Siman 587

The mitzvah is "to hear the sound of the shofar," meaning the blasts, exactly as they are. However, if one heard a mere echo, such as when the blower stood in a pit, and the one standing on the ground outside the pit hears only an echo, even if he hears the echo along with the sound of the shofar – he has not fulfilled the obligation, for the sound is muddled, and this is not "the sound of the shofar." And so we learned in the Mishnah (27a): One who blows into a pit, or into a cellar, or into a large jar, if he heard the sound of the shofar – he has fulfilled the obligation, but if he heard an echo – he has not fulfilled the obligation. (And in Rashi 28a, the heading beginning "If an echo" – it is explained that with the sound of the shofar along with an echo, he has not fulfilled the obligation.)

And it is explained in the Gemara: They only taught this regarding those standing on the edge of the pit. But those standing in the pit have fulfilled their obligation; see there. And according to Rashi, and the Rambam in the first chapter, this is the explanation: For those in the pit always hear the sound of the shofar, and those standing on the edge of the pit sometimes hear the sound of the shofar and have fulfilled their obligation, and sometimes they hear the sound of an echo along with the sound of the shofar (Rashi 28a) and have not fulfilled their obligation. This is the wording of the Rambam at the end of the first chapter and the Shulchan Aruch section 1: One who blows inside a pit, or inside a cave—those standing inside the pit and the cave have fulfilled their obligation; and those standing outside: if they heard the sound of the shofar, they have fulfilled their obligation, and if they heard the sound of an echo, they have not fulfilled their obligation. And similarly, one who blows into a large barrel, or the like, if he heard the sound of the shofar, he has fulfilled his obligation, and if he heard the sound of an echo, he has not fulfilled his obligation. Thus far his words. And even one standing inside it has not fulfilled his obligation (Magen Avraham subsection 2), for in barrels the sound can be muffled even for those standing inside it, which is not the case with a pit or a cistern. And know that a "dut" is a structure beneath the ground. And if most of it is built above the ground, even though part of it is built within the ground, it is like a house (ibid. subsection 1).

And behold, the Rosh raised a difficulty regarding this interpretation, for those standing on the edge of the pit sometimes hear the sound of the shofar, and sometimes the sound of an echo. This is his wording: And I do not know what distinction there is regarding "if he heard the sound of the shofar or if he heard the sound of an echo" etc. And it is not logical that it should depend on the perception of the person etc. And if it depends on the depth of the pit and its proximity—all this requires a measurement; thus far his words. Therefore, the Rosh interpreted that this is the explanation: those standing on the edge of the pit—they never hear anything but the sound of an echo, and they have not fulfilled their obligation. And those standing in the pit—they always hear the sound of the shofar, and they have fulfilled their obligation. (And the Gemara explains that regarding what the Mishnah says, "if the sound" etc.—this is not as a condition, but rather this is its explanation: if they heard the sound of the shofar, such as those standing in the pit—they have fulfilled their obligation. And if they heard the sound of an echo, and that is those who are outside the pit—they have not fulfilled their obligation.)

And the Tur ruled likewise, and this is his wording: One who stands in a pit or in a large barrel and blows, and others heard from the outside—they have not fulfilled their obligation, for they hear only the sound of an echo. But he himself has fulfilled his obligation, etc. Thus far his words. Behold, he established a general rule that anyone standing outside has not fulfilled his obligation, even when standing adjacent to the pit. And our teacher, the Beit Yosef, did not bring this opinion at all, because the language of the Mishnah and the Gemara indicates explicitly like Rashi and the Rambam. And as for what the Rosh questioned, "What is the distinction?"—there is an answer in his great book, that every person can distinguish this, whether the sound is the sound of a shofar or the sound of an echo, see there. And it seems to me to add to this, that there is a complete clarification in this: for behold Rashi explained that if one heard the sound of an echo along with the sound of the shofar—he has not fulfilled his obligation, see there. And what did Rashi seek with this? Rather, his intention is that the meaning is not that he heard a mere sound of an echo, where he did not distinguish at all that this is the sound of a shofar, for it is obvious that this is nothing. Rather, the sound of an echo is that he heard the sound of a shofar, but not clearly. And like that which is at the end of Gittin, when they heard that a certain woman was betrothed to a certain man, it is stated there not that they heard the sound of an echo, but for example that there were candles burning and beds spread out, etc., see there. Behold explicitly that the term "echo" refers not to the hearing itself, but that the matter is not clear. And so too regarding the shofar, for there are several types of blasts, meaning the tekiah is a simple sound, and the shevarim are broken sounds, and the teruah is a wailing cry. Therefore, if he hears the sound of the shofar without the mixing of sounds—he hears the tekiah in the manner of a tekiah, and the shevarim as shevarim, and the teruah as teruah. But if the sound is mixed, he will not hear the clarification of the details, but rather all of them as one shofar sound. And according to this, behold every person can distinguish. (And as for what the Taz questioned in subsection 1 from page 28a: "Sometimes he puts out his head, and the sound is mixed," etc. Consequently, even when nearby the sound is mixed, see there. It is not a difficulty at all, for on the contrary, this itself comes to teach us, that the sound is not mixed because of his proximity. And the intention is not "sometimes he puts it out and we should decree." It comes to teach us that we do not decree, but rather even if he puts it out—we have no concern with it. And so wrote the Korban Netanel there, letter mem, see there. And furthermore, this is not a comparison to one who stands from beginning to end outside, for here, because of his movement from the pit to outside the pit—the sound is mixed. And be precise and you will find it simple.)

Just as the law is regarding one who blows in a pit and the one hearing is outside the pit, so too it is the opposite: if the one blowing is outside the pit and the one hearing is in the pit, according to the Tur he has not fulfilled the obligation, and according to the Rambam it depends on whether he heard the sound of the shofar or the sound of an echo, as has been explained (Beit Yosef and Taz, subsection 3). And some say that in such a case everyone agrees he has fulfilled the obligation, for when the blowing is in the pit the sound is distorted for the one standing outside of it. But when the blowing is outside the pit – the sound is not distorted, even for those standing inside the pit (Bach and Magen Avraham, subsection 4).

And know that there is reason to doubt regarding this pit, cistern, and barrel, whether this is specifically when the pit is covered, and likewise the cistern and the barrel, for then the sound becomes muffled. And not when they are open, or even in an exposed pit, because the sound that is in the depths, when it rises up to the ground, can become muffled. And so it implies from the plain meaning of the language of the Shas and the poskim. And likewise there is reason to doubt regarding one who blows in a house or in a beit knesset, for those hearing outside the house or outside the beit knesset in a place where the sound arrives clearly—certainly they fulfill their obligation, and such are the daily occurrences—whether this is specifically when there is an open door or window, but when it is closed from all sides the sound becomes muffled; or perhaps the closing of the house does not muffle the sound. And so it implies, since the poskim did not mention this at all. However, it is certain that when the house is closed, the sound will not be heard as well at a distance as with an open door, as is understood.

And behold, the poskim wrote the phrasing "one who sounds [the shofar] inside the pit," but in the Mishnah it is found "one who sounds [the shofar] into the pit." And it appears that it comes to teach us that even for the one sounding it himself who stands outside the pit, and sounds into the pit, there is a practical difference between whether he heard the sound of the shofar or heard the sound of an echo. For even though he stands close to the shofar, nevertheless, there are times when due to the depth of the pit—even to himself only the sound of an echo is heard. And conversely, according to the opinion of the Rosh and the Tur, that another listener in any case does not fulfill the obligation, as I have written. Nevertheless, the one sounding it himself can hear the sound of the shofar, even when he is outside the pit, because the shofar is in his mouth (so it appears in my humble opinion).

If he began to blow in a pit, and ascended outside the pit, and finished the blowing—he has fulfilled the obligation, because everything he heard, whether inside or outside, was the sound of a shofar. And if, when he ascended from the pit, he brought his ears outside the pit before he brought the shofar outside—according to the opinion of the Tur, he has not fulfilled the obligation. And according to the opinion of the Rambam, it is necessary to distinguish: if he heard the sound of a shofar—he has fulfilled the obligation, and if he heard the sound of an echo—he has not fulfilled the obligation. And according to what I wrote in the previous section, it is possible that even according to the opinion of the Tur it is so. Therefore, it is good that he should bring the shofar out before the ears, for then he will certainly hear the sound of a shofar, since the shofar is outside, in an open space. And those who were standing with him in the pit, in the place where he began to blow there—they have fulfilled the obligation, even though the blower went out in the middle and finished his blowing outside the pit. For we have already written that when the listener is in the pit and the blower is outside the pit—they have fulfilled the obligation. And according to the first opinion in section 5—they have not fulfilled the obligation, for we require that they hear the entire blowing in a valid manner, and the beginning without its end or its end without its beginning is nothing. However, some say that when there is the measure of a blowing in a portion of it—he has fulfilled the obligation, as will be explained. (The Magen Avraham, subsection 3, was very brief, but his intention is like our words. Examine carefully and you will find it simple.)

One who hears a portion of a tekiah without obligation and a portion with obligation—for example, if a portion of the tekiah was before daylight and its end was during the day, or if one was sounding the shofar merely as one who is "mitasek," through which one does not fulfill the obligation of tekiah, and one cannot say that in the middle of the tekiah he should intend, "sound for me for the sake of the tekiah," and he finished for the sake of the tekiah—even if there was in the conclusion the measure of a tekiah, he has not fulfilled the obligation, for we require from its beginning until its end to be in fitness. And some say that when there is the measure of a tekiah within the obligation, he has fulfilled it. The primary view is like the first opinion (ibid. subsection 5). Therefore, if one heard a portion of the tekiah as the sound of an echo and a portion as the sound of a shofar—for example, if he sounded it in a pit and ascended outside and finished it, and the listener was outside the pit—he has not fulfilled the obligation. And if there was in the conclusion the measure of a tekiah, it depends on the opinions that have been explained. The primary ruling is that it is invalid, as I have written. And one must warn the people that at the time of the sounding of the shofar, they should all stand in silence, without commotion, and without clearing the throat or moving, and without coughing, so as not to confuse the sound of the sounding of the shofar, so that they should not be merely like the sound of an echo.