Siman 585

It is a positive commandment from the Torah to blow the shofar on Rosh Hashanah, as it is said (Numbers 29:1): "It shall be a day of sounding for you." And for every sounding: a tekiah before it and a tekiah after it, and the reason for the matter will be explained in siman 590. And behold, we blow two times: one after the reading of the Torah, and the second during Musaf according to the order of the blessings. And there is no concern of "bal tosif" in this, for this is only when adding to the essence of the mitzvah, such as if one were to blow with two shofars as one; just as with a lulav, if one adds one species – he violates "bal tosif." But when he takes the lulav, and sets it down, and returns and takes it again, even a hundred times – there is no concern of "bal tosif" in this. And likewise with the shofar: if he blows, and returns and blows – we have no concern with it (Tosafot Rosh Hashanah 16b, starting with "And they blow").

However, why did the sages require this? Behold, it is certainly so that regarding the shofar blasts of Musaf there is no question, for the primary blasts are according to the order of the blessings. But why did they require blowing beforehand? And they said regarding this in the Gemara (ibid.): In order to confuse the Satan, see there. And from the commentary of Rashi (starting with the words "In order to confuse") it is implied that this is the explanation: Since the Satan sees how beloved the mitzvot are to Israel, for they perform them and return and perform them again—he is silenced from teaching prosecution. And the Tosafot, in the name of the Aruch, explained according to the Yerushalmi: That the Satan is terrified lest it be the shofar of the future: "And it shall be on that day a great shofar shall be blown," and he has no time to teach prosecution against Israel, see there. And these matters require clarification.

And it appears in my humble opinion that this is the explanation: For behold, in truth, why did they institute Malchuyot, Zichronot, and Shofrot in Musaf? And why did they not institute them in Shacharit, and that they should blow in Shacharit? However, in truth the Shas in Rosh Hashanah (32b) asks this: Behold, the zealous hasten to perform mitzvot, and it should have been instituted in Shacharit. And it answers: They taught this during a time of a decree. And in the Yerushalmi there (Chapter 4, Halacha 8) it is explained with greater clarity, namely that in truth it was so, but they decreed against them not to blow, because the nations thought they were blowing for some other matter, and they pushed the brachot from Shacharit to Musaf. And even when the decree was nullified – they did not want to conduct themselves as at first. And it is explained there that when the nations saw that they recite Kriat Shema, and pray, and read from the Torah, and afterward blow, they said: They are engaged in their statutes, and they were not concerned by this (see Tosafot, and not like Rashi, see there). And according to this, the reason we blow beforehand is because they used to blow in Shacharit according to the order of the brachot, and afterward they would not blow, but because of the decree they pushed them to Musaf. Therefore, in order not to distance themselves so much from the first institution, and to bring the blowings closer to Shacharit, and to be among the zealous who hasten to perform mitzvot – they instituted blowing after the reading of the Torah before Musaf. And this is the "confusing of the Satan," who sees how Israel are zealous in mitzvot, for even though they decree against them – nevertheless they exert themselves to fulfill the mitzvot with even greater excellence and greater strength. For previously they would only blow once, and after the decree twice. And he is also terrified lest the merit of these shofar sounds bring the Great Shofar, and he is unable to prosecute, and he would prosecute in vain, since the Holy One, Blessed be He, sees how beloved the mitzvot are to Israel, and how they are zealous in mitzvot.

And it is the custom to blow on the bimah, in the place where they read the Torah, since they were instituted after the reading of the Torah. The one who blows must perform the blessings and the blowings while standing, and he should not lean on anything. If he blew while sitting—he has fulfilled the obligation, for this is not a requirement that invalidates. The congregation may even initially sit (see Magen Avraham, subsection 1). And the custom is to say the psalm "All nations, clap your hands" seven times before the blowings. There are those among the unlearned who, when they have not finished the seven times, say it during the blowings. It is necessary to inform them that it is forbidden to do so, and they are obligated to hear the blowings and not to say anything during the blowings. For the "Lamnatzeach" is not by law, and there are places where they do not say it at all because of this pitfall.

The one who sounds the shofar blesses "Blessed" etc. "Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to hear the sound of the shofar," for the mitzvah is the hearing. And if he sounded it but did not hear—he has not fulfilled the obligation at all. And he blesses "Shehecheyanu," and the congregation answers "Amen" to both blessings. And they must be careful not to say "Blessed is He and blessed is His Name," for this is an interruption in the blessing. And even if the one sounding the shofar has already fulfilled his obligation—he blesses these two blessings to fulfill the obligation for the listeners. And it would have been better for the listener to bless them, and not the one sounding it, since he has already fulfilled his obligation, and particularly the blessing of "Shehecheyanu," but the custom is not so. Nevertheless, one who sounds for an individual, such as one who is ill—it is good that the listener blesses them (see Magen Avraham, subsection 3). And particularly one who sounds for one woman or many, who are exempt from shofar, as it is a positive time-bound commandment and women are exempt, except that they obligate themselves—it is certainly proper that they themselves bless, and not the one sounding for them, unless he also has not yet fulfilled his obligation.

And he shall blow: Tekiah-Shevarim-Teruah-Tekiah three times, and Tekiah-Shevarim-Tekiah three times, and Tekiah-Teruah-Tekiah three times. And the reason will be explained in siman 590, see there. And the congregation shall not interrupt with "Yehi Ratzon" between Tashrat and Tashat, or between Tashat and Tarat, but rather they shall remain silent until after Tarat. And it is not like what is printed in the Machzorim. And it is good to blow on the right side if it is possible to do so, and not on the left side; for the right indicates mercy, and the left indicates judgment. And there is one who says that a left-handed person should blow on the left side, which is his right, similar to tefillin (ibid. subsection 4). And this is a wondrous thing: since he does this for the sake of the many—one should follow the right of the many. However, the Levush wrote that according to the Kabbalah it is better to blow toward the left side, see there. And he should hold the shofar with its mouth slightly upward, based on "God has ascended with a Teruah." And in all these matters there is no invalidation, and however he does it—he has fulfilled his obligation. And one who is in doubt whether he heard the shofar blasts or not—he blows without a blessing, for blessings are not indispensable. And on the second day he does not need to blow, for it is a doubt regarding a rabbinic law (ibid. subsection 3). And this doubt is not common at all.

And if he began to blow, and was unable to complete—another completes based on the blessing of the first, and even if several blowers replaced one another. And specifically when the subsequent blowers were there at the time of the blessing, and if not—they must bless. Furthermore, even if he blessed and is unable to blow at all—his blessing is not in vain, and another blows based on the blessings of the first.

Regarding the shofar blasts during the order of the blessings in Musaf – the sheliach tzibbur should not blow, but rather someone else, so that he does not become confused in his prayer. However, if he is confident that he will not become confused and will return to his prayer – he is permitted to blow. But regarding the shofar blasts while sitting that precede Musaf – the sheliach tzibbur may blow. And it is proper that the one who blew previously should blow also during Musaf, for to one who begins a mitzvah we say "finish it"; unless it is difficult for him to blow, as there is no absolute requirement in the matter. And the custom is to call out the words before the blower word for word, so that he does not err, and it is proper. And they select as the caller the person who is greatest in Torah, for according to the Kabbalah there is great significance in this. And one who takes payment in order to blow the shofar on Rosh Hashanah, or in order to pray, or to translate on Shabbats and Yamim Tovim in places where they are accustomed to translate – does not see a sign of blessing from that payment, but there is no prohibition in this. And the primary intention of the blower and the listeners should be in order to fulfill the positive commandment that the Holy One, Blessed be He, commanded us to blow on Rosh Hashanah. And if he knows further matters regarding this according to the Zohar – happy is his lot, but the essence of the intention is as we have written, and their silence is like their intent. (See Magen Avraham, for a segulah when one is unable to blow: he should flip the shofar and recite into it "Viyhi Noam," see there. And during the shofar blasts while sitting – one should not do so, for it constitutes an interruption between the blessing and the blasts; see Sha'arei Teshuvah.)