Saturday, September 18, 2021

Rosh HaShanah 2nd Day: Saadia Gaon's 10 Reasons for Shofar

A version of this Shofar Service was presented at Temple B'nai Torah - A Reform Congregation on Second Day Rosh HaShanah 5782.  

Saadia Ben Yosef, was a prominent rabbi, and Head of the Rabbinic academy in Babylonia which is how he got his title gaon.  He was also a scientist, Jewish philosopher, and exegete who was active in the first half of the 10th century over 1000 years ago.  He was born in Egypt, moved to the land of Israel and then was elevated to be the head of the Rabbinical academy in the town of Sura in Babylonia.  At the age of 20, he completed his first great work, a Hebrew dictionary.  Over the next few years he began his works highlighting and defending Rabbinic Judaism from attacks by groups like the Karaites, who do not believe in Rabbinic authority.

            It was his arguments in a dispute about the calendar which brought him to acclaim amongst the Jewish community and which saw him, along with others, prevent a schism in the community over the days of the holidays.  This led to him being named head of the academy.  He was among the first to write in Judeo-Arabic, and due to where and when he lived, the influence of early Islam can be seen on his understanding of Judaism and how it is lived.  Unfortunately, most of his works have been lost over time, but his best-known work, Emunot v'De'ot, The Book of Beliefs and Opinions, which some consider the first systematic work of Jewish philosophy, is still popularly studied to this day. Parts of his commentaries to Torah and Talmud have been preserved in books written by other Geonim and later Jewish sources.

Today, in lieu of the full shofar service, since we’ll gather together this afternoon at 4:30 at Jones Beach, weather permitting, for shofar and tashlich, I’d like to share Saadia’s teaching about the Shofar, and the 10 reasons for its sounding.  We come together every year to hear the Shofar.  It has become the hallmark of what this holiday of Rosh Hashanah is, a day of the blasts of the horn, as the Torah calls it.  It is a highlight for us, to be sure.   And it is important to know what it is we are supposed to be feeling and thinking about when we hear its tones.  Now, no matter what it is Saadia tells us, we also know that the Shofar often taps into something deep within us, and so just know that these ten connections to the call of the shofar are not the only way to understand what it is supposed to mean for us.

If so many of Saadia Gaon’s teachings were lost, where does this teaching come from?  Well, it doesn’t come from one of Saadia’s own works, but this teaching is quoted in a book known as Sefer Abudarham.  This book of Abudarham is a compilation of laws, customs, and commentary on the siddur, the prayer book, and it is named for its author, Rabbi David Abudarham.  According to the introduction, the book was completed in the year 5100, so that’s 1339, 682 years ago in Seville, in Spain.  In his introduction, Abudarham explains that he was motivated to write the book because he felt that the masses were unequipped and therefore unable to understand the content of the prayers they said or the surrounding customs.  Perhaps some of us can relate.  The work draws on a wide array of earlier materials, including Saadia’s writings and teachings.  The latest edition of this work was published in 1877 in Warsaw. 

Saadia teaches us:[1]

There are 10 reasons why the Creator of blessing, commanded us to sound the shofar on Rosh Hashanah:

The first reason: Because this day is the beginning of creation, on which the Holy One of Blessing created the world and reigned over it.  We read this from the Torah this morning.  Just as it is with kings at the start of their reign – trumpets and horns are blown in their presence to make it known and to let it be heard in every place – thus it is when we designate the Creator of Blessing, as Sovereign on this day for as King David said in the psalms: בַּ֭חֲצֹ֣צְרוֹת וְק֣וֹל שׁוֹפָ֑ר הָ֝רִ֗יעוּ לִפְנֵ֤י ׀ הַמֶּ֬לֶךְ יְיָ׃ With trumpets and the blast of the horn, raise a shout before the Eternal, haMelech.

    On Rosh HaShanah we make a point to see God as our Sovereign.  Now, the Hebrew is gendered, so it only speaks in the language of King.  But on these holidays, the opening of the service announces God’s presence as King on the throne, exalted and uplifted.  We approach God as King on these days, and so, as we hear the shofar, we proclaim God’s rule, with judgment, yes, but benevolence, grace, and love as well.

Shofar Blessings:  on page 142 if you’d like to follow along

Please rise!

Take moment, as you hear the sounds of the shofar, imagine them ushering God onto God’s throne.

Tekiah!  Shevarim-Teruah!

Tekiah!  Shevarim-Teruah!

Please be seated.

 

The Second reason Saadia cites:

Because the day of the New Year is the first of the 10 days of repentance, the shofar is sounded on it to announce to us as one warns and says: “Whoever wants to repent – let them repent; and if they do not, let them reproach themselves!”  Thus do the kings: first they warn the people of their decrees; then if one violates a decree after the warning, their excuse is not accepted.

As you hear the sound of the shofar, be stirred from your complacency, be ready to admit wrongdoing, be ready to repent.  Break yourself open and allow these days to repair you and leave you whole again…  Please rise!

Tekiah! Shevarim! Tekiah!

Tekiah!  Teruah!  Tekiah!  Be seated.

 

The third reason Saadia gives is that the Shofar reminds us of Mt. Sinai.  (Dennis, can you zoom in on the window for the folks at home?) The Torah tells us that as the Israelites were at the base of the mountain “The sound of the shofar grew louder and louder.”  We should accept for ourselves the covenant that our ancestors accepted as they responded to God Na’aseh v’Nishmah, we will do and we will obey.  The shofar reminds us of our destiny — to be a people of Torah, to pursue its study and to practice its commandments.

Those of you with us here in the sanctuary, take a look at the beautiful Sinai stained glass above the Ark.  (Those at home, imagine Mt. Sinai.)  Hear the Thunder.  Feel the ground quake beneath you.  Experience God’s presence as the cloud descends on the mountain.  Feel God’s presence envelop you.  Feel the community around you.  Feel the presence of every soul, and prepare to bind yourself to God’s covenant.  Please Rise

Tekiah!  Tekiah!  Tekiah!

Tekiah!  Tekiah!  Tekiah!   Be seated.

 

The fourth reason we hear the shofar, Saadia teaches us is to remind us of the words of the prophets.  These words are compared to the sound of the shofar, as it is written in Ezekiel: “If anybody hears the sound of the horn but ignores the warning, and the sword comes and dispatches him, he has only himself to blame, for had he heeded the warning, he would have been spared.

The Prophets call us to compassion.  The Prophets call us to morality, to humility, to Justice above all else.  The prophets remind us that our calling is to be a light to the nations, a people of unbreakable covenant, leading by example.  The Prophets’ voices call out like a shofar, calling us to serve God and to serve each other.  How will we serve others in the year ahead?  What will we commit to now, as the sounds ring in our souls to spread God’s light?  Please rise:

Tekiah!  Shevarim- Teruah!  Tekiah!

Tekiah!  Shevarim- Teruah! 

Tekiah! Please be seated.

 

The fifth reason for the shofar is as a Reminder of the Temple’s Destruction.  In the years 586 BCE and then again in 70 CE, the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed.  Each time, it seemed as if there could be no coming back from such destruction.  The Abode of the Eternal was ransacked, looted, left in ruin.  Though God could not be destroyed.

The Shofar calls us to strive for Israel’s renewal in freedom and in fellowship with God.  It calls us to recognize that difficulties and calamity don’t mean the end, but often the beginning of something new and more powerful.  May the sounds of these shofar calls compel us to see the difficult world of today as an impermanent situation, with the potential to lead us to a life of more meaning and purpose.

Please rise

Tekiah! Shevarim! Shevarim! Teruah! Teruah!  Tekiah!

Be seated


The sixth reason for the sounding of the Shofar is to remind us of the Binding of Isaac, which we read from the Torah yesterday.  Isaac offered his life to heaven, and so we should also offer our lives for the sanctification of God’s name, and thus be remembered for good.

In fact, the Ram that Abraham and Isaac sacrifice in place of Isaac is said to be one of the miraculous objects that God creates at the end of the 6th day of creation in the time known as Ben Hashmashot, between the suns, which was known to be a time of miraculous creation.  The ram was created knowing that Abraham would pass the test and that Isaac would be saved.  The tradition teaches that the Ram was created for a specific purpose for a specific time, to be there to catch Abraham’s eye.  As you hear these sounds, think about where and when you are needed for specific purpose, and what you do to be sure you will be there in the year ahead.

Please rise

Tekiah! Shevarim-Teruah! Tekiah!

Tekiah! Shevarim-Teruah! Tekiah!

Please be seated

 The seventh reason for the Shofar is that when we hear the blowing of the shofar, we will be fearful, and we will tremble, and we will humble ourselves before the creator, for that is the nature of the shofar – it causes fear and trembling, as it is written in the book of Amos: “Shall the shofar be blown in a city and the people not tremble?”

The shofar is supposed to make us quake in our boots at the prospect of God’s arrival, make us shake in awe of the majesty of God, which surrounds us at all times.  As we hear the shofar, let us be awed by the presence of God.  Let us tremble as we make our way deeper into these days of awe and this period of teshuvah.

Please rise

Tekiah!  Shevarim!  Tekiah!

Tekiah!  Teurah!  Tekiah!

Tekiah!  Tekiah!  Tekiah!

Please be seated

The eighth reason we sound to shofar is to remind us of Judgment Day as it is said: “The great day of Almighty is near, it is near and rapidly approaching—a day of the shofar and shouting” (Tzefaniah 1:14, 16).

The Shofar calls upon all people and all nations to prepare for God’s scrutiny of their deeds.

What are the deeds God would be scrutinizing from our last year? 

Pause

The Midrash teaches that when we hear the broken notes of the teruah, we are to realize that we deserve shattering punishment from God for our transgressions and are therefore inspired to teshuvah, true repentance.

Our sins are then forgiven and this forgiveness is symbolized in the ascendance of God from the Throne of Strict Justice to sit on His Throne of Mercy.  Thus God ascends because of the teruah sound of the shofar, as we read in Psalm 47: עָלָה אֱלֹהִים בִּתְרוּעָה יְהֹוָה בְּקוֹל שׁוֹפָר God has ascended with a blast, Adonai, with the sound of the shofar. Please rise

Tekiah!  Teruah!  Teruah!  Teruah!

Be seated

The ninth reason to blow the shofar is that the shofar inspires us with hope for the ultimate ingathering of our people and their deliverance from exile, as it is said, “וְהָיָה בַּיוֹם הַהוּא יִתָּקַע בְּשׁוֹפָר גָדוֹל וּבָאוּ הָאֹבְדִים בְּאֶרֶץ אַשׁוּר וגו' And it will be on that day that a great shofar will be sounded; and those who were lost in the land of Ashur ... will come and prostrate themselves before Adonai on the holy mountain in Yerushalayim.” (Isaiah 27:13)

The shofar foreshadows the jubilant proclamation of freedom, when Israel’s exiled and homeless are to return to the Holy Land. It calls us to believe in Israel’s deliverance at all times and under all circumstances and in figurative as well as literal understanding.  As we hear the shofar, let it inspire us to how we will support the land and the nation of Israel in the year ahead.  How will we work to ensure its safety and security?  How will we work to foster our own ahavat Yisrael, love of Israel, as well as a love of Israel in our community?

Shevarim Tekiah!  Shevarim Tekiah!  Shevarim Tekiah!

Tekiah!

Be seated

 

The final reason Saadia gives us for the sounding of the Shofar is that it foreshadows the Coming of the Messiah.

The shofar foreshadows the end of the present world order and the inauguration of God’s reign of righteousness throughout the world, with a regenerated Israel leading all people in acknowledging that God is One and God’s name is One.

As we read in Isaiah: “All you who live in the world, And inhabit the earth, When a flag is raised in the hills, take note! When a ram’s horn is blown, give heed!”

The Messianic Age is possible.  It is heralded by blasts of the horn, but also by our commitment to God and to each other.  It is heralded by our commitment to justice, mercy, and humility.  It is heralded by loving our neighbors as ourselves.  It is heralded by teaching our children.  It is heralded by following God’s commandments, trusting in God, and working as a partner with God in the creation of and repair of the world. 

Please rise:

Tekiah!  Tekiah!  Tekiah Gedolah!

Please be seated.

Let’s turn to page 151 and close with Areshet Sefatainu. 



[1] The Rosh HaShanah Anthology, JPS

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