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Harav Elchanan Adler | 7

Harav Elch an an Adler

Rosh Yeshiva, RIETS

The Shofar as a Battle Cry: Implications for Rosh
Hashana

he shofar of Rosh Hashana is associated with many themes and touch-
points in Jewish history. These include freedom, teshuva, inaugurating
T a King, Matan Torah, Moshiach, techiyas ha’meisim and akeidas
Yitzchok. Rabbeinu Saadya Gaon identified ten distinct ideas associated with
shofar.
A less known motif linking shofar and Rosh Hashana is that of an impending
war. Interestingly, many references within Tanakh depict the shofar as a call
to arms or as a battle cry to rally the troops. Indeed, the image of the shofar is
sometimes synonymous with that of war, as evidenced in the following verses:
)הכ ,טל בויא( :ה ָעוּר ְתוּ םי ִר ָשׂ ם ַע ַר ה ָמ ָחְל ִמ ַחי ִרָי קוֹח ָר ֵמוּ ח ָא ֶה ר ַמאֹי ר ָפֹשׁ י ֵד ְבּ

As the [blasts of the] shofar increase, he says ‘Hurrah!’ From afar he smells
battle, the roar and shouting of the officers.

)טי ,ד והימרי( ה ָמ ָחְל ִמ ת ַעוּר ְתּ י ִשׁ ְפַנ ְתּ ַע ַמ ָשׁ ר ָפוֹשׁ לוֹק י ִכּ

For you have heard the sound of the shofar, O my soul, the blast of war
In what sense does the shofar of Rosh Hashana carry an association with
battle? We know that Rosh Hashana is a Yom ha-Din – a day of judgment. In
our davening we refer to the day as ןורכזה םוי , A Day of Remembrance. But we
don’t usually think of Rosh Hashana in terms of war.
The answer emerges in a fascinating midrash that draws a parallel between
Rosh Hashana as Yom ha-Din and Rosh HaShana as the opening salvo in a war.
Commenting on the verse ןושארה םויב םכל םתחקלו (Vay. 23:40), the midrash
interprets the mitzvah of lulav as a demonstration of having triumphed in
battle against the nations of the world:

Agudah Achas