In mussaf of Rosh Hashanah we say, כי לך דומה ואין תרועה ומאזין שופר קול שומע אתה, "You listen to the sound of the shofar, and You harken to the teruah, and no one is like You." The words are simple enough to understand, but, like all words of the siddur, they contain much depth and meaning. Let us delve into these words.
Questions
- שומע and מאזין both mean "to listen," but there is undoubtedly a difference between them. What is it?
- What is the שופר קול, and what is the תרועה?
- Why is שומע phrased together with קול שופר, while מאזין goes with תרועה?
- Why does this brachah end with the phrase לך דומה ואין, "There is no one like You"?
The Pri Megadim (592:1, quoting Reb Chaim Rappaport zt'l of Lemberg) explains that these words allude to two approaches to teshuvah. The firm, long sound of the shofar represents a kabbalah one makes to improve once and for all, and he never goes back to his old ways. The choppy teruah represents the baalei teshuvah who improve and fall again. They pick themselves up and try once again to succeed in their teshuvah.
To whom is Hashem closer? Hashem is closer to those struggling with their teshuvah. These ideas are hinted at in the brachah we mentioned above. מאזין means to listen from nearby, and שומע is to hear from a distance.
It states תרועה מאזין, Hashem is close to those who struggle with their teruah, while שומע שופר קול, Hashem hears the voice of the shofar from a distance. The brachah concludes: לך דומה ואין, "No One compares to You." No one is like Hashem Who listens from nearby to the imperfect people, those who are struggling to serve Him. This is unlike a human king who prefers the company of the polished, perfect people. Hashem is closer to the people who struggle with their teshuvah, and their service is very precious to Hashem.
Rebbe Yechiel of Moosh zy'a once went to the bimah to blow the shofar, and through the window, he saw a davar acher (pig) eating in a Jewish field. He said, "I will not blow shofar until the davar acher is removed from the Jewish field." People chased the davar acher out of the field, and when they returned, Rebbe Yechiel blew the shofar.
This story was repeated each year by the Slonimer tzaddikim, zy'a. The Beis Avraham of Slonim, zy'a would say, "Such a story of the Moosher (Reb Yechiel of Moosh) I never heard before!" But it was somewhat of a mystery among the chassidim why this story was so special to the Rebbes. What did the tzaddikim see in this story that was so amazing?
Some chassidim thought that this story showed Reb Yechiel's ahavas Yisrael. He wouldn't blow shofar while a Yid's field suffered a loss. Reb Mottel Slonimer zy'a corrected them. He said, "Why don't you understand?! Reb Yechiel of Moosh announced that he wouldn’t blow shofar until the davar acher, the yetzer hara, was removed from the Jewish hearts. That is the purpose of the shofar! The shofar removes all the bad from the hearts of Yidden!"
