Mishneh Torah, Shofar, Sukkah and Lulav Chapter 2

Chapter 2

א הַכּל חַיָּבִין לִשְׁמֹעַ קוֹל שׁוֹפָר כֹּהֲנִים לְוִיִּים וְיִשְׂרְאֵלִים וְגֵרִים וַעֲבָדִים מְשֻׁחְרָרִים. אֲבָל נָשִׁים וַעֲבָדִים וּקְטַנִּים פְּטוּרִין. מִי שֶׁחֶצְיוֹ עֶבֶד וְחֶצְיוֹ בֶּן חוֹרִין וְטֻמְטוּם וְאַנְדְּרוֹגִינוּס חַיָּבִין:

1 All are obligated to hear the sound of the shofar — priests (Kohanim), Levites, Israelites, converts and freed slaves. But women, slaves and children are exempt. One who is half a slave and half a free person, one who has genitalia of both sexes and one whose genitalia are covered by a layer of skin (and, so, undetermined) are obligated.

ב כָּל מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ חַיָּב בַּדָּבָר אֵינוֹ מוֹצִיא אֶת הַחַיָּב יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ. לְפִיכָךְ אִשָּׁה אוֹ קָטָן שֶׁתָּקְעוּ בַּשּׁוֹפָר הַשּׁוֹמֵעַ מֵהֶן לֹא יָצָא. אַנְדְּרוֹגִינוּס מוֹצִיא אֶת מִינוֹ וְאֵינוֹ מוֹצִיא אֶת שֶׁאֵינוֹ מִינוֹ. טֻמְטוּם אֵינוֹ מוֹצִיא לֹא אֶת מִינוֹ וְלֹא שֶׁאֵינוֹ מִינוֹ. שֶׁהַטֻּמְטוּם שֶׁנִּקְרַע אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיִּמָּצֵא זָכָר וְאֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיִּמָּצֵא נְקֵבָה:

2 Anyone who is not obligated in something may not serve as an agent to fulfill the obligation of one who is obligated. Hence one who hears a child or a woman who blew with a shofar has not fulfilled [his obligation]. One who has genitalia of both sexes may serve as an agent for its [own] type, but may not serve as an a agent for [those] not its type. One whose genitalia are covered by a layer of skin may neither serve as an agent for its type nor not its type. For [if the layer of skin] is torn, it is possible that it will be found to be a male and it is possible that it will be found to be a female (such that in actual fact, it is not really a different type, but rather definitively either male or female).

ג וְכֵן מִי שֶׁחֶצְיוֹ עֶבֶד וְחֶצְיוֹ בֶּן חוֹרִין אֵינוֹ מוֹצִיא אֲפִלּוּ עַצְמוֹ שֶׁאֵין צַד עַבְדוּת שֶׁבּוֹ מוֹצִיא צַד חֵרוּת שֶׁבּוֹ. אֶלָּא כֵּיצַד יֵצֵא יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ. שֶׁיִּשְׁמַע מִבֶּן חוֹרִין שֶׁיִּתְקַע לוֹ:

3 And likewise one who is half a slave and half a free person may not even serve as an agent for himself. For the side of slavery in him may not serve as an agent for the side of freedom in him. So how can he fulfill his obligation? He should listen to a free man that will blow for him.

ד הַמִּתְעַסֵּק בִּתְקִיעַת שׁוֹפָר לְהִתְלַמֵּד לֹא יָצָא יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ. וְכֵן הַשּׁוֹמֵעַ מִן הַמִּתְעַסֵּק לֹא יָצָא. נִתְכַּוֵּן שׁוֹמֵעַ לָצֵאת יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ וְלֹא נִתְכַּוֵּן הַתּוֹקֵעַ לְהוֹצִיאוֹ אוֹ שֶׁנִּתְכַּוֵּן הַתּוֹקֵעַ לְהוֹצִיאוֹ וְלֹא נִתְכַּוֵּן הַשּׁוֹמֵעַ לָצֵאת לֹא יָצָא יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ. עַד שֶׁיִּתְכַּוֵּן שׁוֹמֵעַ וּמַשְׁמִיעַ:

4 One who is [practicing] blowing the shofar to teach himself, has not fulfilled his obligation. And likewise one who hears [the shofar] from one [practicing] has not fulfilled [his obligation]. If the hearer [of the shofar] had intent to fulfill [his obligation], but the blower did not have intent to be his agent, or if the blower had intent to be his agent, but the hearer did not have intent to fulfill [his obligation] — he has not fulfilled his obligation, until [both] the hearer and the sounder have intent.

ה מִי שֶׁתָּקַע וְנִתְכַּוֵּן לְהוֹצִיא כָּל הַשּׁוֹמֵעַ תְּקִיעָתוֹ וְשָׁמַע הַשּׁוֹמֵעַ וְנִתְכַּוֵּן לָצֵאת יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין הַתּוֹקֵעַ מִתְכַּוֵּן לְזֶה פְּלוֹנִי שֶׁשָּׁמַע תְּקִיעָתוֹ וְאֵינוֹ יוֹדְעוֹ יָצָא. שֶׁהֲרֵי נִתְכַּוֵּן לְכָל מִי שֶׁיִּשְׁמָעֶנּוּ. לְפִיכָךְ מִי שֶׁהָיָה מְהַלֵּךְ בַּדֶּרֶךְ אוֹ יוֹשֵׁב בְּתוֹךְ בֵּיתוֹ וְשָׁמַע הַתְּקִיעוֹת מִשְּׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר יָצָא אִם נִתְכַּוֵּן לָצֵאת. שֶׁהֲרֵי שְׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר מִתְכַּוֵּן לְהוֹצִיא אֶת הָרַבִּים יְדֵי חוֹבָתָן:

5 [In a case of] one who blew and had intent to serve as an agent for every one hearing his blowing, and a hearer heard [it] and had intent to fulfill his obligation: Even though the blower did not have intent for this [particular person] that heard his blowing, and does not [even] know him, he has fulfilled [his obligation]. For he surely had intent for all who would hear him. Hence one who was walking on the way or sitting in his house and heard the blows from the prayer leader has fulfilled [his obligation] — if he had intent to fulfill [it]. For the prayer leader surely intended to serve as an agent for the community to fulfill their obligation.

ו יוֹם טוֹב שֶׁל רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה שֶׁחָל לִהְיוֹת בְּשַׁבָּת אֵין תּוֹקְעִין בַּשּׁוֹפָר בְּכָל מָקוֹם. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהַתְּקִיעָה מִשּׁוּם שְׁבוּת וּמִן הַדִּין הָיָה שֶׁתּוֹקְעִין יָבוֹא עֲשֵׂה שֶׁל תּוֹרָה וְיִדְחֶה שְׁבוּת שֶׁל דִּבְרֵיהֶם. וְלָמָּה אֵין תּוֹקְעִין גְּזֵרָה שֶׁמָּא יִטְּלֶנּוּ בְּיָדוֹ וְיוֹלִיכֶנּוּ לְמִי שֶׁיִּתְקַע לוֹ וְיַעֲבִירֶנּוּ אַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת בִּרְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים. אוֹ יוֹצִיאוֹ מֵרְשׁוּת לִרְשׁוּת וְיָבוֹא לִידֵי אִסּוּר סְקִילָה. שֶׁהַכּל חַיָּבִים בִּתְקִיעָה וְאֵין הַכּל בְּקִיאִין לִתְקֹעַ:

6 [When] the holiday of Rosh Hashanah falls out on Shabbat, we may not blow the shofar in any place. [This is the case] even though blowing [the shofar] was forbidden only on account of a Shabbat decree; so it would have been appropriate that we would blow — a positive commandment of the Torah would come and override a Shabbat decree from the words [of the Sages]. So why do we not blow? [Because of] a decree lest one take it in his hand and carry it to someone to blow for him, and [in the process,] carry it four ells in the public domain, or transfer it from one domain to another — and come to a prohibition [punishable by] stoning. [This is necessary because] all are obligated in blowing [the shofar], but not all are expert at blowing [it].

ז הַתִּינוֹקוֹת שֶׁלֹּא הִגִּיעוּ לְחִנּוּךְ אֵין מְעַכְּבִין אוֹתָן מִלִּתְקֹעַ בְּשַׁבָּת שֶׁאֵינָהּ יוֹם טוֹב שֶׁל רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּלְמְדוּ. וּמֻתָּר לְגָדוֹל שֶׁיִּתְעַסֵּק עִמָּהֶן כְּדֵי לְלַמְּדָן בְּיוֹם טוֹב. בֵּין קָטָן שֶׁהִגִּיעַ לְחִנּוּךְ בֵּין קָטָן שֶׁלֹּא הִגִּיעַ לְחִנּוּךְ. שֶׁהַתְּקִיעָה אֵינָהּ אֲסוּרָה אֶלָּא מִשּׁוּם שְׁבוּת:

7 We do not prevent infants that have not reached [the age of] education from blowing [the shofar] on a Shabbat that is not the holiday of Rosh Hashanah in order that they learn [how to blow]. And on a holiday, it is [even] permissible for an adult to be involved with them in order to teach them — whether it is a child that has reached [the age of] education or whether it is a child that has not reached [the age of] education. For blowing is only forbidden on account of a Shabbat decree.

ח כְּשֶׁגָּזְרוּ שֶׁלֹּא לִתְקֹעַ בְּשַׁבָּת לֹא גָּזְרוּ אֶלָּא בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ בֵּית דִּין. אֲבָל בִּזְמַן שֶׁהָיָה הַמִּקְדָּשׁ קַיָּם וְהָיָה בֵּית דִּין הַגָּדוֹל בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם הָיוּ הַכּל תּוֹקְעִין בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם בְּשַׁבָּת כָּל זְמַן שֶׁבֵּית דִּין יוֹשְׁבִין. וְלֹא אַנְשֵׁי יְרוּשָׁלַיִם בִּלְבַד אֶלָּא כָּל עִיר שֶׁהָיְתָה בְּתוֹךְ תְּחוּם יְרוּשָׁלַיִם וְהָיְתָה רוֹאָה יְרוּשָׁלַיִם לֹא שֶׁתִּהְיֶה בְּתוֹךְ הַנַּחַל. וְהָיְתָה שׁוֹמַעַת קוֹל תְּקִיעַת יְרוּשָׁלַיִם לֹא שֶׁתִּהְיֶה בְּרֹאשׁ הָהָר. וְהָיְתָה יְכוֹלָה לָבוֹא בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם לֹא שֶׁיִּהְיֶה נָהָר מַפְסִיק בֵּינֵיהֶם. אַנְשֵׁי אוֹתָהּ הָעִיר הָיוּ תּוֹקְעִים בְּשַׁבָּת כִּירוּשָׁלַיִם. אֲבָל בִּשְׁאָר עָרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא הָיוּ תּוֹקְעִין:

8 When they made a decree not to blow on Shabbat, they only decreed about a place where there is no court. But at the time that the Temple existed and the High Court was in Jerusalem, everyone in Jerusalem would blow on Shabbat [that was Rosh Hashanah] the whole time that the court was seated [there]. And it was not only the people of Jerusalem, but rather every city that was within the perimeter of Jerusalem — and could see it, [which excludes one] in a ravine; and could hear it, [which excludes one] on a mountaintop; and that was able to come to Jerusalem, [which excludes one with] a river separating them — the people of that city would blow on Shabbat, like Jerusalem. But in the other cities of Israel, they did not blow.

ט וּבַזְּמַן הַזֶּה שֶׁחָרַב הַמִּקְדָּשׁ כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ בֵּית דִּין קָבוּעַ וְהוּא שֶׁיִּהְיֶה סָמוּךְ בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל תּוֹקְעִין בּוֹ בְּשַׁבָּת. וְאֵין תּוֹקְעִין בְּשַׁבָּת אֶלָּא בְּבֵית דִּין שֶׁקִּדְּשׁוּ אֶת הַחֹדֶשׁ אֲבָל שְׁאָר בָּתֵּי דִּינִין אֵין תּוֹקְעִין בָּהֶן אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהֵן סְמוּכִין. וְאֵין תּוֹקְעִין אֶלָּא בִּפְנֵי בֵּית דִּין גָּדוֹל בִּלְבַד כָּל זְמַן שֶׁהֵן יוֹשְׁבִין וַאֲפִלּוּ נִנְעֲרוּ לַעֲמֹד וְלֹא עָמְדוּ תּוֹקְעִין בִּפְנֵיהֶם. אֲבָל חוּץ לְבֵית דִּין אֵין תּוֹקְעִין. וְלָמָּה תּוֹקְעִין בִּפְנֵי בֵּית דִּין מִפְּנֵי שֶׁבֵּית דִּין זְרִיזִין הֵן וְלֹא יָבוֹאוּ הַתּוֹקְעִין לְהַעֲבִיר הַשּׁוֹפָר בִּפְנֵיהֶם בִּרְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים שֶׁבֵּית דִּין מַזְהִירִין אֶת הָעָם וּמוֹדִיעִין אוֹתָן:

9 But at this time [after] the Temple was destroyed, we may blow on Shabbat in any place that has a permanent court — and that is so long as it was ordained in the Land of Israel. And we only blow on Shabbat in a court that has sanctified the moon (ratified the new month). But we may not blow in other courts, even though they were ordained. And we only blow exclusively in front of the High Court, so long as they are seated. And even if they moved to get up but did not [yet] get up, we may blow in front of them. However we may not blow outside of the court. And why may we blow in front of the court? Because the court is alacritous and the blowers would not come to transport a shofar in the public domain in front of them. For the court would warn the people and inform them [of the prohibition].

י בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה שֶׁאָנוּ עוֹשִׂין שְׁנֵי יָמִים בַּגָּלוּת כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁתּוֹקְעִין בְּרִאשׁוֹן תּוֹקְעִין בְּשֵׁנִי. וְאִם חָל יוֹם רִאשׁוֹן לִהְיוֹת בְּשַׁבָּת וְלֹא הָיָה בַּמָּקוֹם בֵּית דִּין הָרְאוּיִין לִתְקֹעַ תּוֹקְעִין בְּשֵׁנִי בִּלְבַד:

10 At this time that we make two days [of Rosh Hashanah] in the Exile — in the same way that we blow on the first, so too do we blow on the second. And if the first day fell out on Shabbat and there was no court fitting to blow in that place, we blow only on the second.

Previous Chapter Next Chapter