Teruah, Sisera's Mother and Fanny Eaton

As it is written: “It is a day of sounding [terua] the shofarto you” (Numbers 29:1), and we translateIt is a day of yevava to you. Andis written about the mother of Sisera: “Through the window she looked forth and wailed [vateyabev], the mother of Sisera” (Judges 5:28).

(21) Then Jael wife of Heber took a tent pin and grasped the mallet. When he was fast asleep from exhaustion, she approached him stealthily and drove the pin through his temple till it went down to the ground. Thus he died.

(28) Through the window peered Sisera’s mother, Behind the lattice she whined: “Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why so late the clatter of his wheels?”

(1) In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe a sacred occasion: you shall not work at your occupations. You shall observe it as a day when the horn is sounded.

(28) Through the window peered Sisera’s mother, Behind the lattice she whined: “Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why so late the clatter of his wheels?”

§ Rabbi Abbahu instituted in Caesarea the following order of sounding of the shofar: First a tekia, a simple uninterrupted sound; next three shevarim, broken sounds; followed by a terua, a series of short blasts; and, finally, another tekia. The Gemara asks: Whichever way you look at it, this is difficult. If, according to the opinion of Rabbi Abbahu, the sound the Torah calls a terua is a whimpering, i.e., short, consecutive sounds, one should perform tekia-terua-tekia set. And if he holds that a terua is moaning, i.e., longer, broken sounds, he should sound a set as follows: Tekia, followed by three shevarim, and then another tekia. Why include both a terua and a shevarim?The Gemara answers: Rabbi Abbahu was uncertain whether a terua means moaning or whimpering, and he therefore instituted that both types of sound should be included, to ensure that one fulfills his obligation. Rav Avira strongly objects to this: But perhaps a teruais whimpering, and the addition of three shevarim interrupts between the terua and the initial tekia, which disqualifies the entire set. The Gemara answers: That is why one then performs a tekia-terua-tekia set, to account for this possibility. Ravina strongly objects to this: But perhaps a teruais moaning, and the terua interrupts between the shevarim and the final tekia, once again disqualifying the entire set. The Gemara likewise answers: That is why one then performs a tekia-shevarim-tekia set, to cover this possibility as well.The Gemara asks: But if in any case one must perform the two sets of blasts, for what purpose did Rabbi Abbahu institute that one should perform a tekia-shevarim-terua-tekia set? If a teruais moaning, one already did it; if it is whimpering, one already did this, too. The Gemara answers: Rabbi Abbahu was uncertain, and he thought that perhaps a terua consists of moaning followed by whimpering. Consequently, all three sets are necessary.The Gemara asks: If so, let one perform the opposite set as well: Tekia, terua, three shevarim, tekia, as perhaps a terua consists of whimpering and then moaning. The Gemara answers: The normal way of things is that when a person experiences a bad event, he first moans and then whimpers, but not the reverse.

(1) How many blasts is one obligated to hear on Rosh Hashanah? Nine blasts. Since it is stated, "teruah," with regards to the jubilee year and to Rosh Hashanah three times. And every teruah requires a simple blast (tekiah) before it and a simple blast after it. And from the oral tradition, they learned that all of the teruahs of the seventh month are the same: Whether on Rosh Hashanah, or whether on Yom Kippur of the Jubilee year, we blow nine blasts on both of them — tekiah, teruah, tekiah; tekiah, teruah, tekiah; tekiah, teruah, tekiah.

(3) 3. There are those that say that the shiur (i.e. the length) Tekiah is like the Teruah and the shiur Teruah is 3 Yavovos that is 3 minimal puffs alone that is called Terumitin (third tones). And according to this, it is necessary not elongate with the Shever blast like 3 Terumitin, that if so the (blast) goes out of the category of Shever and becomes a Tekiah. Parentheses (Rema): There are those that say there isn’t to worry if one extends the Shevarim a bit provided one does not expand more than needed, so is we are accustomed [Mordechai and Hagaos Maiminos Chapter 19]<\i>. Also, it is necessary to elongate the Tekiah of TSR”T more than TS”T, and TS”T more than TR”T. However if one elongates much on app Tekiah blasts there isn’t to be concerned; since there is not a maximum shiur (length), so in the Teruah blasts one is able to elongate as they want. Same if one adds to the 3 Shevarim...

(1)The Proper Order of the Shofar Blasts and in it 9 paragraphs<\b>How many Tekiahs is one obligated to hear on Rosh HaShana? Nine. (This is) because it says "Teruah" by Yovel and Rosh HaShana three times. And every Teruah has a straight (blast) before it and a straight (blast) after it. And from tradition (the Sages) learned that all Teruahs of the seventh month, whether on Rosh HaShana or Yom HaKippurim of Yovel, (are) nine Tekiahs. We blow on each of them TR"T, TR"T TR"T.

(4) The [requisite] measure of a teruah is like two tekiahs. The [requisite] measure of three shevarim is like a teruah. See that if one sounded a tekiah and a teruah and sounded a long tekiah like two of the first, we do not say [that] it is considered like two tekiahs and that he can [continue the order and] sound a teruah after it and then a tekiah. Rather even if he dragged out the sound of the tekiah the whole day, it is only one tekiah; so he must go back and sound [another] tekiah [before] he sounds a teruah and a tekiah [to complete the] three times.