Once as R. Eleazar and R. Abba were sitting together, the former said: ‘I observe that my father will not listen to any man reading the prayers on New Year and the Day of Atonement unless he has watched him three days previously to purify him; for R. Simeon used to say, “Through the prayer of the man whom I have purified the world receives atonement.” He was still more particular not to accept the shofar1The ram’s horn blown on New Year. blowing of any man who was not well acquainted with the rules of the sh0far and their inner significance.
On this day (of New Year) Isaac is crowned, and becomes the head of the patriarchs.’ Said R. Abba: ‘We read the portion of Isaac (Gen. XXI, XXII) on this day, because on this day he was bound below and was also united to the One above.
R. Eleazar said: ‘On this day Isaac crowned Abraham with glory, as it says, “And the Lord exalted (nissah, lit. proved) Abraham” (Gen. 22, 1), because the Right Hand was completed and perfected.’
R. Abba said: ‘Had not the judgement of Isaac been passed through the place where Jacob abides and annulled there, it would have gone ill with the world.
But when it entered into the place of Jacob, and Jacob laid hold on it, then the fire sank and the heat was cooled. It is as if a man in a great passion seizes his weapons and goes out to kill someone, but a certain wise man meets him at the door and detains him, and while they are arguing with one another his anger cools down, and instead of going out to kill, he only goes out to reprove. Who was it on whom the man vented his passion? Surely the man who stood at the door!
So the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: “My sons, fear not, for I stand at the door; only brace yourselves up on this day and give Me strength. And through what? Through the shofar. For if the sound of the shofar is properly produced and listened to with devotion, then it mounts aloft and the patriarchs crown themselves with it and stand in the tent of Jacob. Hence strict attention should be paid to the sound of the shofar.
Every sound of the shofar ascends to a different firmament, all the denizens of which give place to the sound, saying, “And the Lord uttereth his voice before his army” (Joel 2, 11). And that voice remains in the firmament until another voice comes and joins it, and then they both ascend together to another firmament.
And when all the voices from below are collected and ascend to the highest firmament where the Holy King is, they stand before the Holy King and then the thrones are set and another throne, that of Jacob, is firmly established.
In the Book of Rab Hamnuna the Elder we find: Prayer and the sound of the shofar which are produced by a virtuous man with his heart and soul mount above, and the accusers above are thrust away before it and cannot face it. Happy are the righteous who know how to be truly devout before their Master and to establish the world on this day with the sound of the shofar; hence it is written, “Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound (of the shofar)” (Ps. 89, 15).
On this day the congregation must look out for a man without blame who knows the ways of the King and how to honour Him, that he may pray for them and transmit the sound of the shofar to all worlds with concentration of thought, with wisdom, and with devotion, that through him chastisement may be removed from the world. Alas for those whose minister is not fitting, for through him their sins will be called to mind.
But if he is truly virtuous, then the people are justified through him, and punishment is removed from them through him.’ Said R. Eleazar: ‘For this reason the priest and Levite were examined as to their character, and if they were not found satisfactory they were not allowed to minister. And so, too, with the members of the Sanhedrin before they were allowed to judge.’
AND IF THE WHOLE CONGREGATION SHALL ERR, ETC. R. Simeon cited in this connection the verse: “Rise up, ye women that are at ease, and hear my voice, etc.” (Isa. 32, 9). He said: ‘A man should be ever solicitous for the honour of his Master in order that his son may be without flaw. For when God created man, He created him without flaw, as it is written, “God made man upright” (yashar, lit. straight) (Eccles. 7, 20). The word “man” (adam) means male and female, the female being included in the male, and hence it says “upright”.
רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְרִבִּי אַבָּא הֲווֹ יַתְבֵי. אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, חֲמֵינָא לְאַבָּא בְּיוֹמֵי דְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה וְיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים, דְּלָא בָּעֵי לְמִשְׁמַע צְלוֹתָא מִכָּל בַּר נָשׁ, אֶלָּא אִי קָאִים עָלֵיהּ תְּלָתָא יוֹמִין קוֹדֶם, לְדַכְּאָה לֵיהּ. דְּרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן הֲוָה אָמַר הָכִי, בִּצְלוֹתָא דְּהַאי בַּר נָשׁ דַּאֲנָא מַדְכֵּינָא, אִתְכְּפָר עָלְמָא. וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן בִּתְקִיעָה דְּשׁוֹפָר, דְּלָא מְקַבֵּל תְּקִיעָתָא דְּבַּר נָשׁ דְּלָאו אִיהוּ חַכִּים לְמִתְקַע בְּרָזָא דִּתְקִיעָה.
Once as R. Eleazar and R. Abba were sitting together, the former said: ‘I observe that my father will not listen to any man reading the prayers on New Year and the Day of Atonement unless he has watched him three days previously to purify him; for R. Simeon used to say, “Through the prayer of the man whom I have purified the world receives atonement.” He was still more particular not to accept the shofar1The ram’s horn blown on New Year. blowing of any man who was not well acquainted with the rules of the sh0far and their inner significance.
דְּתָנֵינָן, רִבִּי יֵיסָא סָבָא אָמַר, הָנֵי תְּקִיעָתָא כְּסִדְרָן. קַדְמָאָה, כְּלִילָא מִכֹּלָּא. תִּנְיָינָא, חֲדָא כְּסִדְרָא וַחֲדָא כְּסִדְרָא, גְּבוּרָה גְּדוֹלָה בֵּינַיְיהוּ. תְּלִיתָאָה, חַד הָכָא וְחַד הָכָא גְּבוּרָה בֵּינַיְיהוּ. פּוּסְקָא סַלְּקָא, ל קוּמַטְרָא נַחְתָּא. חַד תַּקִּיפָא וְחַד רַפְיָא. וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ. וְאִינּוּן עֲשָׂרָה. וְאִינּוּן תֵּשַׁע. חַד כְּלָלָא דְּכֹלָּא.
וּבְהַאי יוֹמָא מִתְעַטְּרָא יִצְחָק, וְהוּא רֵישָׁא לַאֲבָהָן. בְּהַאי יוֹמָא כְּתִיב, (ישעיהו ל״ג:י״ד) פָּחֲדוּ בְצִיּוֹן חַטָּאִים. בְּהַאי יוֹמָא יִצְחָק אִתְעֲקָד, וְעָקִיד כֹּלָּא, וְשָׂרָה מַלִּילַת (ס"א מיללת) וְקוֹל שׁוֹפְרָא תַּקִּיף לַחֲדָּא. זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ, מַאן דְּעָבַר בֵּינַיְיהוּ, וְאִשְׁתְּזִיב מִנַּיְיהוּ. אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא, בְּגִין כָּךְ קָרֵינָן פַּרְשְׁתָּא דְּיִצְחָק בְּהַאי יוֹמָא, דִּבְהַאי יוֹמָא אִתְעֲקָד יִצְחָק לְתַתָּא, ואִתְקְשַׁר בְּהַהוּא דִּלְעֵילָּא. (נ"א באברהם) אֵימָתַי אִתְקְשַׁר. בְּשַׁעֲתָא דִּכְתִּיב, (בראשית כ״ב:ט׳) וַיַּעֲקוֹד אֶת יִצְחָק בְּנוֹ וְגוֹ'.
On this day (of New Year) Isaac is crowned, and becomes the head of the patriarchs.’ Said R. Abba: ‘We read the portion of Isaac (Gen. XXI, XXII) on this day, because on this day he was bound below and was also united to the One above.
אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, בְּהַאי יוֹמָא אַעְטָּר יִצְחָק לְאַבְרָהָם, דִּכְתִּיב, (בראשית כ״ב:א׳) וְהָאֱלהִים נִסָּה אֶת אַבְרָהָם. מַאי נִסָּה. כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (ישעיהו מ״ט:כ״ב) וְאֶל עַמִּים אָרִים נִסִּי. (שמות י״ז:ט״ו) וַיִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ יְיָ' נִסִּי. מַאי קָא מַשְׁמַע לָן. בְּגִין דְּאִשְׁתָּכְלִיל יְמִינָא וְאִשְׁתְּלִים. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וְהָאֱלֹהִים נִסָּה אֶת אַבְרָהָם. והָאֱלהִים דַּיְיקָא, ודָא הוּא (בראשית ל״א:מ״ב) וּפַחַד יִצְחָק.
R. Eleazar said: ‘On this day Isaac crowned Abraham with glory, as it says, “And the Lord exalted (nissah, lit. proved) Abraham” (Gen. 22, 1), because the Right Hand was completed and perfected.’
רִבִּי אַבָּא אָמַר, כְּתִיב (תהילים ע״ה:ח׳-ט׳) כִּי אֱלֹהִים שׁוֹפֵט זֶה יַשְׁפִּיל וְזֶה יָרִים. כִּי אֱלהִים שׁוֹפֵט, אִלְמָלֵא דְּאַעְבָר דִּינָא דְּיִצְחָק, בַּאֲתַר דְּיַעֲקֹב שָׁארֵי, (ס"א ואתסי) וְאִתְחָסֵי (ס"א ואתסחי) (ס"א ואתבסם) תַּמָּן, וַוי לְעָלְמָא דְּיֶעְרַע בְּגִינֵיהּ, וְרָזָא דְּמִלָּה, (ישעיהו ס״ו:ט״ז) כִּי בָאֵשׁ יְיָ' נִשְׁפָּט. וְדָא הוּא אִתְבַּסְמוּתָא דְּעָלְמָא.
R. Abba said: ‘Had not the judgement of Isaac been passed through the place where Jacob abides and annulled there, it would have gone ill with the world.
וְכֵיוָן דְּעָאל בְּאַתְרָא דְּיַעֲקֹב, וְיַעֲקֹב אָחִיד בֵּיהּ, כְּדֵין שָׁכִיךְ אֶשָּׁא, וְאִצְטְנָנוּ גּוּמְרֵיהּ. לְבַּר נָשׁ, דְּהֲוָה רָגִיז, וְחָגַר וְזָיִין גַּרְמֵיהּ, וְנָפַק בְּרוּגְזֵיהּ לְקָטְלָא לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא. חַד חַכִּימָא קָם עַל פִּתְחָא, וְאָחִיד בֵּיהּ, אָמַר אִלְמָלֵא לָא אָחִיד בִּי וְאִתְתְּקַף בִּי, הָא קָטוּלָא בִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא אִשְׁתְּכַח. בְּעוֹד דְּאִתְתָּקָפוּ דָּא בְּדָא, וְאָחִיד דָּא בְּדָא, אִצְטְנָן רוּגְזִיהּ עַל דְּנָפַק לְקָטְלָא. נָפַק לְאוֹכָחָא, מַאן סָבִיל רוּגְזָא וְתּוּקְפָּא דְּדִינָא דְּהַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ. הֱוִי אֵימָא, דָּא דְּקָאִים אֲפִּתְחָא.
But when it entered into the place of Jacob, and Jacob laid hold on it, then the fire sank and the heat was cooled. It is as if a man in a great passion seizes his weapons and goes out to kill someone, but a certain wise man meets him at the door and detains him, and while they are arguing with one another his anger cools down, and instead of going out to kill, he only goes out to reprove. Who was it on whom the man vented his passion? Surely the man who stood at the door!
כַּךָ אָמַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, בָּנַי, לָא תִּדְחָלוּן, הָא אֲנָא קָאִים עַל פִּתְחָא, אֲבָל אִזְדְּרָזוּ בְּהַאי יוֹמָא וְהָבוּ לִי חֵילָא. וּבְמָּה. בְּשּׁוֹפָר. דְּאִי אִשְׁתְּכַח קוֹל שׁוֹפָר כְּדְקָא יֵאוֹת, וּמְכַוְּונֵי בֵּיהּ לְתַתָּא, הַהוּא קָלָא סָלִיק, וּבֵיהּ מִתְעַטְּרֵי אֲבָהָן, וְקַיְימֵי בְּמִשְׁכְּנֵיהּ דְּיַעֲקֹב. וְעַל דָּא בָּעֵי לְאִזְדַּהֲרָא בְּשׁוֹפָרָא, וּלְמִנְדַּע בְּהַהוּא קָלָא וּלְכַוְּונָא (ביה).
So the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: “My sons, fear not, for I stand at the door; only brace yourselves up on this day and give Me strength. And through what? Through the shofar. For if the sound of the shofar is properly produced and listened to with devotion, then it mounts aloft and the patriarchs crown themselves with it and stand in the tent of Jacob. Hence strict attention should be paid to the sound of the shofar.
ולֵית לָךָ קָלָא בְּשׁוֹפָרָא, דְּלָא סָלִיק רְקִיעָא חַד. וְכָל אִינּוּן אוֹכְלוֹסִין דְּהַהוּא רְקִיעָא, יָהֲבִין אֲתַר לְהַהוּא קָלָא, וּמַאי קָא אָמְרֵי. (יואל ב׳:י״א) וַיְיָ' נָתַן קוֹלוֹ לִפְנִי חֵילוֹ וְגוֹ'. וְקָאִים הַהוּא קָלָא בְּהַהוּא רָקִיעַ, עַד דְּאָתֵי קָלָא אָחֳרָא, ואִתְעַתְּדוּ (ס"א ואתערו) כַּחֲדָא, וְסַלְּקִין בְּזִוּוּגָא לִרְקִיעָא אָחֳרָא. וְעַל דָּא תָּנֵינָן, אִית קוֹל דְּסָלִיק קוֹל, וּמַאי אִיהוּ. הַהוּא קָלָא דִּתְקִיעָתָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל דְּתַתָּא.
Every sound of the shofar ascends to a different firmament, all the denizens of which give place to the sound, saying, “And the Lord uttereth his voice before his army” (Joel 2, 11). And that voice remains in the firmament until another voice comes and joins it, and then they both ascend together to another firmament.
וְכֵיוָן דְּמִתְחַבְּרָן כָּל אִינּוּן קָלִין דִּלְתַתָּא, וְסַלְּקִין לְהַהוּא רְקִיעָא עִלָּאָה דְּמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא שָׁארֵי בֵּיהּ, מִתְעַטְּרָן (ס"א מתעתדן) כֻּלְּהוּ קָמֵי מַלְכָּא, וּכְדֵין כּוּרְסְוָון רְמִיוּ וְכוּרְסְיָיא אָחֳרָא דְּיַעֲקֹב קָאִים וְאִתְתָּקַּן.
And when all the voices from below are collected and ascend to the highest firmament where the Holy King is, they stand before the Holy King and then the thrones are set and another throne, that of Jacob, is firmly established.
עַל דָּא אַשְׁכַּחְנָא בְּסִפְרָא דְּרַב הַמְנוּנָא סָבָא, בְּאִינּוּן צְלוֹתֵי דְרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה, דְּהֲוָה אָמַר, צְלוֹתָא וְקֹל שׁוֹפָרָא (דההוא קול) דְּאַפִּיק הַהוּא זַכָּאָה, דְּאִשְׁתְּכַח מִרוּחֵיהּ וּמִנַפְשֵׁיהּ בְּהַהוּא שׁוֹפָרָא, דְּהַהוּא קוֹל סָלִיק לְעֵילָּא. וּבְהַהוּא יוֹמָא קַיְימִין וּמִשְׁתַּכְחֵי מְקַטְרְגִין לְעֵילָּא. וְכַד סָלִיק הַהוּא קָלָא דְּשׁוֹפָרָא, כֻּלְּהוּ אִתְדַּחְיָין קָמֵיהּ, וְלָא יַכְלִין לְקַיְּימָא. זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא, דְּיַדְעִין לְכַוְּונָא רְעוּתָא לְקָמֵי מָארֵיהוֹן, וְיַדְעִין לְתַקְּנָא עָלְמָא בְּהַאי יוֹמָא, בְּקָל שׁוֹפָרָא. וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, (תהילים פ״ט:ט״ז) אַשְׁרֵי הָעָם יוֹדְעֵי תְרוּעָה. יוֹדְעֵי, וְלָא תּוֹקְעֵי.
In the Book of Rab Hamnuna the Elder we find: Prayer and the sound of the shofar which are produced by a virtuous man with his heart and soul mount above, and the accusers above are thrust away before it and cannot face it. Happy are the righteous who know how to be truly devout before their Master and to establish the world on this day with the sound of the shofar; hence it is written, “Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound (of the shofar)” (Ps. 89, 15).
בְּהַאי יוֹמָא, בָּעֵי עַמָּא לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בְּבַּר נָשׁ שְׁלִים מִכֹּלָּא, דְּיָדַע אָרְחוֹי דְּמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא, דְּיָדַע בִּיקָרָא דְּמַלְכָּא, דְּיִבְעֵי עָלַיְיהוּ בָּעוּתָא בְּהַאי יוֹמָא. וּלְזִמְנָא קָל שׁוֹפָרָא בְּכֻלְּהוּ עָלְמִין, בְּכַוָונָה דְּלִבָּא, בְּחָכְמְתָא, בִּרְעוּתָא, בִּשְׁלִימוּ. בְּגִין דְּיִסְתָּלַק דִּינָא עַל יְדוֹי מִן עָלְמָא. וַוי לְאִינּוּן דִּשְׁלִיחָא דִּלְהוֹן לָא אִשְׁתְּכַח כְּדְקָא יֵאוֹת, דְּהָא חוֹבֵי עָלְמָא (עמא) אַתְיָין לְאַדְכְּרָא בְּגִינֵיהּ. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, אִם הַכֹּהֵן הַמָּשִׁיחַ יֶחטָא, דְּהוּא שְׁלִיחָא דְּכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל, לְאַשְׁמַת הָעָם הוּא, בְּגִין דְּדִינָא שַׁרְיָא עָלַיְיהוּ.
On this day the congregation must look out for a man without blame who knows the ways of the King and how to honour Him, that he may pray for them and transmit the sound of the shofar to all worlds with concentration of thought, with wisdom, and with devotion, that through him chastisement may be removed from the world. Alas for those whose minister is not fitting, for through him their sins will be called to mind.
וכַד שְׁלִיחָא הוּא זַכָּאָה כְּדְקָא יֵאוֹת, זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן עַמָּא, דְּכָל דִּינִין מִסְתַּלְּקִין מִנַּיְיהוּ עַל יְדֵיהּ, כָּל שֶׁכֵּן כַּהֲנָא, דְּעָלֵיהּ מִתְבָּרְכָאן עִלָּאֵי וְתַתָּאֵי. אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, וְעַל דָּא, כֹּהֵן וְלֵוִי עַד לָא יִסְלַּק לְפוּלְחָנָא, בַּדְקִין אֲבַתְרֵיהּ, וְיַדְעִין אָרְחוֹי וְעוֹבָדוֹי, וְאִי לָא, לָא סָלִיק לְפוּלְחָנָא, וְכֵן בְּסַנְהֶדְרִין לְמֵידָן דִּינָא.
But if he is truly virtuous, then the people are justified through him, and punishment is removed from them through him.’ Said R. Eleazar: ‘For this reason the priest and Levite were examined as to their character, and if they were not found satisfactory they were not allowed to minister. And so, too, with the members of the Sanhedrin before they were allowed to judge.’
וְאִי אִשְׁתְּכַח כַּדְקָא יֵאוֹת, יָהֲבִין עָלֵיהּ חוּמְרָא דְּמַקְדְּשָׁא. וְאִי לָא, לָא סָלִיק לְפוּלְחָנָא. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (דברים ל״ג:ח׳) וּלְלֵוִי אָמַר תּוּמֶּיךָ וְאוּרֶיךָ לְאִישׁ חֲסִידֶךָ. מִפְּנִי מַה זָכָה (אהרן) לְאוּרִים וּלְתוּמִים, וּלְמִפְלַח פּוּלְחָנָא. הֱוֵי אוֹמֵר (דברים ל״ג:ט׳) אֲשֶׁר נִסִּיתוֹ וְגוֹ'. הָאוֹמֵר לְאָבִיו וּלְאִמּוֹ לא רְאִיתִיו וְגוֹ'. וְכֵיוָן דְּאִשְׁתְּכָחוּ בְּאִלֵּין דַּרְגִּין, כְּדֵין יוֹרוּ מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ לְיַעֲקֹב וְגוֹ', יָשִׂימוּ קְטוֹרָה וְגוֹ'. לְשַׁכְּכָא רוּגְזָא, וּלְזַמְנָא שְׁלָמָא. וְכָלִיל עַל מִזְבְּחֶךָ, בְּגִין דְּיִתְבַּסְּמוּן כֹּלָּא, וְיִשְׁתַּכְּחוּן בִּרְכָאן בְּכֻלְּהוּ עָלְמִין, כְּדֵין (דברים ל״ג:י׳) בָּרֵךְ יְיָ' חֵילוֹ וגוֹ'.
(ויקרא ד׳:י״ג) וְאִם כָּל עֲדַת יִשְׂרָאֵל יִשְׁגּוּ וְנֶעְלַּם וְגוֹ'. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן פָּתַח, (ישעיהו ל״ב:ט׳) נָשִׁים שַׁאֲנַנּוֹת קוֹמְנָה שְׁמַעְנָה קוֹלִי וְגוֹ'. כַּמָּה אִית לֵיהּ לְבַּר נָשׁ, לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בִּיקָרָא דְּמָארֵיהּ, בְּגִין דְּיִשְׁתְּכַח בִּרְיָה שְׁלִים קַמֵּיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּכַד בָּרָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְבַּר נָשׁ בָּרָא לֵיהּ שְׁלִים, כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר, (קהלת ז׳:כ״ט) אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה הָאֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאָדָם יָשָׁר וְגוֹ'. אֶת הָאָדָם דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָּא. וְנוּקְבָּא אִתְכְּלִילַת בִּדְכוּרָא, וּכְדֵין יָשָׁר כְּתִיב. לְבָתַר וְהֵמָה בִקְשׁוּ חֶשְׁבּוֹנוֹת רַבִּים.
AND IF THE WHOLE CONGREGATION SHALL ERR, ETC. R. Simeon cited in this connection the verse: “Rise up, ye women that are at ease, and hear my voice, etc.” (Isa. 32, 9). He said: ‘A man should be ever solicitous for the honour of his Master in order that his son may be without flaw. For when God created man, He created him without flaw, as it is written, “God made man upright” (yashar, lit. straight) (Eccles. 7, 20). The word “man” (adam) means male and female, the female being included in the male, and hence it says “upright”.