Rosh Hashanah No.2: Shofar, So Good

Qol Tamid: The Shofar in Ritual, History, and Culture
Ed: Jonathan L. Friedmann & Joel Gereboff

From biblical times until today the shofar has served an array of practical purposes and communicated a range of symbolic meanings. The roughly seventy references to the shofar in the Hebrew Bible show four stereotypical functions: announcing the divine presence, accompanying sacred ceremonies, proclaiming kingship, and signaling on the battlefield. In addition to the above purposes, the shofar served as a symbol for messages of joy, fear, group identity, and redemption. This volume, written by prominent Jewish scholars and faith leaders, examines the role of the shofar in the Hebrew Bible and subsequent Jewish life, including even appearances in popular literature of the present day.

ראש השנה כ״ו א:ג׳

מַתְנִי׳ כׇּל הַשּׁוֹפָרוֹת כְּשֵׁרִים, חוּץ מִשֶּׁל פָּרָה — מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא קֶרֶן. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי: וַהֲלֹא כׇּל הַשּׁוֹפָרוֹת נִקְרְאוּ קֶרֶן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״בִּמְשׁוֹךְ בְּקֶרֶן הַיּוֹבֵל״.

Rosh Hashanah 26a:3

MISHNA: The mishna begins to discuss the primary mitzva of Rosh HaShana, sounding the shofar. All shofarot are fit for blowing except for the horn of a cow, because it is a horn [keren] and not a shofar. Rabbi Yosei said: But aren’t all shofarot called horn, as it is stated: “And it shall come to pass, that when they sound a long blast with the horn [keren] of a ram [yovel]” (Joshua 6:5), and a ram’s horn is a shofar fit for sounding on Rosh HaShana?

בראשית ד׳:כ״א

(כא) וְשֵׁ֥ם אָחִ֖יו יוּבָ֑ל ה֣וּא הָיָ֔ה אֲבִ֕י כׇּל־תֹּפֵ֥שׂ כִּנּ֖וֹר וְעוּגָֽב׃

Genesis 4:21

(21) And the name of his brother was Jubal; he was the ancestor of all who play the lyre and the pipe.

בראשית ל״א:כ״ז

(כז) לָ֤מָּה נַחְבֵּ֙אתָ֙ לִבְרֹ֔חַ וַתִּגְנֹ֖ב אֹתִ֑י וְלֹא־הִגַּ֣דְתָּ לִּ֔י וָֽאֲשַׁלֵּחֲךָ֛ בְּשִׂמְחָ֥ה וּבְשִׁרִ֖ים בְּתֹ֥ף וּבְכִנּֽוֹר׃

Genesis 31:27

(27) Why did you flee in secrecy and mislead me and not tell me? I would have sent you off with festive music, with timbrel and lyre.

במדבר י׳:ב׳

(ב) עֲשֵׂ֣ה לְךָ֗ שְׁתֵּי֙ חֲצֽוֹצְרֹ֣ת כֶּ֔סֶף מִקְשָׁ֖ה תַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה אֹתָ֑ם וְהָי֤וּ לְךָ֙ לְמִקְרָ֣א הָֽעֵדָ֔ה וּלְמַסַּ֖ע אֶת־הַֽמַּחֲנֽוֹת׃

Numbers 10:2

(2) Have two silver trumpets made; make them of hammered work. They shall serve you to summon the community and to set the divisions in motion.

שמואל א י׳:ה׳

(ה) אַ֣חַר כֵּ֗ן תָּבוֹא֙ גִּבְעַ֣ת הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־שָׁ֖ם נְצִבֵ֣י פְלִשְׁתִּ֑ים וִיהִי֩ כְבֹאֲךָ֨ שָׁ֜ם הָעִ֗יר וּפָגַעְתָּ֞ חֶ֤בֶל נְבִאִים֙ יֹרְדִ֣ים מֵהַבָּמָ֔ה וְלִפְנֵיהֶ֞ם נֵ֤בֶל וְתֹף֙ וְחָלִ֣יל וְכִנּ֔וֹר וְהֵ֖מָּה מִֽתְנַבְּאִֽים׃

I Samuel 10:5

(5) After that, you are to go on to the Hill^-d of God, where the Philistine prefects reside. There, as you enter the town, you will encounter a band of prophets coming down from the shrine, preceded by lyres, timbrels, flutes, and harps, and they will be speaking in ecstasy.^-e

שמואל ב ו׳:ה׳

(ה) וְדָוִ֣ד ׀ וְכׇל־בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל מְשַֽׂחֲקִים֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה בְּכֹ֖ל עֲצֵ֣י בְרוֹשִׁ֑ים וּבְכִנֹּר֤וֹת וּבִנְבָלִים֙ וּבְתֻפִּ֔ים וּבִמְנַעַנְעִ֖ים וּֽבְצֶלְצֱלִֽים׃

II Samuel 6:5

(5) Meanwhile, David and all the House of Israel danced before the LORD to [the sound of] all kinds of cypress wood [instruments],^-e with lyres, harps, timbrels, sistrums, and cymbals.

תהילים ל״ג:ב׳

(ב) הוֹד֣וּ לַיהֹוָ֣ה בְּכִנּ֑וֹר בְּנֵ֥בֶל עָ֝שׂ֗וֹר זַמְּרוּ־לֽוֹ׃

Psalms 33:2

(2) Praise the LORD with the lyre;
with the ten-stringed harp sing to Him;

תהילים צ״ח:ה׳-ו׳

(ה) זַמְּר֣וּ לַיהֹוָ֣ה בְּכִנּ֑וֹר בְּ֝כִנּ֗וֹר וְק֣וֹל זִמְרָֽה׃ (ו) בַּ֭חֲצֹ֣צְרוֹת וְק֣וֹל שׁוֹפָ֑ר הָ֝רִ֗יעוּ לִפְנֵ֤י ׀ הַמֶּ֬לֶךְ יְהֹוָֽה׃

Psalms 98:5-6

(5) Sing praise to the LORD with the lyre,
with the lyre and melodious song. (6) With trumpets and the blast of the horn
raise a shout before the LORD, the King.

ביצה ל״ו ב:ט״ז

וְלֹא מְטַפְּחִין וְלֹא מְסַפְּקִין וְלֹא מְרַקְּדִין — גְּזֵרָה שֶׁמָּא יְתַקֵּן כְּלֵי שִׁיר.

Beitzah 36b:16

Nor clap one’s hands together, nor clap his hand on the thigh, nor dance: All of these are prohibited due to a decree that was made lest one fashion a musical instrument to accompany his clapping or dancing.

ראש השנה כ״ו ב:י׳-י״א

גְּמָ׳ אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי: מִצְוָה שֶׁל רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה וְשֶׁל יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים בִּכְפוּפִין, וְשֶׁל כׇּל הַשָּׁנָה בִּפְשׁוּטִין. וְהָתְנַן: שׁוֹפָר שֶׁל רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה שֶׁל יָעֵל פָּשׁוּט! הוּא דְּאָמַר כִּי הַאי תַּנָּא דְּתַנְיָא, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה הָיוּ תּוֹקְעִין בְּשֶׁל זְכָרִים כְּפוּפִין, וּבַיּוֹבְלוֹת בְּשֶׁל יְעֵלִים. וְלֵימָא הִלְכְתָא כְּרַבִּי יְהוּדָה! אִי אָמְרַתְּ הִלְכְתָא כְּרַבִּי יְהוּדָה, הֲוָה אָמֵינָא: אֲפִילּוּ שֶׁל יוֹבֵל נָמֵי כְּרַבִּי יְהוּדָה סְבִירָא לֵיהּ, קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן.

Rosh Hashanah 26b:10-11

GEMARA: Rabbi Levi said: The mitzva of Rosh HaShana and of Yom Kippur of the Jubilee Year is to blow with curved shofarot, and that of the rest of the year, on fast days, is to blow with straight shofarot. The Gemara raises a difficulty: But didn’t we learn differently in the mishna: The shofar that was used on Rosh HaShana was made from the straight horn of an ibex? The Gemara answers: Rabbi Levi said his statement in accordance with the opinion of that tanna, Rabbi Yehuda, as it was taught in a baraita: Rabbi Yehuda says: On Rosh HaShana they would blow with the curved horns of rams, and on the Days of Atonement of the Jubilee Years with the horns of ibexes. The Gemara asks: If so, let it simply say that the halakha is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda. Why was it necessary to quote the baraita in full, as if it provided new information? The Gemara explains: If you had said that the halakha is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda, I would have said that he, Rabbi Levi, holds in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda even with regard to the shofar used in the Jubilee Year, i.e., that one must blow with the horn of ibexes at that time. Therefore, the Gemara teaches us that he agrees with Rabbi Yehuda only with regard to Rosh HaShana, and not with regard to any other matter.

Carved and engraved goat’s horn
Length 450 mm (17.7 inch) 19th century
acquired as part of the wartime shipment of 1942-1945, collection point Kolín on display at the JMP's permanent exhibition in the Klausen Synagogue

source

Brooklyn Museum: 18th-century shofar with 20th-century Hebrew inscription, from the Bible (Genesis 22:13), that reads: "And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt-offering instead of his son."

14 1/2 x 6 1/2 in. (36.8 x 16.5 cm).

Creative Commons-BY-NC

source

Report of the US National Museum, 1899; "Descriptive catalogue of a collection of objects of Jewish ceremonial deposited in the U. S. National museum by Hadji Ephraim Benguiat",

Cyrus Adler and I.M. Casanowicz.
Plate 9, Ram's Horn, Catalog Number 154589, U.S.N.M., http://hdl.handle.net/2027/hvd.hn5k3x

source

ונתנה תוקף ג׳

(ג) וּבְשׁוֹפָר גָּדוֹל יִתָּקַע וְקוֹל דְּמָמָה דַקָּה יִשָׁמַע וּמַלְאָכִים יֵחָפֵזוּן וְחִיל וּרְעָדָה יֹאחֵזוּן וְיֹאמְרוּ הִנֵּה יוֹם הַדִּין לִפְקֹד עַל צְבָא מָרוֹם בַּדִּין כִּי לֹא יִזְכּוּ בְּעֵינֶיךָ בַּדִּין וְכָל בָּאֵי עוֹלָם יַעַבְרוּן לְפָנֶיךָ כִּבְנֵי מָרוֹן כְּבַקָּרַת רוֹעֶה עֶדְרוֹ מַעֲבִיר צֹאנוֹ תַּחַת שִׁבְטוֹ כֵּן תַּעֲבִיר וְתִסְפֹּר וְתִמְנֶה וְתִפְקֹד נֶפֶשׁ כָּל חָי וְתַחְתֹּךְ קִצְבָה לְכָל בְּרִיָּה וְתִכְתֹּב אֶת גְּזַר דִּינָם

Unetaneh Tokef 3

(3) And with a great shofar it is sounded, and a thin silent voice shall be heard. And the angels shall be alarmed, and dread and fear shall seize them as they proclaim: behold! the Day of Judgment on which the hosts of heaven shall be judged, for they too shall not be judged blameless by you, and all creatures shall parade before you as a herd of sheep. As a shepherd herds his flock, directing his sheep to pass under his staff, so do you shall pass, count, and record the souls of all living, and decree a limit to each persons days, and inscribe their final judgment.

ראש השנה כ״ו א:ז׳

עוּלָּא אָמַר: הַיְינוּ טַעְמָא דְּרַבָּנַן, כִּדְרַב חִסְדָּא. דְּאָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא: מִפְּנֵי מָה אֵין כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל נִכְנָס בְּבִגְדֵי זָהָב לִפְנַי וְלִפְנִים לַעֲבוֹד עֲבוֹדָה — לְפִי שֶׁאֵין קָטֵיגוֹר נַעֲשָׂה סָנֵיגוֹר.

Rosh Hashanah 26a:7

Ulla said: This is the reasoning of the Rabbis, who say that the horn of a cow is unfit for sounding on Rosh HaShana. They say this in accordance with the opinion of Rav Ḥisda, as Rav Ḥisda said: For what reason does the High Priest not enter the innermost sanctum, the Holy of Holies, with his golden garments to perform the service there on Yom Kippur? It is because a prosecutor [kateigor] cannot become an advocate [sanneigor]. Since the Jewish people committed the sin of worshipping the Golden Calf, the High Priest may not enter the Holy of Holies to atone for the Jewish people wearing golden garments, as they would bring that sin to mind.

יהושע ו׳:ד׳-ה׳

(ד) וְשִׁבְעָ֣ה כֹהֲנִ֡ים יִשְׂאוּ֩ שִׁבְעָ֨ה שׁוֹפְר֤וֹת הַיּֽוֹבְלִים֙ לִפְנֵ֣י הָאָר֔וֹן וּבַיּוֹם֙ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י תָּסֹ֥בּוּ אֶת־הָעִ֖יר שֶׁ֣בַע פְּעָמִ֑ים וְהַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים יִתְקְע֖וּ בַּשּׁוֹפָרֽוֹת׃ (ה) וְהָיָ֞ה בִּמְשֹׁ֣ךְ ׀ בְּקֶ֣רֶן הַיּוֹבֵ֗ל (בשמעכם) [כְּשׇׁמְעֲכֶם֙] אֶת־ק֣וֹל הַשּׁוֹפָ֔ר יָרִ֥יעוּ כׇל־הָעָ֖ם תְּרוּעָ֣ה גְדוֹלָ֑ה וְנָ֨פְלָ֜ה חוֹמַ֤ת הָעִיר֙ תַּחְתֶּ֔יהָ וְעָל֥וּ הָעָ֖ם אִ֥ישׁ נֶגְדּֽוֹ׃

Joshua 6:4-5

(4) with seven priests carrying seven ram’s horns preceding the Ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the horns. (5) And when a long blast is sounded on the horn—as soon as you hear that sound of the horn—all the people shall give a mighty shout. Thereupon the city wall will collapse, and the people shall advance, every man straight ahead.”

ראש השנה כ״ו ב:י״ב

בְּמַאי קָמִיפַּלְגִי? מָר סָבַר: בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה — כַּמָּה דְּכָיֵיף אִינִישׁ דַּעְתֵּיהּ, טְפֵי מְעַלֵּי; וּבְיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים — כַּמָּה דְּפָשֵׁיט אִינִישׁ דַּעְתֵּיהּ, טְפֵי מְעַלֵּי. וּמָר סָבַר: בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה — כַּמָּה דְּפָשֵׁיט אִינִישׁ דַּעְתֵּיהּ, טְפֵי מְעַלֵּי; וּבְתַעֲנִיּוֹת — כַּמָּה דְּכָיֵיף אִינִישׁ דַּעְתֵּיהּ, טְפֵי מְעַלֵּי.

Rosh Hashanah 26b:12

The Gemara asks: With regard to what principle do these tanna’im disagree? One Sage, Rabbi Yehuda, holds that on Rosh HaShana the more a person bends his mind and humbles himself by bending in prayer, the better. Therefore, a curved shofar is sounded as an allusion to our bent minds and bodies. But on Yom Kippur, the more a person straightens his mind and prays with simplicity, the better. Therefore, a straight shofar is sounded. The other Sage, the anonymous tanna of the mishna, maintains the opposite: On Rosh HaShana, the more a person straightens his mind and avoids any crookedness, the better. On fasts, on the other hand, the more a person bends his mind and humbles himself, the better.

ויקרא כ״ג:כ״ד

(כד) דַּבֵּ֛ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר בַּחֹ֨דֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֜י בְּאֶחָ֣ד לַחֹ֗דֶשׁ יִהְיֶ֤ה לָכֶם֙ שַׁבָּת֔וֹן זִכְר֥וֹן תְּרוּעָ֖ה מִקְרָא־קֹֽדֶשׁ׃

Leviticus 23:24

(24) Speak to the Israelite people thus: In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe complete rest, a sacred occasion commemorated with loud blasts.

ויקרא כ״ה:ט׳

(ט) וְהַֽעֲבַרְתָּ֞ שׁוֹפַ֤ר תְּרוּעָה֙ בַּחֹ֣דֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִעִ֔י בֶּעָשׂ֖וֹר לַחֹ֑דֶשׁ בְּיוֹם֙ הַכִּפֻּרִ֔ים תַּעֲבִ֥ירוּ שׁוֹפָ֖ר בְּכׇל־אַרְצְכֶֽם׃

Leviticus 25:9

(9) Then you shall sound the horn loud; in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month—the Day of Atonement—you shall have the horn sounded throughout your land

במדבר כ״ט:א׳

(א) וּבַחֹ֨דֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֜י בְּאֶחָ֣ד לַחֹ֗דֶשׁ מִֽקְרָא־קֹ֙דֶשׁ֙ יִהְיֶ֣ה לָכֶ֔ם כׇּל־מְלֶ֥אכֶת עֲבֹדָ֖ה לֹ֣א תַעֲשׂ֑וּ י֥וֹם תְּרוּעָ֖ה יִהְיֶ֥ה לָכֶֽם׃

Numbers 29:1

(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.^-a

Calling Out to Our True Selves: A Hasidic Meditation on the Mitzvah of Shofar
Eitan Press

Music in Ancient Israel

Alfred Sendrey

This work is a comprehensive treatment of the music of Biblical and early Talmudic times. It is thoroughly documented, setting forth the origins, forms and ethos of Hebrew music. It draws upon the most recent archaeological discoveries and contemporary Biblical research, dealing not only with sacred music, but also the broad field of ancient secular music which up to now has been only dimly comprehended. Of special interest to the Christian world in this period of ecumenical discussion is the clarity with which Dr. Sendrey interprets the common musical legacy shared between Judaism and Christianity. // Dr. Sendrey is Professor of Musicology at the University of Judaism in Los Angeles and is widely known in the world of musicology for his important Bibliography of Jewish Music, published by Columbia University Press (1951). This work is today the primary source book for Jewish music research and is used throughout the world. // Alfred Sendrey was a Hungarian-American conductor and composer. A pupil of Koessler at the Budapest Academy (1901-5), he worked in Germany, the USA and Austria as an opera conductor, (also of the Leipzig SO, 1924-32), then moved to Paris (1933-40) and finally to the USA, where he completed his studies of Jewish music.

ראש השנה ל׳ א:י׳

מַאי אֵין כׇּל יָחִיד וְיָחִיד חַיָּיב לִתְקוֹעַ? אִילֵּימָא דְּבַיּוֹבֵל תּוֹקְעִין יְחִידִין וּבְרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה אֵין תּוֹקְעִין יְחִידִין — וְהָא כִּי אֲתָא רַב יִצְחָק בַּר יוֹסֵף, אָמַר: כִּי הֲוָה מְסַיֵּים שְׁלִיחָא דְצִיבּוּרָא תְּקִיעָתָא בְּיַבְנֶה — לָא שָׁמַע אִינִישׁ קָל אוּנֵּיה מִקָּל תָּקוֹעַיָּא דִּיחִידָאֵי.

Rosh Hashanah 30a:10

The Gemara asks: What is the meaning of the clause: Each and every individual is not obligated to sound it? If we say that on Yom Kippur of the Jubilee Year individuals sound the shofar, whereas on Rosh HaShana individuals do not sound it at all, this is difficult: But when Rav Yitzḥak bar Yosef came from Eretz Yisrael to Babylonia, he said: When the prayer leader completed the sounding of the shofar in Yavne, nobody could hear the sound of his own voice in his ears due to the noise of the sounding of individuals. This indicates that individuals would sound the shofar even on Rosh HaShana.

ראש השנה כ״ז א:ב׳

וּשְׁתֵּי חֲצוֹצְרוֹת מִן הַצְּדָדִים. וּתְרֵי קָלֵי מִי מִשְׁתַּמְעִי? וְהָתַנְיָא: ״זָכוֹר״ וְ״שָׁמוֹר״, בְּדִיבּוּר אֶחָד נֶאֶמְרוּ, מַה שֶּׁאֵין הַפֶּה יְכוֹלָה לְדַבֵּר וְאֵין הָאוֹזֶן יְכוֹלָה לִשְׁמוֹעַ! לְכָךְ מַאֲרִיךְ בְּשׁוֹפָר.

Rosh Hashanah 27a:2

§ It was taught in the mishna: And there were two trumpets, one on each of the two sides of the person sounding the shofar. The Gemara asks: But is it really possible to properly discern two different sounds, that of the shofar and that of the trumpets, at the same time? Isn’t it taught in a baraita: The two versions of the fifth of the Ten Commandments, “Remember the Shabbat day” (Exodus 20:8) and “Keep the Shabbat day” (Deuteronomy 5:12), were spoken by God simultaneously in a single utterance, something that the human mouth cannot speak and the human ear cannot hear? This indicates that it is impossible to take in two sounds at once, and so, due to the sound of the trumpets, it should be impossible to hear the blast of the shofar. The Gemara answers: For this reason they would sound a long blast with the shofar, to make it possible to hear the sound of the shofar on its own.

מחזור אשכנז לראש השנה, תקיעת שופר כ״ה

(כה) בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּֽנוּ לִשְׁמֹֽעַ קוֹל שׁוֹפָר:

Machzor Rosh Hashanah Ashkenaz, Sounding of the Shofar 25

(25) Blessed are You, Adonoy, our God, King of the Universe Who sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to hear the sound of the shofar.

ראש השנה ל״ג ב:ב׳-ד׳

וְהַמִּתְעַסֵּק לֹא יֵצֵא. הָא תּוֹקֵעַ לָשִׁיר — יָצָא. לֵימָא מְסַיַּיע לֵיהּ לְרָבָא, דְּאָמַר רָבָא: הַתּוֹקֵעַ לָשִׁיר — יָצָא. דִּלְמָא תּוֹקֵעַ לָשִׁיר — נָמֵי מִתְעַסֵּק קָרֵי לֵיהּ. וְהַשּׁוֹמֵעַ מִן הַמִּתְעַסֵּק — לֹא יָצָא. אֲבָל הַשּׁוֹמֵעַ מִן הַמַּשְׁמִיעַ לְעַצְמוֹ, מַאי? יָצָא. לֵימָא תֶּיהְוֵי תְּיוּבְתֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי זֵירָא, דְּאָמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי זֵירָא לְשַׁמָּעֵיהּ: אִיכַּוַּון וּתְקַע לִי! דִּלְמָא אַיְּידֵי דִּתְנָא רֵישָׁא מִתְעַסֵּק, תְּנָא סֵיפָא נָמֵי מִתְעַסֵּק.

Rosh Hashanah 33b:2-4

§ The mishna taught: One who acts unawares while sounding the shofar, without any intention to produce a sound, has not fulfilled his obligation. The Gemara infers: One who sounds a shofar for music, even if he has no intention to perform the mitzva, has fulfilled his obligation. The Gemara asks: Let us say that the mishna supports the opinion of Rava, as Rava said: One who sounds a shofar for music has fulfilled his obligation. The Gemara rejects this suggestion. There is no clear proof from here, as perhaps one who sounds a shofar for music is also called one who acts unawares. It is possible that the tanna of the mishna includes in this category anyone who sounds the shofar without a clear intention to fulfill the mitzva. § The mishna continues. And one who hears the shofar blasts from one who acts unawares has not fulfilled his obligation. The Gemara asks: However, one who hears the shofar blasts from one who is sounding the shofar for himself, without intention of sounding it for others, what is the halakha? The mishna apparently indicates that he has fulfilled his obligation. Let us say that this is a conclusive refutation of the opinion of Rabbi Zeira, as Rabbi Zeira said to his attendant: Have the intention to sound the shofar on my behalf and sound it for me. This statement indicates that one must have the intention to enable the one who hears it to fulfill his obligation. The Gemara rejects this argument. Perhaps one can explain that since the first clause of the mishna taught the halakha with regard to one who acts unawares, the latter clause also taught the halakha with regard to one who acts unawares. If so, no inference may be drawn from here to the case of one who sounds the shofar for himself, with no intention of doing so for others.

ראש השנה ל״ג ב:ה׳-ז׳

מַתְנִי׳ סֵדֶר תְּקִיעוֹת: שָׁלֹשׁ שֶׁל שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁלֹשׁ. שִׁיעוּר תְּקִיעָה כְּשָׁלֹשׁ תְּרוּעוֹת, שִׁיעוּר תְּרוּעָה כְּשָׁלֹשׁ יְבָבוֹת. תָּקַע בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה וּמָשַׁךְ בַּשְּׁנִיָּה כִּשְׁתַּיִם — אֵין בְּיָדוֹ אֶלָּא אַחַת. מִי שֶׁבֵּירַךְ וְאַחַר כָּךְ נִתְמַנָּה לוֹ שׁוֹפָר — תּוֹקֵעַ וּמֵרִיעַ וְתוֹקֵעַ שָׁלֹשׁ פְּעָמִים. כְּשֵׁם שֶׁשְּׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר חַיָּיב, כָּךְ כׇּל יָחִיד וְיָחִיד חַיָּיב. רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר: שְׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר מוֹצִיא אֶת הָרַבִּים יְדֵי חוֹבָתָן.

Rosh Hashanah 33b:5-7

MISHNA: The order of the blasts is three sets of three blasts each, which are: Tekia, terua, and tekia. The length of a tekia is equal to the length of three teruot, and the length of a terua is equal to the length of three whimpers. If one sounded the first tekia of the initial series of tekia, terua, tekia, and then extended the second tekia of that series to the length of two tekiot, so that it should count as both the second tekia of the first set and the first tekia of the second set, he has in his hand the fulfillment of only one tekia, and he must begin the second set with a new tekia. With regard to one who recited the blessings of the additional prayer, and only afterward a shofar became available to him, he sounds a tekia, sounds a terua, and sounds a tekia, an order he repeats three times. Just as the prayer leader is obligated in the prayer of Rosh HaShana, so too, each and every individual is obligated in these prayers. Rabban Gamliel disagrees and says: Individuals are not obligated, as the prayer leader fulfills the obligation on behalf of the many.

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ראש השנה כ״ז א:א׳

וּפִיו מְצוּפֶּה זָהָב. וְהָתַנְיָא: צִיפָּהוּ זָהָב בִּמְקוֹם הַנָּחַת פִּיו — פָּסוּל, שֶׁלֹּא בִּמְקוֹם הַנָּחַת פִּיו — כָּשֵׁר! אֲמַר אַבָּיֵי: כִּי תְּנַן נָמֵי מַתְנִיתִין — שֶׁלֹּא בִּמְקוֹם הַנָּחַת פֶּה תְּנַן.

Rosh Hashanah 27a:1

§ It was taught in the mishna: And the mouth of the shofar that was used on Rosh HaShana was plated with gold. The Gemara raises a difficulty: But isn’t it taught in a baraita: If a shofar was plated with gold at the place where one puts his mouth, it is unfit for blowing; if it was plated, but not at the place where he puts his mouth, it is fit for blowing? Abaye said: When we learned in the mishna as well, we learned that it referred not to the place where one puts his mouth, but a little above it.