Riddles for the Rosh Hashanah Table
Riddles for the Rosh Hashanah Table
(For answers see below)
The Gemara in Kiddushin (33b) teaches that women are exempt from the mitzvah of shofar as it is a time bound mitzvah. The Shulchan Aruch (589:3) rules accordingly. The question is, it's clear from the Gemara in Rosh Hashanah (16a) that the shofar helps: כדי שיעלה זכרוניכם לפני לטובה “That we be remembered in front of Hashem for good”. If so, just like we find that the Gemara (Kiddushin 34a) says that women are not exempt from the mitzvah of mezuzah: דאטו גברא בעי חיי נשי לא בעי חיי “As do only men need to live and not women?”, we should say the same thing by shofar?
The Gemara in Rosh Hashanah (16b) teaches: R' Kruspedai said in the name of R’ Yochanan: Three books are opened on Rosh Hashanah: one for the absolute resho'im [utterly wicked], one for the pure tzaddikim [wholly good], and one for the beinonim - the average class of people. The wholly righteous are at once inscribed and sealed for life; the entirely wicked are at once inscribed and sealed for death; the average class are held in the balance from Rosh Hashanah until Yom Kippur; if they merit, they are inscribed for life, if not they are inscribed for death.”
By the tzaddikim and resho’im we find that they are inscribe and sealed, however, by the beinoni we only find that he is inscribed, why don't we find that he is inscribed and sealed? Why doesn't the Gemara say: “If he merits then on Yom Kippur he is inscribed and sealed for life, and if he doesn't, he is inscribed and sealed for death?"
The halachah is (Orach Chaim 339): אין דנין בשבת וביו"ט - “That we don't judge on Shabbos and Yom Tov”. The question is, if this is the halachah, how can Hashem judge us on Rosh Hashanah, surely the Yerushalmi (Rosh Hashanah, Perek 3) teaches us that Hashem keeps the entire Torah?
The Rema records a custom to dip an apple into honey on Rosh Hashanah and daven that it should be a good omen for us to have a sweet new year. For this purpose, we traditionally use honey made by bees. Why don't we use date honey, which is normally what the Torah refers to when it talks about honey?
How can there be a case, that one is allowed to blow 100 shofar blasts with a shofar, however, if he puts it down before doing all 100 blasts, it is forbidden for him to carry on?
When saying Tehillim on Rosh Hashanah is there a problem to say the perokim which are sang when singing Hallel?
The Gemara in Rosh Hashanah teaches us that we don't use the horn from a cow for the mitzvah of tekias shofar as there is a rule ein kateigor naaseh saneigor, that a prosecutor can't be a defender, and since we sinned with chet haeigel, we don't want to do anything which may remind Hashem of our previous sins, therefore, we don't use the horn of a cow. The question is, if so, how come we spend the entire day of Rosh Hashanah davening with our mouths, sadly many people use their mouths throughout the year for lashon hara, sheker etc. so why aren't we scared that using out mouths will remind Hashem of our sins done with our mouths?
The Gemara in Megillah (32a) teaches: “Moshe enacted for Yisrael that they should be shoʼalin v'dorshin [asking and giving lectures] about the topics of the day, Hilchos Pesach on Pesach, Hilchos Atzeres on Atzeres, and Hilchos Chag on Chag [Succos]." Why does the Gemara not mention that on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, one needs to learn Hilchos Teshuvah? Is there an obligation to learn Hilchos Teshuvah during the days of Teshuvah, just like there is a mitzvah to learn Hilchos Pesach and Hilchos Succos?
There was a story in a certain shul where the ba’al tokea announced before blowing shofar, “anyone who has a non-kosher phone³, I am not being moitzi him, and he should go to a different shul to hear shofar”. After this announcement, an uproar broke out in the shul and some people argued that after making such an announcement it could be that no one fulfills his mitzvah, what is your opinion about this?
The was a story in a particular shul where the baʼal tokea blew the 100 shofar blasts, and after he finished he banged on the shofar to remove the saliva that built up inside and a worm came crawling out from the shofar. The shailah arose, if the tzibbur was yoitza their mitzvah of tekias shofar or not, what do you think?
Is there a special inyan for the ba’al tokea to blow the shofar with his eyes closed? And what about the people listening, is there an inyan for them to close their eyes?
Answers to Riddles
(For the riddles see above)
Interestingly I saw that the sefer Shu”t Min HaShomayim asks if a woman can make a berachah on the mitzvah of tekias shofar, and he answers that part of the idea behind the mitzvah of shofar is: כדי שיעלה זכרוניכם לפני לטובה “That we be remembered in front of Hashem for good”, and women need this as well, therefore if they want to make a berachah they can.
However, this doesn't answer why they don't have an obligation to do so?
For this I saw the sefer Divrei Sofrim (the son of the Sefer HaMakneh, siman 48) who answers: Shofar is different, because when the men blow shofar the women will also be remembered.
The Pnei Yehoshua asks this question and he answers: On Rosh Hashanah Hashem acts with middas haʼemes [strict truth], and some people are guilty and some people are meritorious, however, there is no room for chessed. Those who are written down on Rosh Hashanah (tzaddikim and reshoim) get sealed as well, as the chosam [seal] of Hashem is emes, and they truthfully deserve to be written for good or for bad, therefore, Hashem is happy to seal their judgement with His signature of emes. However, on Yom Kippur Hashem acts with middas hachessed, as on Yom Kippur the Satan has no permission to interfere, and Hashem forgives and atones sins, therefore, a beinoni may come out of Yom Kippur being written for life, however, it could be he doesn't really deserve it, therefore, Hashem whose seal is emes is unable to sign such a thing, therefore, although the beinoni may be written in the book of life, Hashem doesn't seal it as it is not really true.⁴
The Minchas Chinuch (311:6) writes about the above: דברי פי חכם חן ושפתיים ישק “The words of a chocham are charming, and kissable with the lips.”
Interestingly, the Rambam (Hilchos Teshuvah, Perek 3) brings the above Gemara adds in the fact the beinonim are inscribed and sealed on Yom Kippur.
The Shu't Doivev Meishorim (3:89) writes that this is the Rambam leshitosoi [following in his opinion], the Rambam writes that the way for a beinoni to be zoche is by doing teshuvah. If so, the beinoni is now a tzaddik and he rightfully deserves to be written in the book of life. Since he rightfully deserves it, it is true and Hashem can put His seal on it.
The Iyei HaYam answers: If a beinoni is zoche he is written in the book of tzaddikim. Consequently, he is already included in the statement that the book of tzaddikim is inscribed and sealed, and there is no need for a special chasimah [sealing].
i) The Da'as Zekeinim MiBaʼalei HaTosfos (Shemos 14:2) proves from here that Hashem doesn't keep the Torah.
However, this proof is difficult as the halachah of not judging on Shabbos and Yom Tov is a rabbinic enactment in case one comes to write (as is clear from Beitzah 37a), so how can we prove from here that Hashem doesn't keep de'O'raisa's? Additionally, the Yerushalmi says clearly that Hashem does keep the Torah.
ii) Rabbeinu Tam (Beitzah 36b) learns that if there is no better dayan [judge] then one may judge on Shabbos and Yom Tov, if so, certainly there is no better dayan than Hashem so He may judge on Shabbos and Yom Tov. However, even according to Rashi who doesn't hold of this heter, the reason not to judge on Shabbos and Yom Tov is because one may come to write down the words of those who say "obligated", and those who say “exempt”, however, by Hashem there is only one judge, therefore, there is no need to write anything down. (Tzlach, Rosh Hashanah 29b)
iii) Just like we find: אין שבות במקדש - there are no rabbinic enactments in the Beis HaMikdosh, because kohanim are very zoriz, speedy and meticulous, certainly by Hakadosh Baruch Hu we can say the same thing, and there is concern that He will come to write, therefore, there is no rabbinic enactment not to judge. (Madanay Asher)
Rav Yisroel Reisman notes that a key difference between the two types of devash is that date honey flows naturally from the fruit and is easily gathered, while the sweet honey produced by bees can only be obtained with significant effort and danger. To remove honey from a beehive, one must cover his entire body in special garments to protect him from the angry swarming bees, and even then, there is a risk that some of the bees will manage to sting him as he takes their precious honey.
When we dip an apple into honey as a symbolic sign for a sweet year, we do not use date honey because something easily acquired does not represent the sweetness that we desire, which is the product of hard work and the occasional painful sting. As we know from life experiences, an accomplishment that is only reached after much struggle and exertion is far more gratifying than one handed to us on a silver platter. For this reason, we specifically use bee honey on Rosh Hashana to denote the type of sweetness we seek in the year ahead.
Rav Reisman adds that this insight can also help us appreciate why the Rema specifies that we should use a sweet apple for this practice, even though sweet apples are typically red, a color typically associated with sin. Although the apple appears red externally, it is white on the inside. Sweet years are never purely white, and there is always an element of redness mixed in. True sweetness comes when we persevere despite the setbacks and challenges represented by the red peel and uncover the whiteness waiting within.
The Mishnah Berurah (586:88) writes that if a non-Jew makes a shofar on Yom Tov from a horn from his animal it is not muktzeh as the Yid never took his mind off using such a horn. However, if the non-Jew made it from the horn of a Jewish animal, then it's forbidden to move and blow with it as it is muktzeh due to nolad [a new item being created on Yom Tov]. However, if there is no other shofar available, we can rely on the poskim that allow nolad on Yom Tov and blow with it, in order not to miss out on the mitzvas aseh of shofar. And as long as one is holding the shofar he may use it, however, once one has blown the minimum amount of tekias required and he then puts down the shofar, he isn't allowed to pick it up to blow tekias which are simply done due to minhag. (R' Yitzchak Zilberstein, Chasukei Chemed)
The Gemara in Rosh Hashanah (32b) says that we don't say Hallel on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. The Gemara relates that the malachim asked Hashem why we don't, and He answered back: אפשר מלך יושב על כסא דין וספרי חיים וספרי מתים פתוחין לפניו וישראל אומרים שירה “Is it possible that while the King is sitting on the throne of judgment and the books of life and the books of death are open before Him, the Jewish people are reciting joyous songs?!”
The Rambam (Pirush HaMishnayos, Rosh Hashanah 4:7) writes: "These are days of tefillah and subjugation in front of Hashem and we are scared of Him and running away to Him, and they are days of teshuvah, beseeching and asking for forgiveness, and in such circumstances, it's not fitting to be happy and joyful."
Therefore, there may be room to say, that if one says Tehillim on Rosh Hashanah, since we don't sing joyous songs on Rosh Hashanah one should omit the perokim that are sang in Hallel.
The Magen Avraham (584:1) writes: Tzorich iyun [it needs looking into] how those people who say Tehillim every day, are allowed to say the perokim of Hallel?
The Magen Avraham answers: “Since it's not said in a manner of song, rather, it's done in a manner of beseeching and asking for mercy, it's allowed."
He brings proof, from the fact that there is a minhag to finish the entire sefer Tehillim on Yom Kippur night.
He brings further proof from the fact that people say Tehillim every single day, even though we find in Berachos (34b) “That if one recites Hallel every single day he is considered to be blaspheming”. It must be, that if one doesn't say it for the sake of Hallel it's ok.
i) See the devar Torah titled “Why Do We Need the Shofar's Tefillah, What Does It Add?"
ii) Perhaps we can answer that Hashem wants us to correct our ways and to stop using our mouths for terrible things. Therefore, He specifically wants us to use our mouths so much on Rosh Hashanah, and when one knows that he has no choice but to use his mouth so much he will forward plan and he will make sure to stop using his mouth for bad things during Elul in preparation of Rosh Hashanah, in order to ensure that on this special day there will be no issue of ein kateigor naaseh saneigor.
The following answer are various different answers that people sent me:
iii) The mouth is different to the golden calf because:
הפה שאסר הוא הפה שהתיר - אדם נאמן לבטל דין שהוא בעצמו יצא ע"י טענתו - כתובות ב"ב
The principle is caused by מיגו i.e. if I wanted to lie it would have been more advantageous to me. But since I say vidui admitting all my guilt it is accepted and negates what the mouth did previously. (R' Eli Pick)
iv) The principle of ein kateigor na'aseh saneigor (a prosecutor cannot become a defender) is applied in specific halachic contexts where an object or action serves as a tangible, external reminder of a past sin, potentially invoking accusation during a time of judgment or atonement. For the shofar, the cow's horn is disqualified because it directly evokes the collective sin of the golden calf (chet ha'eigel), acting as an unchanging symbol that could "prosecute" rather than defend.
In contrast, sins of speech such as lashon hara or sheker are internal and personal, committed through thought and intent rather than a fixed, external object. On Rosh Hashanah, the day is centered on teshuva (repentance), which transforms the individual into a renewed person. As the Rambam explains in Hilchos Teshuva, true repentance involves a complete break from past misdeeds—confessing, regretting, and resolving not to repeat them—effectively making the sinner a "new creation" who is no longer defined by those sins.
Thus, when we use our mouths for tefillah (prayer), it is not a static reminder invoking accusation, but an active part of the teshuva process itself. By redirecting the same faculty toward praise, confession, and supplication to Hashem, we rectify the past misuse, turning potential prosecution into defense. This is why a kohen who committed idolatry (an internal sin) can repent and perform blessings, but one who murdered (with hands as a tangible reminder) cannot use those hands for blessing. Speech sins fall into the former category, allowing the mouth to be redeemed through sincere repentance on this day of judgment.
Additionally, the shofar itself serves as a complementary form of "prayer" that bypasses the mouth entirely, emanating from the heart to provide an untainted channel of supplication, further mitigating any concerns.
See discussions in Rosh Hashanah 26a, Tosafos on Yevamos 7b, and related commentaries like the Be'er Heitev.
v) First of all, the chet ha'egel was a terrible cheit that we were guilty of. No one has yet been found guilty for sinning with their mouth - they also perform many mitzvos with their mouth.
Second, a shofar needs a shiur. If it was used for avoda zarah we say ketusi michtas shiurei and you can't be yotzei with it. But things you said, even if chas shalom for an aveirah, a dibur is not always a maaseh, it has an ephemeral aspect to it. Doing an aveirah with the mouth doesn't "poison" the mouth to disqualify it from being able to daven with it.
Finally, hakol kol Yaakov, and Yisrael af al pi shechata Yu, Hashem gives us the power of teshuva, of which tefillah is an integral part. We say viduy on Yom Kippur for sins of the mouth - eating improper things, saying improper things and lashon hara, etc. But that does not disqualify us from using our mouths for tefillah.
(U’teshuva utefillah utzedaka maavirin es roa hagezeira - if you made your money by stealing, you probably still have some kiyum of tzedokah, but subject to Sanhedrin 6 botzeia berech, ni'etz Hashem.) (R' Ben Tzion Lazovsky)
vi) Your question bothered me for many years. Especially with the Gemara Menachos (44a): אותן מצעות שהציעה לו באיסור הציעה לו בהיתר זה מתן שברו בעה"ז ולעה"ב איני יודע כמה. Baalei Teshuva are taught to use the koichos they used for aveirah now for kedusha...for example, instead of dancing in forbidden places, now dance even harder at a chasunah, etc. Ah, but what about this rule? They shouldn't dance at all!
The answer that I found b'siata d'Shamaya is that the ruel of ein kateigor naaseh saneigor is only said regarding lifnei v'lifnim. And the shofar has a din of lifnei v'niflim (Yesh omek b'zeh). The Gur Aryeh and the Mizrachi discuss this when Aharon HaKohen paused when performing the service in the Mishkan for the first time. (Ayen sham) (R' Sivan Simnegar)
vii) When you daven, you are mekayem the pasuk הרחב פיך ואמלאהו. And Hashem is an אש אוכלה. So davening is a hagolah for the mouth which is metaher. (R' Elliot Liberman)
The Maharsha asks this question, and he answers: The Gemara is referring to mitzvos that come from time to time (מזמן לזמן), however, the mitzvah of teshuvah is all year round as one must constantly think about doing teshuvah, therefore, there is no need to be shoʼalin v’dorshin specially on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
The Kli Yakar (Vayeilech 31:1) on the pasuk: “Moshe went and spoke these words to all of Yisrael", asks: “Where exactly did Moshe go”? He answers: Moshe Rabbeinu wanted to encourage Klal Yisrael to do teshuvah, however, people don't see their own faults and those who sin don't go to rabbonim to ask for a cure. Therefore, Moshe went around to the tent of every single Yid speaking to their hearts and telling them what teshuvah they needed to do.
In Halichos Shlomah (Perek 3, Hilchos Aseres Yemei Teshuvah, Orchos Halachah 10) they bring from R' Shlomah Zalman that one year on the night of Yom Kippur after he was left in peace after being bombarded with lots of questions, he turned round to his family members and said, “Boruch Hashem, in today's generation people ask lots of halachah questions, and are very meticulous in the halachos of each Yom Tov. However, out of all the questions I have been asked tonight not one was to do with Hilchos Teshuvah, which is the mitzvah of the day. Who is going to make this generation be meticulous in this mitzvah as well, which contains many halachos. Go out and see how the Rishonim and Kadmonim made special seforim on this topic. Therefore, we must spend time and effort in fulfilling all the halachos.”
The Rema (581:1) writes that a chazon must be moitzi the entire tzibbur, and if there is someone in the tzibbur that he doesn't like, and he has kavonah not to be moitzi him, then the rest of the tzibbur even the people he likes are also not yoitza. The Mishnah Berurah (53:57) brings this down l’halachah and writes, that if a chazon has kavonah not to be moitzi his enemy, then even the people he likes are also not yoitza, therefore, chazonim must be careful with this. Perhaps the same argument can be made in our case as well, and since the baʼal tokea had in mind not be moitzi certain individuals, no one in the shul fulfills his obligation.
On the other hand, the Rema may be talking about a case when one has a personal private enemy, however, if the chazon/baʼal tokea, has in mind not to be moitzi someone who is an enemy of Hashem, i.e. someone with a non-kosher device, which all the gedolim forbade, then what he is doing is praiseworthy, and everyone else is in fact yoitza?
In the case of the chazon, it is clear from the Chavas Yair (186) that the problem is that the chazon is a shliach of the tzibbur, and since the tzibbur sent him, he has to do what they say, and if he doesn't the shlichus is nullified, and we can say that if part of it is nullified then the entire thing is nullified. However, in our case this reason doesn't apply, as we can be certain (אנן סהדי) that the tzibbur doesn't want such a person amongst them, as surely they don't want people who can't control their yetzer hara amongst them, and since we can be sure the tzibbur wants this, we can't say the shlichus is nullified.
The Shu”t HaEleph Lecha Shlomah (Orach Chaim 36) explains based on the Magen Avraham (53:22) that peshat in the case of the chazon is, that a chazon is required to remove from his heart any jealousy he has towards his enemies, and if the chazon has intention not to be moitzi his enemy, it's clear that he hasn't done what was required and is disqualified from being a chazon. This is not applicable in our case, as the baʼal tokea doesn't hate anyone, he just hates the fact that he has such a device, and the fact that he has something Hashem hates, however, he doesn't hate the person himself.
The Shu't Salmas Chaim (348) was asked about a baʼal tokea who announced that he is not being moitzi any woman not dressed appropriately, if we have to be worried for the Rema. He answered: The Rema is only applicable for people that are obligated, women aren't obligated in tekias shofar therefore there is no problem.
It would seem from here, that if they would be obligated then there would be a problem for the ba'al tokea to make such a condition, not like what we mentioned.
The Chavas Yair (cited in Shaarei Teshuvah 585:5) discusses a case where there were thirteen members in a shul and the nearest baʼal tokea was six parsah away, and it was at a time when there was a lockdown and the baʼal tokea refused to come unless he was paid very well. Six of the members were happy to pay and the other seven weren't. The six member that were happy to pay, agreed that if the other seven don't pay, they will tell the baʼal tokea to make a stipulation not to be moitzi them.
The Chavas Yair writes that it's obvious that the seven aren't yoitza if the baʼal tokea has intention not to be moitzi them, and he says making such a stipulation is good, as why should the six members have to cover the entire expense. He adds, that if the baʼal tokea doesn't listen to the six paying members then no one is yoitza the mitzvah of shofar, as he is a shliach of those who paid him and he must listen, if he doesn't then the shlichus is nullified.
He then discusses if making such a type of stipulation is ok or not, and he says it is perfectly ok, and it should be done. He adds that if we don't do it, then the situation will arise where one or two people in the shul will have to cover the entire expense of the ba'al tokea. Therefore, מפני תיקון עולם, in order to keep the world at peace it is a good thing.
If regarding money, the baʼal tokea can make a stipulation to keep peace, then certainly in the case of the non-kosher devices the baʼal tokea can do it as well, and he can have kavonah to be moitzi only those who have kosher devices. (Chasukei Chemed, Rosh Hashanah 29a)⁵
The Gemara in Rosh Hashanah (27b) teaches: If a shofar is covered with gold inside, it is pasul. Rashi, Tosfos and the Ran all learn that the pasul [disqualification] is that the sound coming out from the shofar is coming from gold and not from the shofar.
However, the Ritva offers a new peshat and he says that the gold is a chatzizah [makes an interruption], and the sound coming out directly from the shofar, is not coming purely from the shofar as the gold gets in the way. He adds that even a small amount of gold creates a chatzizah and changes the sound of the shofar.
In light of the above, that the pasul is that one is blowing from gold and not from a shofar, or that the gold is a chatzizah, the sefer Chag BeChag (Yomim Noraim pg. 153, he'orah 59) writes if there is a worm in the shofar it's not a problem, as the main pasul is that the gold changes the sound of the shofar, however, this only happens with gold where even a small amount changes the sound, as the gold is stuck to the side of the shofar and becomes the wall of the shofar. However, a worm is like air or like a piece of sand or mud inside the shofar and it has no effect on the sound coming from the shofar. Even if chatzizah is a problem, since the worm is not attached to the shofar, the sound goes around it, and it doesn't make a hefsek. This is the pesak of R' Elyashiv.
However, based on the above, it would only be ok if the worm is small and doesn't change the sound, however, if the worm would be big then seemingly it would change the sound. Although it may not be a chatzizah as it is not attached to the shofar, however, it still changes the sound. Tzorich iyun.
The Rambam Igros U’Teshuvos (Pirkei Hatzlocha, Perek 1) describes how the seder of tekias shofar [order of the shofar blasts] should be. He writes: ואתה בהתקע שופר בר"ה תקונו והבשרו הנה תהיה תנועתו בולה באיבריך ידיך ואיבריך פשוטות ללקיחת השופר אצבעותיך מקמצות להחזיק בו גרונך ולשונך ובלי הקול משמשים בהנעים תקיעתו תהינה אזנך קשובות ורגלך עומדות ועיניך עצומות ויתר חלקיך נרעדים וחרדים – “And when you blow the shofar on Rosh Hashanah, the best way is to do it using all your limbs. Your hands and limbs stretched out to take the shofar, your fingers gathered together to hold it. Your throat, tongue and voice instruments used to make the tekiah. Your ears attentive, your feet standing still, your eyes closed, and the rest of your body trembling and anxious.”
R' Zilberstein is medayek [makes an implication] from these words of the Rambam, that the ba'al tokea should have his eyes closed when blowing the shofar. However, he concludes, that this din may only apply to the ba’al tokea, however, for the people listening there is no need.
The simple explanation is, when a person closes his eyes, he can concentrate better, as he gets less distracted from what is going on around him. However, R' Chaim Malin shlita suggests a different explanation. It's well known, that if one is blind chas vesholam and unable to see, he can hear better. Therefore, perhaps the Rambam says that one should close his eyes, so that he can hear the sound of the shofar at full force, in the loudest possible manner. By closing his eyes, his ears will work better, and he will be able to hear the shofar better.
R' Eliyohu Mann in his sefer Kol Mishaloisecha (pg. 162) writes, that he once told R' Chaim Kanievsky, that his brother-in-law R’Zilberstein once met with parents from Chutz Laʼaretz who had given birth to a child without any arms and legs, rachmonah litzlon, and he told them over a Reshash in Chullin (58b). The Mishnah in Bechoros (40a) teaches: If an animal has five legs it is considered a blemish and can't be brought as a korban [sacrifice]. The Gemara says: If the extra leg is a hind leg, the animal is a treifah as well (not just a baʼal mum which is disqualified from being a korban, one isn't allowed to eat it either). The Gemara explains because: בל יתר כנטול דמי “having extra is equivalent to having less”. The simple explanation is: If an animal has extra limbs, it's equivalent to missing a limb, and an animal with five legs is like an animal with three legs, therefore it's considered a treifah as it is equivalent to an animal missing a leg.
However, the Reshash explains the Gemara differently, based on something the scientists say. They say: One who is blind in one eye, can see with his weaker eye better than what a regular person can see from one eye. The power of seeing comes from the brain, and it gets divided between the two eyes. However, one who is blind in one eye only has to use the brain power in one eye, therefore, his one eye is much stronger. The same is with all limbs which have a pair. The Reshash then says: It works the opposite way as well. If one has extra limbs, the strength the animal/person has gets split into more limbs, consequently, if an animal has five legs, each leg gets less energy and is weaker. Meaning: If an animal has five legs, each leg is now weaker, and it is equivalent to the animal missing a limb, therefore, it is considered a treifah.
Based on this Reshash, R’ Zilberstein told the parents of this child, that he is going to grow up to be a tremendous talmid chocham, as most people have to use part of the strength that comes from their brain to help their arms and legs work, this child, however, has no arms and legs, therefore, he can use all his brain power for Torah.
After hearing this, R' Chaim said that when he lived in Givat Rokeach, the Chazon Ish lived downstairs, and he lived upstairs and as a young child he once went to sleep in the house of the Chazon Ish. When staying there, the Chazon Ish complained to R' Chaim about the children who were making lots of noise outside talking nonsense to each other (like children do). The Chazon Ish then tried to give some merit to the children, and he said: “When one sense stops working, another one gets stronger. Since I have bad eyes, my hearing is very good, and I can hear the children talking from very far away."
R' Chaim said: From the Reshash we see that when it comes to limbs which have pairs, when one stops working the other one works better, however, from the Chazon Ish we see that it even works for different limbs.
Based on the above, R’Chaim Malin suggests: Not only if one's sight is damaged permanently does one's hearing get better, but even if one closes his eyes for a few moments, at that time his sight is weaker, and his hearing is improved (personally, when I close my eyes, I find that I am able to hear better, feel free to try yourself.) Perhaps this is why the Rambam tells us to close our eyes when listening to the shofar, to ensure that we can heard it loudly and clearly.
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