Meseches Rosh Hashanah
29b – “יום טוב של ר"ה שחל להיות בשבת במקדש היו תוקעין, אבל לא במדינה”
“When the Yom Tov of Rosh Hashanah falls out on Shabbos, in the Mikdash they would blow the Shofar, but not in the rest of the country – outside the Bais Hamikdash.”
Although according to the Torah, one would be able to blow the Shofar, even when Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbos, but the Chachomim were nonetheless Mesaken that we are not to blow, for fear that one may come to carry a Shofar outside, and transgress the Halacha of carrying on Shabbos. The Gemara tells us that in a year that we do not blow the Shofar in the beginning of the year, can be a very bad year. The Shofar is a very powerful tool to help us be Zoche in Din. It would seem that it is very important for us to have it. If so, why were Chazal Mesaken for us not to blow it, on the chance that one may come to carry improperly?
In years that Rosh Hashana falls out on Shabbos Kodesh, there were very good years. The year that Klal Yisroel were Zoche to achieve a Kapparah for the Chet Ha’eigel, was a year that Rosh Hashana fell on Shabbos. The Mishkan was erected, and Klal Yisroel entered Eretz Yisroel also in years that Rosh Hashana fell on Shabbos. While Rosh Hashana falling on Shabbos can be a bad year, it can also be a good year. There is something that we must know that could make the difference between being a good year and a bad year.
Moshol
There was a minister who sinned against the king, The king became very upset at him, and commanded his judges to judge him for what he did, and act upon that judgment, The minister went to ask some of his powerful friends if they would be willing to come forward on his behalf and speak positively at his court-case. However, all of his friends abandoned him in his time of need, and did not accede to come and speak for him. The man told his wife what happened, and she said that he should not worry. She said that she will come forward, and she will speak to the king and the judges on his behalf, so that they should show him mercy. The day of his court-case came; his wife did as she said she would. She pleaded with the king to show her husband mercy, that he was really a good person, but erred in a moment of weakness. She beseeched the king and the judges to give him a favorable judgment for her sake and the sake of her children – so that she should have a husband and that her children should have a father. Her pleas were heard, and his judgment came out favorably. A little while passed, and there was another minister of the king who sinned against the king. The king commanded that he be brought up on charges and be tried for his sins. The minister knew what happened to the previous minister and decided that he need not ask anyone for help, for his wife would help him, and she would get him freed. The court date came, and the minister brought his wife to speak on his behalf, to ask the king and the court to show him mercy. The wife got up to speak, and all could see that she was a beaten woman. She had fresh wounds all over her face, as well as many scars. There was a stark difference between this minister, and the minister who received clemency. The first minister was good to his wife, and treated her the way she was supposed to be treated. Conversely, the second minister had a short temper and was exceedingly cruel to his wife. He beat her mercilessly on a regular basis, and gave her wounds that were apparent to all. His wife came forward to speak on his behalf, though not from love, but from fear of the wrath of her husband. The king found out that his minister beat his wife, and immediately had him sentenced to death.
With this Moshol, we can understand how when Rosh Hashana falls on Shabbos, some years they are good, and others they are not, Chas V’sholom. Klal Yisroel sin during the year, and then Rosh Hashana comes, and they blow Shofar, and they hope in the Zechus of the Shofar they will achieve an atonement for their sins. However, in a year when Rosh Hashana falls on Shabbos, how will they be Zoche in judgment? It says in Bereishis Rabbah 11:1 that Shabbos is the Kallah of Klal Yisroel. Shabbos goes out before the Kisai Hakovod and pleads for Klal Yisroel. If Klal Yisroel is nice to its bride, to Shabbos Kodesh, and heeds Shabbos properly, then Shabbos is a good defender for Klal Yisroel, and will in fact help Klal Yisroel be Zoche in Din. However, if Chas V’sholom Klal Yisroel are not nice to their bride, Shabbos, and they trample on it in public, then when Shabbos comes to plead for Klal Yisroel, not only will it not be a defense, but Chas V’sholom it will work as an accuser against them. Chazal were concerned that if we were to blow the Shofar on Shabbos, one may come to desecrate Shabbos, and thus forbid us to blow the Shofar. What happens when we don’t have the Shofar, the Shofar which comes to our defense to be Zoche in Din? Shabbos herself comes to the defense of Klal Yisroel and pleads our case. We care so much about Shabbos, that we are willing to give up the great Zechus of Shofar, in order to preserve the sanctity of Shabbos – for perhaps one may desecrate it through the Shofar. Hakodosh Boruch Hu hears the pleas of Shabbos, and forgives us because of her. That is why a Shofar-less Rosh Hashana often brings with it the greatest blessings – the greatest years. However, if Shabbos has been trampled on and abused, and there is no Shofar, then when Shabbos comes forward to plead on our behalf, it not only doesn’t help us, but it is actually detrimental to us. Thus, we must be exceedingly careful with Shabbos Kodesh, so that it could be a good defender for Klal Yisroel, and then even without the Shofar, we will be Zoche to a good year. (מנחת עני )
Drush Rosh Hashanah 48
The reason that we do not blow Shofar on Rosh Hashanah when it falls on Shabbos is because speaking is like action, being that it is similar to Korbonos. The Gemara in Menochos 110a says that anyone who toils in the Parshah of Korbonos, is as if he brought those Korbonos (Korbon Olah). Why is this so by Korbonos, and why is it not so by other Mitzvos? It says in the Sefer מעבר יבק from a Midrash, that Eliyahu Hanavi stands in the Bais Hamikdash every day and is Makriv two Temidim. Thus, even nowadays when we don’t have a Bais Hamikdash, Korbonos are still being brought. When we were Zoche to have a Bais Hamikdash, the Temidim came from Klal Yisroel, as these Korbonos were purchased with the money from the Terumas Halishka, which came from the Tzibur – all of Klal Yisroel had a share in it. However, now that we are not Zoche to a Bais Hamikdash, and the Temidim are not being brought with the money of the Tzibur of Klal Yisroel, how can we connect ourselves to those Korbonos?
If one says the words of the Korbonos, it shows he wants to be connected to the Korbonos, and that makes him part of the Korbonos brought by Eliyahu Hanavi. If one says it, then it is like Eliyahu Hanavi becomes like his Shliach, and he becomes partners with Eliyahu Hanavi. So, although Eliyahu Hanavi is doing the main part, actually bringing the Korbonos, being that he becomes partners with Eliyahu, they both have an equal share, and thus he has an integral part in the Temidim. The same applies to the blowing of the Shofar, for the Shofar was always blown in the Mikdash, even on Shabbos. Thus, even now, Eliyahu Hanavi is blowing the Shofar according to the Din in the Bais Hamikdash, even though it is Shabbos. Thus, by us saying words, showing that we want to have a part in it, we connect ourselves to Eliyahu Hanavi, and we in fact have a part in it, and are Mekayeim the Mitzvah of Shofar on Shabbos Kodesh. (קהלת יעקב )
If we treat Shabbos properly, Shabbos Kodesh comes and speaks on our behalf. It will plead for us to be Zoche in Din, and it will work. While in a year that we actually blow Shofar, we as human beings, are limited in what we can achieve spiritually, to be completely L’shem Shomayim. However, now that we are not allowed to blow the Shofar on Rosh Hashanah that falls out on Shabbos, and one really wants to, and says words Mesukan by Chazal about the blowing, then he is connected to the blowing of Eliyahu Hanavi. His blowing is certainly on an exalted level, and we can have a Zechus in that blowing. Our not blowing the Shofar, can actually bring us the greatest Zechus of blowing the Shofar. We must take this to heart, and truly seek to connect ourselves to the blowing of the Shofar, and in this Zechus, our Tefilos should reach all the way to the Kisai Hakovod, and we should be Zoche to a Ksiva V’chasima Tovah.
