524 —ראש השנה, תקיעת שופר, ותפקיד תלמידי חכמים

B"H, 22 Elul, 5709.

Haraha"ch vavac"h iy"a nu"m etc. Yosef

Shalom u'Vrachah!

As the coming year approaches, I extend my blessings that you and all yours be inscribed and sealed for a good and sweet year in every way. Enclosed is the kuntres for Rosh Hashanah which has just been published; "one with a good eye will be blessed," so use it to benefit the many in the best possible manner.

Regarding the hint from this year's theme: (Rosh Hashanah 4:1) "When Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbat, in the Temple they would blow [the shofar], but not in the provinces." The mitzvah of shofar on Rosh Hashanah is about teshuvah, as explained by Rambam in Hilchos Teshuvah 3:4 and clarified well in the enclosed kuntres. It can be explained why Rambam specifically says "on Rosh Hashanah," to exclude shofar blowing on Yovel which has a different hint.

Teshuvah is according to one's conduct throughout the year and about one's conduct during the year. Therefore, one who follows ordinary ways—engaged in the thirty-nine labors of weekdays—experiences Rosh Hashanah and its shofar as if it falls on a weekday. But Torah scholars (talmidei chachamim), whose world is only Torah and mitzvos—matters of Heaven rather than weekday affairs (Shabbos 113a)—are called Shabbos themselves (Zohar III 29b; hinted at in Shabbos 119a: Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Assi would carry... if Rabbi Yochanan visited...), so for them it is like Rosh Hashanah falling on Shabbos. Therefore, there is no shofar blowing in the provinces for them—they have no involvement there at all—and all the more so for the Kohen Gadol (since a Torah scholar takes precedence over a Kohen Gadol—end of Horayos), about whom it says "he shall not leave the Temple," and his Torah protects him. See also Rambam Hilchos Klei HaMikdash 5:7; Bava Basra 8b; Tosafos Ze Sotah 21a; etc.

However, do not say that there is no shofar at all for Torah scholars—for in the Temple—a place with no connection to weekday matters (as one may not enter Har HaBayis with shoes etc., end of Berachos)—they did blow shofar. For even here there must be teshuvah, as our Sages said (Berachos 28b): regarding Rabbi Nachum ben HaKana and Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai; also see Tosafos Kesubos 17a; Yerushalmi Pesachim 3:7; etc.

May Hashem return us speedily with complete teshuvah so we merit immediately—as Rambam writes in Teshuvah 7:5 and as quoted by Admor HaZaken in Igeres HaTeshuvah ch.11—to complete redemption through Moshiach Tzidkeinu.

You surely received my letter with the kuntres for Chai Elul on time.

Signing with wishes for being inscribed and sealed for good,
M. Schneerson

Summary

The Rebbe teaches that shofar blowing on Rosh Hashanah symbolizes teshuvah tailored to each person's spiritual level. For Torah scholars whose lives are wholly dedicated to Torah, their service resembles Shabbos itself. Everyone should strive to elevate their teshuvah accordingly.