Two Days of Rosh Hashanah

Originally, witnesses would come to the Bais Din to testify that the new moon had been seen.  The Bais Din would declare the day sanctified.  If witnesses don’t come on the first day, the second day would automatically be sanctified.  The first day would also be kept sacred, since they had begun the day assuming it was holy.  In those ancient times, the second day would be the beginning of the year.  This was a very rare occurrence.

Rashi and Tosafos argue what they would do outside of Eretz Yisrael in those ancient times.  Rashi says that due to a strong precedent, that they only kept one day.  Tosafos disputes this — outside of Eretz Yisrael there would still be a doubt — so they must have kept two days.

Rabbon Yochanon Ben Zakai decreed after the Churban that eidim could still come after Mincha on the first day, but, in that case, both days would again be sanctified.  However, the year would begin from the first day.

Today, we don’t have the procedure of the Bais Din sanctifying the moon.  It was decided that both days would be sanctified, the first being the beginning of the year.

The Rosh Hashanah of Nechemya and Ezra

The story of Rosh Hashanah is told in Nechemya, chapter 8.  (From Ha’emek Sh’eila of the Netziv, quoted in Hamo’adim L’halacha):

Nechemya gathered the people on the first day of Rosh Hashanah and they cried.  Ezra the Kohein and Nechemya exhorted them that it was a holiday and they should not cry.

What were they crying about?  The Netziv explains that wherever Ezra was, he would be m’kadeish the chodesh.  At the place where Ezra was, there would only be one day of Rosh Hashanah.  They were greatly disturbed to hear that there would be two days of Rosh Hashanah, even though Ezra was there to sanctify the month!  This reminded them of the churban, and they cried, believing that it would happen again.  But they were mistaken.  What actually happened, was that witnesses didn’t appear on the first day, so the second day was automatically another day of Rosh Hashanah.  There was no reason to cry.

The Rogatchover also has a unique way of explaining the parsha in Nechemya (quoted in Hamo’adim L’halacha): In ancient times, some fasted on Rosh Hashanah.  Today we are instructed not to fast; besides being a Yom Tov, it’s also Rosh Chodesh!  Strangely, the Halacha states: it’s forbidden to fast, but if one started, he needn’t stop.  The Rogatchover said, “This is amazing!  If it’s forbidden, even if he started, he should have to stop!”

Rather, at the beginning of Rosh Hashanah, it really wouldn’t be known if the day would be sanctified; maybe the sanctification would only be the next day.  Thus, beginning to fast wouldn’t be forbidden at all.  That’s why if he began to fast, we let him continue — since he was allowed to start fasting.

As stated before, the people made a mistake.  They didn’t know that witnesses weren’t coming.  If witnesses do not come the first day, the Yom Tov is sanctified in Shomayim.  Both days would be holy (similar to the way we see it today).  Therefore they mustn’t fast, and were told to rejoice and eat.

Rashi and Shehechiyanu on Yom Tov Sheni

The Tur quotes Teshuvas Rashi.  Rashi’s Rebbis said not to say the brocha Shehechiyanu on the second day of Rosh Hashanah.  Since the Rabbis declared two days of Rosh Hashanah a single kedusha, and Shehechiyanu was said on the first day, the one brocha would be sufficient for both days.

Rashi disagreed.  Why should Rosh Hashanah be different than other Yomim Tovim?  The first day is the Torah requirement, the second day is from the Rabbis.  We should be required to say Shehechiyanu on each day.  Rashi added that this was the custom in his place, and in every place that he had been.  Nonetheless, we find that the ancient Geonim also agreed with Rashi’s teachers, (that only one Shehechiyanu was to be said for the Yom Tov, and for Shofar as well).

The basic Halacha is in accordance with Rashi, that Shehechiyanu is to be said on the second day.  Nonetheless, Maharam MiRotenberg would have a new fruit or new garment to wear on the second day, in order to avoid the argument.  He would have in mind the new fruit or garment when he would say the Shehechiyanu brocha.  The same for the Ba’al Tokeah — he should wear a new garment on the second day, at the time of tekias shofar.  (Everyone agrees this year — since the first day is Shabbos — that Shehechiyanu is recited over the tekias shofar.)

Rosh Hashanah on Shabbos

Talmud Bavli and Yerushalmi disagree why shofar is not sounded on Shabbos.  One pasuk says “Yom Teruah” (the day of the shofar sound), the other says “Zichron Teruah” (the remembrance of the shofar).  The first is describing Rosh Hashanah which occurs on a weekday, the other, Rosh Hashanah which occurs on Shabbos (Talmud Yerushalmi).  Talmud Bavli rejects this.  It is not forbidden to sound the shofar on Shabbos; rather, the Rabbis decreed not to do so, lest one forget and carry it in a public domain.

The Ksav Sofer was disturbed that, according to Talmud Bavli, the discrepancy between the two verses was never resolved.  He concludes that Rosh Hashanah is indeed “Yom Teruah” — the day of the sounding — but repentance is not only one day!  “Zichron Teruah” — you must remember the teshuva of the shofar all during the year! (Ksav Sofer, parshas Pinchus)

But there are other ways to respond to the Ksav Sofer’s question.  “Zichron Teruah” is the source for the Musaf davening of Rosh Hashanah.  According to Rashi and the Sefer Yom Teruah, the davening of Musaf of Rosh Hashanah is a Torah obligation.  From the verse “Zichron Teruah,” we derive that one must recite the verses of Zichronos and Shofros.

Shofar on Shabbos

The Shofar is sounded in the Bais Hamikdash on Shabbos.  Rabbon Yochanon Ben Zakai decreed that after the Churban the shofar should be sounded in a Bais Din Gadol.  Throughout the generations, this has been an issue: what are the necessary criteria for such a Bais Din?

In the Middle Ages, the Rif (Rav Yitzchak Alfasi) actually had the Shofar sounded on Shabbos.  However, the students did not continue this practice.  In more recent times, the Gaon of Vilna said that he couldn’t ascend to Eretz Yisrael because he would want the shofar sounded on Shabbos, and didn’t want to make a controversy.  In 1881, Rav Akiva Yoseif Schlesinger wrote articles that the shofar should be sounded before a Bais Din that year on Shabbos in Yerushalayim, and brought many arguments supporting this.  However, many didn’t accept his arguments.

If the Rabbis Forbid it, Would There Still Be a Mitzva from the Torah?

Rebbe Akiva Eiger wrote that, since the Torah requires shofar on Shabbos, but the Rabbis decreed against it, one who sounded the shofar on Shabbos would be doing a mitzva from the Torah, although at the same time he’d be transgressing the Rabbis’ injunction.  There were those who claimed that just listening, would not transgress any injunction and would be the best of both worlds… the Aderes said that he would listen behind the wall.  (Rav Tzvi Pesach Frank)

Rav Moshe Shternbuch and Rav Tzvi Pesach Frank said that Rav Akiva Yoseif actually blew the shofar that Rosh Hashanah on Shabbos.  However, Rav Zevin writes that it is not known definitively that it actually happened.  Some say he closed the windows and blew for himself…

Ten Verses

Rebbe Akiva said to Rebbe Yochanon Ben Nuri, “If you’re not going to sound shofar at Malchiyos, why say it?”  The Gemara says that can’t be taken literally.  “Hashem said to say it!”  Rather, what Rebbe Akiva meant was, “Why should there be ten verses, say nine?  Since you’ve changed it, you’ve changed it.”  The commentaries struggle to understand these cryptic comments.

Rav Yitzchak Hutner explains.  The last verse of the ten, the hashlama, is very significant.  In Zichronos and Shofros, the tenth is actually part of the brocha itself.  However, the brocha of Malchiyos includes the expression “Melech Al Kol Ha’aretz,” which implies Malchus!  So there’s no need for a tenth expression.

The expression, “Melech Al Kol Ha’aretz,” is missing during the weekday Shemona Esreh prayer.  Now, Brochos are supposed to contain Malchus, and it’s a debate how to explain this absence.  Yet, all of the davening of Rosh Hashanah — each tefila — does indeed have this expression of Malchus.  So Rebbe Akiva argued that if shofar would not be sounded, we wouldn’t need ten verses for Malchiyos — the concluding brocha, “Melech Al Kol Ha’aretz,” would be sufficient.