in a new way, so too with all mitzvos, as our Sages say, "Every day they should be in your eyes as new," and even more so, truly new. However, with shofar blowing, since it is a general mitzvah for the entire year, as is known, the reason Rosh Hashanah is called the "head" (not the "beginning") of the year is because it includes all the days of the year, this renewal is even greater. One can say that this renewal in shofar blowing is the root from which the renewal of all mitzvos throughout the year is drawn. The mitzvah of shofar blowing on Rosh Hashanah is to "Crown Me over you," and since the manner of mitzvos follows the manner of "Crown Me over you," as our Sages say, "Accept My Kingship first, and then I will decree upon you," therefore, when shofar blowing is in a new way, so too are all mitzvos. Through "Tiku BaChodesh," there is a renewal, so to speak, in the attribute of His Kingship, that He is King over Israel, and through this, also over all the worlds—since this too is accomplished by and for Israel, as we ask, "Reign over the entire world in Your glory," which includes all worlds. Each Rosh Hashanah, a new vitality is drawn into the entire order of creation, a vitality that never existed before, as the Alter Rebbe writes in Iggeres HaKodesh, and this vitality is then drawn into all the days of the year, through the twelve months, as explained at length in the sefer Atteres Rosh by the Mitteler Rebbe. Similarly, the renewal in mitzvos throughout the year comes from the renewal of shofar blowing on Rosh Hashanah.

3) This helps us understand why, when Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbos, the shofar is not blown in the provinces. The reason for shofar blowing on Rosh Hashanah is, as above, to effect the shofar Above, but on Shabbos, this aspect (shofar) exists without human effort. On Yom Tov, we say "Who sanctifies Israel and the festivals," meaning Israel sanctifies the times, but Shabbos is inherently holy and not dependent on Israel. Therefore, Shabbos contains many things that are prepared and complete even without human effort. Yet, it is written, "La'asos Es HaShabbos" ("to make the Shabbos"), that Israel makes the Shabbos, and "Zachor Es Yom HaShabbos L'Kadsho" ("Remember the Shabbos day to sanctify it"), that Israel must sanctify Shabbos. The idea is that Shabbos has two levels: its inherent sanctity, and what Israel adds through their service. Shabbos is pleasure, but still, our Sages say, "Whoever delights in Shabbos," meaning one must add delight, and "You shall call Shabbos a delight," meaning to draw down delight into Shabbos. Through Israel's service, a higher delight is drawn down, but there is also an inherent delight in Shabbos, which is complete. The essence of Shabbos is the completion of all creation, as it says, "Vayechulu HaShamayim VeHaAretz" ("The heavens and the earth were completed"), which means completion. Thus, the delight of Shabbos as it is in itself is complete. Therefore, on Rosh Hashanah that falls on Shabbos, there is not as much need to blow the shofar in the provinces. The shofar represents delight, as explained in the maamar, that "shofar" comes from "Shapru Ma'aseichem" ("improve your deeds") and "HaNoten Imrei Shafer" ("who gives beautiful sayings"), alluding to delight. Since everything Above is from you, in order for there to be delight (shofar) Above, it is accomplished through Israel's shofar blowing. This is true when Rosh Hashanah falls on a weekday. But on Shabbos, delight is already prepared (without human effort), and the delight is complete, so the mitzvah of shofar blowing is not as pressing, and therefore it is set aside due to the concern of carrying.

4) In addition to the fact that shofar blowing draws down delight Above (in Zeir Anpin, etc.), since what is Above is from you, through shofar blowing, delight (the aspect of shofar) is drawn into all the worlds, even into the world of Asiyah. As we say in the Rosh Hashanah prayers, "Veyeda Kol Pa'ul Ki Atah Pe'alto, Veyavin Kol Yetzur Ki Atah Yetzarto, Veyomar Kol Asher Nishama BeApo, etc." The Arizal explains that these three phrases refer to the three worlds of Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah, which include all worlds. Therefore, on Rosh Hashanah, we say these three phrases because the drawing down of Rosh Hashanah reaches all worlds, even Asiyah. When Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbos and the shofar is not blown, it is because even this drawing down, which is usually accomplished through shofar blowing, is accomplished on Shabbos by Shabbos itself. It is known that the drawing down of Shabbos reaches all worlds, even Asiyah. As explained in many discourses, including those on Rosh Hashanah, the vitality of all worlds, even Asiyah, is higher on Shabbos than on weekdays. On weekdays, the vitality comes from the letters of speech, but on Shabbos, it comes from the letters of thought. Thus, Shabbos affects all worlds, even the physical world, to the extent that it even changes the nature of an ignoramus, who on Shabbos cannot lie.

What is unique about the Beis HaMikdash, where they would blow the shofar even when Rosh Hashanah fell on Shabbos, is that the delight (the aspect of shofar) drawn down through shofar blowing in the Mikdash is even higher. The delight drawn down through shofar blowing in the provinces is the delight inherent in Shabbos itself, but in the Mikdash, a higher delight is drawn down, one that is not present in Shabbos itself (similar to what was explained regarding "Whoever delights in Shabbos"—there is a level of delight not present in Shabbos itself and is accomplished through Israel's service). Therefore, in the Mikdash, they would blow the shofar on Rosh Hashanah that fell on Shabbos. This level is even higher than the delight of "Whoever delights in Shabbos" (the service of Shabbos) and is drawn down only on Rosh Hashanah through the act of shofar blowing.

5) The idea (as explained in the maamar) is that in the delight of mitzvos, there are two types. The first is the delight from fulfilling the command of the Holy One, "Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us," which is the same in all mitzvos, since the will is equal in all mitzvos, so too is the delight from the will. The second is the particular delight in each mitzvah, as each mitzvah has its own unique delight. The maamar explains that the particular delight in each mitzvah is higher than the general delight from the will, which is a novelty in this discourse. Elsewhere, it is explained that the particular intent in each mitzvah is lower than the general intent, but here it is explained that the particular delight is higher. The delight invested in the will (which is equal in all mitzvos) is a revealed delight, but the particular delight in each mitzvah comes from the source of all delights, which is much higher than revealed delight, and from this source, a ray is drawn to each level according to its specific nature. Based on this, the maamar explains the shofar, which is called "shofar" from the word for delight ("HaNoten Imrei Shafer"), but seemingly, delight is only present when there are multiple details, and so too with the delight in sound (song and musical instruments), which comes from a combination of many sounds. Since the shofar is a single sound, how can it be associated with delight? In practice, we see that the sound of the shofar does not bring delight; on the contrary, it arouses awe, as it says, "If a shofar is blown in the city, will the people not tremble?" and at Matan Torah it says, "The sound of the shofar was very strong and all the people in the camp trembled," and "The people saw and trembled and stood afar," meaning that the great and wondrous revelation of the shofar sound caused them to be in a state of nullification ("and stood afar"), and awe and nullification are the opposite of delight, so how can we say that shofar means delight? The answer (as explained in the maamar) is that the delight of the shofar is because it is the source of all delights, higher than revealed delight. Therefore, no revealed delight is felt in the shofar sound (and on the contrary, it brings awe), because it is above revealed delight; rather, it is from the source of all delights. From this source, all particular delights are drawn. This is the meaning of "shofar" from "Shapru Ma'aseichem" ("improve your deeds"), "ma'aseichem" in plural, that through shofar blowing, improvement and delight are accomplished in every particular deed, because the drawing from the source of all delights is specifically in a way that divides into particulars. This is also the connection between shofar and Matan Torah, as we say in the Musaf of Rosh Hashanah, "You revealed Yourself to teach Your people Torah and mitzvos, and with the sound of the shofar You appeared to them." At Matan Torah, the essence was drawn down, "Ana Nafshi Kesavis Yehavis" ("I have written and given My soul"), the drawing from the source of all delights, higher than revealed delight, and from this came the delight in the Ten Commandments, in each commandment in particular ("on each commandment their souls flew out"), the delight unique to each commandment, and then this was drawn down in even more detail to teach Your people Torah and mitzvos, in each mitzvah in particular.

6) Similarly, the shofar blowing of Rosh Hashanah draws from the source of all delights (higher than revealed delight). On Rosh Hashanah, everything returns to its original state and must be renewed from its source and root, even from the Essence and Being. Similarly, the covenant and connection between the Holy One and Israel is renewed each Rosh Hashanah, as it says, "Atem Nitzavim HaYom" ("You are standing today"—Rosh Hashanah) "to enter into the covenant of the L‑rd your G‑d," meaning the covenant drawn down on Rosh Hashanah is from the Essence, above all revelations. This is also clear from the two parables brought in the continuation and by the Rebbe Maharash: one from the Baal Shem Tov about the prince who, by crying out with a simple voice, the king recognized as his only son, and even though there were no words in the king's language, it was precisely this that renewed the bond between the king and his son; and the second from the chassidic master Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev about simple garments (which are lower than a simple voice), that by wearing specifically the simple garments, the bond between the king and his friend was renewed. The point understood from these two parables is that the renewal of the covenant and connection on Rosh Hashanah through shofar blowing is not from the level of revelations [since in a simple voice there are not even words in the king's language, and certainly simple garments are lower than a simple voice], but rather, in a new way that never existed before. This is also the connection between shofar blowing on Rosh Hashanah and the shofar sound at Matan Torah [as brought in the Avudraham in the name of the R"SaG in the reasons for the shofar blasts (the third reason), and also explained in the above continuation in the parable of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev that the shofar blowing of Rosh Hashanah is the same garment as at Matan Torah, "and the sound of the shofar"], just as the shofar sound at Matan Torah was a drawing from the source of all delights and even from the Essence, so too with shofar blowing on Rosh Hashanah: the renewal of the covenant on Rosh Hashanah is from the Essence, as is the renewal of the will for the existence of the worlds and for kingship, which is accomplished through shofar blowing ("Crown Me over you"), since everything returns to its original state, it is from the Essence. This is also why the blessing of Shofaros begins with Matan Torah, "You revealed Yourself on Mount Sinai to teach Your people Torah and mitzvos," and concludes, "Who hears the sound of the teruah of His people Israel with mercy," and before that, in the blessing of Zichronos, "Who remembers the covenant," which refers (primarily) to the covenant between the Holy One and Israel, "You are standing today... to enter into the covenant of the L‑rd your G‑d," and before that, in the blessing of Malchiyos, "King over all the earth," which is accomplished by "Crown Me over you," as we say before that (in the verses), "King of Israel and its Redeemer."

This is why in the Mikdash they would blow the shofar even when Rosh Hashanah fell on Shabbos, because the purpose of shofar blowing on Rosh Hashanah is to draw from the source of all delights, higher than revealed delight (like the shofar sound at Matan Torah), and this level is higher than the delight of Shabbos (even the highest level of Shabbos), so it is necessary to blow the shofar even when Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbos. The reason they would blow only in the Mikdash and not in the provinces is because drawing down this level (the source of all delights) depends on the place, and only in the Beis HaMikdash, where G‑dliness was revealed—even to the point that the revelation was invested in the stones of the house (and similarly in the Mishkan)—was it possible to draw down this level. Therefore, in the Mikdash, they would blow the shofar even when Rosh Hashanah fell on Shabbos, because this level (the source of all delights) is higher than Shabbos, even higher than Shabbos as it was in the Mikdash and on Rosh Hashanah.

7) Just as it was in the Beis HaMikdash, so too it is with Torah. Since the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash, the Holy One has only the four cubits of halachah in His world. Therefore, we recite the verses of shofar even when Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbos, even outside the Land of Israel, because Torah is like the Mikdash (and the one who blows and the one who hears—"there is no free person except one who engages in Torah," for through proper Torah study, true freedom is achieved, similar to the time when the Beis HaMikdash stood). Therefore, through reciting the verses of shofar in Torah, we accomplish the same thing as was accomplished through shofar blowing in the Mikdash. This is done with great joy, as explained in the continuation of "Yom Tov Shel Rosh HaShanah SheChal Lihyos BeShabbos" by the Previous Rebbe, that the coronation of the King is with great joy. The delight drawn down through shofar blowing in the Mikdash, and similarly through the verses of shofar (even outside the Land of Israel), is the simple delight, as explained at length in the continuation of "Yom Tov Shel Rosh HaShanah SheChal Lihyos BeShabbos" by the Rebbe Rashab, regarding the delight that is like the day that is entirely Shabbos and rest for eternal life. Since everything Above is from you (as explained from the Maggid), every Jew has the power to accomplish not only all matters of the order of creation (even the loftiest matters), but also to accomplish the simple delight, and to draw it down below, "Reign over the entire world in Your glory," and certainly to be King over Israel (including) and its Redeemer, with the true and complete redemption through Moshiach Tzidkeinu, when they will blow the shofar even on Yom Tov of Rosh Hashanah that falls on Shabbos in the Beis HaMikdash and in Yavneh, and it can be said, even in every place (for then all decrees will be nullified), speedily in our days, with great joy.

Summary

This maamar explores why shofar is not blown on Rosh Hashanah that falls on Shabbos outside the Mikdash, revealing the unique renewal and Divine delight drawn down through shofar and mitzvos, and how Torah and Jewish service can access the deepest connection with G‑d, even in exile.