(ז) הַתּוֹקֵעַ לְתוֹךְ הַבּוֹר אוֹ לְתוֹךְ הַדּוּת אוֹ לְתוֹךְ הַפִּטָּס, אִם קוֹל שׁוֹפָר שָׁמַע, יָצָא. וְאִם קוֹל הֲבָרָה שָׁמַע, לֹא יָצָא.
וְכֵן מִי שֶׁהָיָה עוֹבֵר אֲחוֹרֵי בֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת, אוֹ שֶׁהָיָה בֵיתוֹ סָמוּךְ לְבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת, וְשָׁמַע קוֹל שׁוֹפָר אוֹ קוֹל מְגִלָּה, אִם כִּוֵּן לִבּוֹ, יָצָא, וְאִם לָאו, לֹא יָצָא. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁזֶּה שָׁמַע וְזֶה שָׁמַע, זֶה כִּוֵּן לִבּוֹ וְזֶה לֹא כִוֵּן לִבּוֹ:
(7) One who blows a shofar into a pit, or into a cistern, or into a huge jug: if they heard the sound of the shofar, they have fulfilled their obligation; but if they heard the sound of an echo, they have not fulfilled their obligation.
And so too, one who was passing behind a synagogue, or their house was next to a synagogue, and they heard the sound of the shofar [on Rosh Hashanah], or the sound of Megillat Esther [being read on Purim]: if they directed their heart [to the mitzvah], they have fulfilled their obligation; but if not, they have not fulfilled their obligation. Even though one person heard and another person heard [the very same thing], one directed their heart, and the other did not direct their heart [and so they each have a different outcome].
Study Questions on Mishnah Rosh Hashanah
1. In your own words, state what the possible problem is with blowing a shofar in a large pit (or something similar).
2. What do the mitzvot of shofar blowing and Megillah reading have in common?
3. In your opinion, what does the Mishnah mean when it talks about "directing your heart"? How are you supposed to do this? Be as specific as you can.
The next two sources are about the issue of hearing the correct shofar sounds:
"One who blows a shofar into a pit, or into a cistern, etc." (Mishnah R. H. 3:7, above).
Rav Huna said: They [the Rabbis] only taught this regarding those standing near the edge of the pit; but those standing inside the pit have fulfilled their obligation.
תַּנְיָא נָמֵי הָכִי: הַתּוֹקֵעַ לְתוֹךְ הַבּוֹר אוֹ לְתוֹךְ הַדּוּת — יָצָא.
וְהָתְנַן: לֹא יָצָא! אֶלָּא לָאו, שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ כִּדְרַב הוּנָא, שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ.
A baraita also implies this [same halakhah]: "One who blows a shofar into a pit, or into a cistern: they have fulfilled their obligation."
But we learned in the Mishnah that [it's possible] he has not fulfilled his obligation! Rather, must we not understand this according to the teaching of Rav Huna? Yes, understand it that way.
Study Questions on R. H. 27b
**Background: This is a passage in the Talmud which is discussing the mishnah found in Text #1, above, about shofar blowing.**
1. Try to explain Rav Huna's opinion. Why does it matter where you stand in relation to the pit? What difference could that make when hearing the shofar?
2. In the second text (#5), the Talmud presents a baraita. In your own words, explain how the baraita appears to contradict the mishnah given in the first source on this sheet (#1).
3. According to the Talmud (as given in Text #5), what specific situation is the baraita speaking about?
Reform/Progressive Teshuvah about Online Shofar:
https://web.colby.edu/coronaguidance/files/2020/08/Freehof-shofar_via_zoom.pdf
The next two sources are about the issue of having the correct inner intention for
performing the mitzvah:
אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי זֵירָא לְשַׁמָּעֵיהּ: אִיכַּוַּון וּתְקַע לִי. אַלְמָא קָסָבַר: מַשְׁמִיעַ בָּעֵי כַּוָּונָה.
Rabbi Zeira said to his servant: "Have kavana [i.e., direct your mind to the mitzvah] and blow the shofar for me."
Therefore, he [Rabbi Zeira] must hold the view that one who blows the shofar [for others] needs to have kavana [to help them fulfill their obligation].
מֵיתִיבִי:
הָיָה עוֹבֵר אֲחוֹרֵי בֵּית הַכְּנֶסֶת, אוֹ שֶׁהָיָה בֵּיתוֹ סָמוּךְ לְבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת, וְשָׁמַע קוֹל שׁוֹפָר אוֹ קוֹל מְגִילָּה, אִם כִּוֵּון לִבּוֹ — יָצָא, וְאִם לָאו — לֹא יָצָא.
וְכִי כִּוֵּון לִבּוֹ מַאי הָוֵי? הַיְאךְ לָא קָא מִיכַּוֵּין אַדַּעְתָּא דִּידֵיהּ!
הָכָא בִּשְׁלִיחַ צִיבּוּר עָסְקִינַן, דְּדַעְתֵּיהּ אַכּוּלֵּיהּ עָלְמָא.
They [other Rabbis] raise an objection:
[The Mishnah says:] "If one was passing behind a synagogue, or their house was next to a synagogue, and they heard the sound of the shofar [on Rosh Hashanah], or the sound of Megillat Esther [being read on Purim]: if they directed their heart [to the mitzvah], they have fulfilled their obligation; but if not, they have not fulfilled their obligation."
So what if they [the one passing by] directed their heart? The other one [blowing the shofar] doesn't have them in mind!
In this case [of the Mishnah], we are discussing a shaliach tzibur [representative of the community] who has everyone in mind.
Study Questions on R.H. 28b-29a
**Background: Rabbi Zeira was an Amora from the Land of Israel (probably around the year 300 CE). Notice how, as usual, a Talmudic text is composed of different layers through time. We have a very brief story concerning Rabbi Zeira; an equally short comment on it by other Rabbis; an objection raised by later Talmudic editors using the earlier Mishnah text; followed by an interpretation of how to align Rabbi Zeira with the Mishnah.**
1. Explain the deduction made in Text #9 beginning with the word "Therefore." How did they figure out Rabbi Zeira's view?
2. Amoraim were not supposed to disagree with the Mishnah (unless there was another Tanna whose opinion they were following). In your own words, explain how, at first glance, it looks like Rabbi Zeira was being stricter than the Mishnah.
3. How did the Talmud find a way that the Mishnah and Rabbi Zeira could be in agreement?
SUMMARY QUESTION
Looking back at all the sources on this sheet, please write a theory about why I named the sheet, "True Sounds, True Hearts."
Rabbinic Terms to Learn (or Review):
מוציא ,יצא, יצא ידי חובה / Yatza Y'dei Chovah, Yatza, Motzi
סתם משנה / Stam Mishnah
סתם של הגמרא / Stam shel HaGemara
כוונה / Kavanah
רב / Rav
אוקימתא / Ukimta
בראייתא / Baraita
הלכה / Halakhah
שליח ציבור / Sh'liach Tzibur