Beha'alotecha: Tekiyah and T'ruah

סידור אשכנז, ימי חול, תפילת שחרית, הכנה לתפילה, ברכות התורה א׳

(א) בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּ֒שָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לַעֲסֹק בְּדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה:

Siddur Ashkenaz, Weekday, Shacharit, Preparatory Prayers, Torah Blessings 1

(1) Blessed are You, Adonoy our God, Ruler of the Universe, Who sanctified us with commandments and commanded us to be engrossed in the words of Torah.

במדבר י׳:א׳-י׳

וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ עֲשֵׂ֣ה לְךָ֗ שְׁתֵּי֙ חֲצֽוֹצְרֹ֣ת כֶּ֔סֶף מִקְשָׁ֖ה תַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה אֹתָ֑ם וְהָי֤וּ לְךָ֙ לְמִקְרָ֣א הָֽעֵדָ֔ה וּלְמַסַּ֖ע אֶת־הַֽמַּחֲנֽוֹת׃ וְתָקְע֖וּ בָּהֵ֑ן וְנֽוֹעֲד֤וּ אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ כׇּל־הָ֣עֵדָ֔ה אֶל־פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃ וְאִם־בְּאַחַ֖ת יִתְקָ֑עוּ וְנוֹעֲד֤וּ אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ הַנְּשִׂיאִ֔ים רָאשֵׁ֖י אַלְפֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ וּתְקַעְתֶּ֖ם תְּרוּעָ֑ה וְנָֽסְעוּ֙ הַֽמַּחֲנ֔וֹת הַחֹנִ֖ים קֵֽדְמָה׃ וּתְקַעְתֶּ֤ם תְּרוּעָה֙ שֵׁנִ֔ית וְנָֽסְעוּ֙ הַֽמַּחֲנ֔וֹת הַחֹנִ֖ים תֵּימָ֑נָה תְּרוּעָ֥ה יִתְקְע֖וּ לְמַסְעֵיהֶֽם׃ וּבְהַקְהִ֖יל אֶת־הַקָּהָ֑ל תִּתְקְע֖וּ וְלֹ֥א תָרִֽיעוּ׃ וּבְנֵ֤י אַהֲרֹן֙ הַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים יִתְקְע֖וּ בַּחֲצֹֽצְר֑וֹת וְהָי֥וּ לָכֶ֛ם לְחֻקַּ֥ת עוֹלָ֖ם לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶֽם׃ וְכִֽי־תָבֹ֨אוּ מִלְחָמָ֜ה בְּאַרְצְכֶ֗ם עַל־הַצַּר֙ הַצֹּרֵ֣ר אֶתְכֶ֔ם וַהֲרֵעֹתֶ֖ם בַּחֲצֹצְרֹ֑ת וְנִזְכַּרְתֶּ֗ם לִפְנֵי֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם וְנוֹשַׁעְתֶּ֖ם מֵאֹיְבֵיכֶֽם׃ וּבְי֨וֹם שִׂמְחַתְכֶ֥ם וּֽבְמוֹעֲדֵיכֶם֮ וּבְרָאשֵׁ֣י חׇדְשֵׁיכֶם֒ וּתְקַעְתֶּ֣ם בַּחֲצֹֽצְרֹ֗ת עַ֚ל עֹלֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם וְעַ֖ל זִבְחֵ֣י שַׁלְמֵיכֶ֑ם וְהָי֨וּ לָכֶ֤ם לְזִכָּרוֹן֙ לִפְנֵ֣י אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם אֲנִ֖י יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃ {פ}

Numbers 10:1-10

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 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. When both are blown in long blasts, the whole community shall assemble before you at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting; and if only one is blown, the chieftains, heads of Israel’s contingents, shall assemble before you. But when you sound short blasts, the divisions encamped on the east shall move forward; and when you sound short blasts a second time, those encamped on the south shall move forward. Thus short blasts shall be blown for setting them in motion, while to convoke the congregation you shall blow long blasts, not short ones. The trumpets shall be blown by Aaron’s sons, the priests; they shall be for you an institution for all time throughout the ages. When you are at war in your land against an aggressor who attacks you, you shall sound short blasts on the trumpets, that you may be remembered before the LORD your God and be delivered from your enemies. And on your joyous occasions—your fixed festivals and new moon days—you shall sound the trumpets over your burnt offerings and your sacrifices of well-being. They shall be a reminder of you before your God: I, the LORD, am your God.

רש"י על במדבר י׳:ב׳:ה׳

ולמסע את המחנות. בִּשְׁעַת סִלּוּק מַסָּעוֹת תִּתְקְעוּ בָהֶם לְסִימָן, נִמְצֵאתָ אַתָּה אוֹמֵר עַ"פִּ שְׁלֹשָׁה הָיוּ נוֹסְעִים — עַל פִּי הַקָּבָּ"ה וְעַ"פִּ מֹשֶׁה וְעַ"פִּ הַחֲצוֹצְרוֹת (ברייתא דמל"ה פי"ג):

Rashi on Numbers 10:2:5

ולמסע את המחנות AND FOR THE JOURNEYING OF THE CAMPS — at the time of departing on the journeys you shall blow them as a signal. Consequently you must say that they used to travel by a three-fold call: by the command of the Holy One, blessed be He, by the word of Moses (cf. Rashi on v. 18 at the end), and by the sound of the trumpets (Boraitha d’ Mlechet ha-Mishkan s. 13).

רש"י על במדבר י׳:ה׳:א׳-ז׳:א׳

ותקעתם תרועה. סִימָן מַסַּע הַמַּחֲנוֹת תְּקִיעָה תְּרוּעָה וּתְקִיעָה, כָּךְ הוּא נִדְרָשׁ בְּסִפְרֵי מִן הַמִּקְרָאוֹת הַיְתֵרִים: ובהקהיל את הקהל וגו'. לְפִי שֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר "וְהָיוּ לְךָ לְמִקְרָא הָעֵדָה וּלְמַסַּע אֶת הַמַּחֲנוֹת", מַה מִּקְרָא הָעֵדָה תּוֹקֵעַ בְּב' כֹּהֲנִים וּבִשְׁתֵּיהֶם — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְתָקְעוּ בָהֵן" וְגוֹ' — אַף מַסַּע הַמַּחֲנוֹת בִּשְׁתֵּיהֶם, יָכוֹל מַה מַּסַּע הַמַּחֲנוֹת תּוֹקֵעַ וּמֵרִיעַ וְתוֹקֵעַ, אַף מִקְרָא הָעֵדָה תּוֹקֵעַ וּמֵרִיעַ וְתוֹקֵעַ — וּמֵעַתָּה אֵין חִלּוּק בֵּין מִקְרָא הָעֵדָה לְמַסַּע אֶת הַמַּחֲנוֹת — תַּ"ל "וּבְהַקְהִיל אֶת הַקָּהָל" וְגוֹ', לוֹמַר שֶׁאֵין תְּרוּעָה לְמִקְרָא הָעֵדָה, וְהוּא הַדִּין לַנְּשִׂיאִים, הֲרֵי סִימָן לִשְׁלָשְׁתָּם, מִקְרָא הָעֵדָה בִּשְׁתַּיִם וְשֶׁל נְשִֹיאִים בְּאַחַת — וְזוֹ וָזוֹ אֵין בָּהֶם תְּרוּעָה — וּמַסַּע הַמַּחֲנוֹת בִּשְׁתַּיִם עַ"יְ תְרוּעָה וּתְקִיעָה (ספרי):

Rashi on Numbers 10:5:1-7:1

ותקעתם תרועה WHEN YE BLOW AN ALARM — The signal for the camps to set out on the journey was a Tekiah, a Teruah (a tremulous sound) and again a Tekiah. Thus is it derived in the Siphre from the apparently redundant verses (Sifrei Bamidbar 73:2; cf. Rosh Hashanah 34a). ובהקהיל את הקהל וגו׳ AND WHEN THE CONGREGATION IS TO BE GATHERED TOGETHER etc. — Because it is stated, (v. 2) “and they shall be unto thee for calling together the assembly and for the journeying of the camps”, you must reason as follows: How is it in the case of “the calling of the assembly”? A Tekiah was made by two priests and on both of them (on two trumpets), since it states, (v. 3) “when they blow with them (cf. Rashi on that verse). So, too, is the setting out of the camps to be by means of both trumpets. One might, however, also reason as follows: How is it in the case of the “journeyings of the camps”? The priest sounds a Tekiah, a Teruah, and another Tekiah (cf. Rashi on v. 5)! So, too, in the case of “calling the assembly together”, he blows a Tekiah, a Teruah and a Tekiah, so that it follows that there is no difference between the signal for “calling the assembly” and that for the “journeyings of the camps”. Scripture, however, states here: “And when the congregation is to be gathered together, etc.” to intimate that no Teruah is sounded at the calling of the assembly (ולא תריעו), and the same rule applies to calling the princes. — Thus we have a different signal for the three occasions: “the calling of the assembly” is done by both trumpets, and that of the princes by one — but neither in this nor that signal is there a Teruah, whilst “the journeying of the camps” is done by both trumpets with a Teruah, a Tekiah preceding and following it (Sifrei Bamidbar 74).

אבן עזרא על במדבר י׳:ח׳:א׳-י׳:א׳

והיו לכם לחקת עולם. כי המחנות נוסעים להלחם הלא תראה דברי משה בנסוע הארון והנה פירוש זאת החוקה שתעשו כן שיריעו הכהנים בחצוצרות בלכתם למלחמה להלחם אל ארץ אויביהם וכן כי יבא אויב בארצכם ותבואו למלחמה עמו: ונזכרתם. כי עשיתם מה שצוה לכם השם הנכבד גם התרועה זכר לנפשו' לצעוק לשם: וביום שמחתכם ובמועדיכם. ששבתם מארץ אויב או נצחתם האויב הבא עליכם. וקבעתם יום שמחה כימי פורים ושבעת ימי חזקי"ה (ס"א חנוכה) שמחה. רק המעתיקים פירשו וביום שמחתכם שבת והתקיעה שישמעו ישראל וידעו כי העולות יקריבו ויכונו לבם לשם:

Ibn Ezra on Numbers 10:8:1-10:1

AND THEY SHALL BE TO YOU FOR A STATUTE FOR EVER. The camps now journeyed to battle. Is this not Moses’ words when the ark journeyed? Note that Scripture explains this statute. It says that Israel shall do the following: The kohanim shall sound the alarm upon trumpets when Israel goes forth to war, to battle in the land of their enemies, and similarly if an enemy enters their land and Israel goes forth to fight them. AND YE SHALL BE REMEMBERED. For you have done what God the glorious commanded you do. The alarm (tru’ah) also serves as a reminder to the people to cry out to God. ALSO IN THE DAY OF YOUR GLADNESS, AND IN YOUR APPOINTED SEASONS. When you return from the land of your enemies, or you defeat the enemy who attacks you and you establish a day of rejoicing, such as the days of Purim or the seven days of rejoicing in the days of Hezekiah. However, our transmitters of tradition explained that the day of your gladness refers to the Sabbath. The trumpets were sounded so that Israel would hear that the burnt offerings were being offered and that they should direct their hearts to God.

ערכין י׳ א:ה׳-ח׳

גמ׳ מתניתין דלא כרבי יהודה דתניא ר' יהודה אומר [הפוחת] לא יפחות משבע [והמוסיף] לא יוסיף על שש עשרה במאי קמיפלגי רבי יהודה סבר תקיעה תרועה ותקיעה חדא היא ורבנן סברי תקיעה לחוד ותרועה לחוד ותקיעה לחוד מאי טעמא דר' יהודה כתיב (במדבר י, ה) ותקעתם תרועה וכתיב (במדבר י, ו) תרועה יתקעו (לכם) ש"מ תקיעה תרועה ותקיעה חדא היא ורבנן ההוא לפשוטה לפניה ופשוטה לאחריה הוא דאתא ורבנן מ"ט דכתיב (במדבר י, ז) ובהקהיל את הקהל תתקעו ולא תריעו ואי ס"ד תקיעה תרועה ותקיעה חדא היא אמר רחמנא עביד פלגא דמצוה ורבי יהודה סימנא בעלמא הוא

Arakhin 10a:5-8

GEMARA: The mishna teaches that no fewer than twenty-one trumpet blasts are sounded daily in the Temple and no more than forty-eight. The Gemara notes: The mishna is not in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda, as it is taught in a baraita that Rabbi Yehuda says: One may not blow fewer than seven blasts, and one may not blow more than sixteen blasts. The Gemara asks: With regard to what principle do the tanna of the mishna and Rabbi Yehuda disagree? The Gemara explains that Rabbi Yehuda holds: A series of blasts consisting of tekia, terua, tekia is counted as one unit. And the Rabbis hold: A tekia is counted as a discrete unit and a terua is also counted as a discrete unit, and the final tekia is again counted as a discrete unit. They agree with regard to the sequence and the number of the blasts; their disgreement is only with regard to how the blasts are tallied. The Gemara asks: What is the reasoning of Rabbi Yehuda? As it is written in the verse: “And you shall sound [utkatem] a terua” (Numbers 10:5), and it is written: “A terua they will sound [yitke’u]” (Numbers 10:6). Conclude from the fact that the Torah uses a verb from the root tekia when referring to a terua that a tekia, terua, and tekia together constitute one unit. And how do the Rabbis interpret these verses? They explain that these verses come to teach that each terua blast is accompanied by a plain blast, a tekia, preceding it and another plain blast following it. The Gemara asks: And what is the reasoning of the Rabbis? As it is written: “And when congregating the people you shall sound a tekia and shall not sound a terua” (Numbers 10:7). And if it enters your mind that a series of tekia, terua, and tekia are considered one unit, would the Merciful One say to perform only half a mitzva? Rather, each sound constitutes a separate mitzva. The Gemara asks: And how does Rabbi Yehuda explain this verse? The Gemara answers: That single tekia mentioned in the context of congregating the people was blown merely as a signal to the people to assemble, not for the purpose of fulfilling a mitzva, which, in Rabbi Yehuda’s opinion, always comes in units of three sounds.

ראש השנה כ״ז א:י׳

וּבְתַעֲנִיּוֹת בְּשֶׁל זְכָרִים כְּפוּפִין וּפִיו מְצוּפֶּה כֶּסֶף מַאי שְׁנָא הָתָם דְּזָהָב וּמַאי שְׁנָא הָכָא דְּכֶסֶף אִיבָּעֵית אֵימָא כָּל כִּינּוּפְיָא דְּכֶסֶף הוּא דִּכְתִיב עֲשֵׂה לְךָ שְׁתֵּי חֲצוֹצְרוֹת כֶּסֶף וְאִיבָּעֵית אֵימָא הַתּוֹרָה חָסָה עַל מָמוֹנָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל

Rosh Hashanah 27a:10

§ It was taught in the mishna: The shofarot that were used on public fast days were made from the curved horns of rams, and their mouths were plated with silver. The Gemara asks: What is different there that the shofar of Rosh HaShana is plated with gold, and what is different here that the shofarot of fast days are plated with silver? The Gemara answers: If you wish, you can say: Any shofar made for the purpose of gathering people together is made of silver, as it is written: “Make for yourself two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shall you make them, and you shall use them for calling the assembly and for the journeying of the camps” (Numbers 10:2). And if you wish, you can say: The Torah spared the money of the Jewish people and therefore allows these shofarot to be made of silver, which is less costly than gold.

משנה תורה, הלכות תעניות א׳:א׳-ד׳

(א) מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה מִן הַתּוֹרָה לִזְעֹק וּלְהָרִיעַ בַּחֲצוֹצְרוֹת עַל כָּל צָרָה שֶׁתָּבוֹא עַל הַצִּבּוּר. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר י ט) "עַל הַצַּר הַצֹּרֵר אֶתְכֶם וַהֲרֵעֹתֶם בַּחֲצֹצְרוֹת". כְּלוֹמַר כָּל דָּבָר שֶׁיָּצֵר לָכֶם כְּגוֹן בַּצֹּרֶת וְדֶבֶר וְאַרְבֶּה וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶן זַעֲקוּ עֲלֵיהֶן וְהָרִיעוּ:

(ב) וְדָבָר זֶה מִדַּרְכֵי הַתְּשׁוּבָה הוּא. שֶׁבִּזְמַן שֶׁתָּבוֹא צָרָה וְיִזְעֲקוּ עָלֶיהָ וְיָרִיעוּ יֵדְעוּ הַכּל שֶׁבִּגְלַל מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם הָרָעִים הוּרַע לָהֶן כַּכָּתוּב (ירמיה ה כה) "עֲוֹנוֹתֵיכֶם הִטּוּ" וְגוֹ'. וְזֶה הוּא שֶׁיִּגְרֹם לָהֶם לְהָסִיר הַצָּרָה מֵעֲלֵיהֶם:

(ג) אֲבָל אִם לֹא יִזְעֲקוּ וְלֹא יָרִיעוּ אֶלָּא יֹאמְרוּ דָּבָר זֶה מִמִּנְהַג הָעוֹלָם אֵרַע לָנוּ וְצָרָה זוֹ נִקְרָה נִקְרֵית. הֲרֵי זוֹ דֶּרֶךְ אַכְזָרִיּוּת וְגוֹרֶמֶת לָהֶם לְהִדַּבֵּק בְּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם הָרָעִים. וְתוֹסִיף הַצָּרָה צָרוֹת אֲחֵרוֹת. הוּא שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּתּוֹרָה (ויקרא כו כז) "וַהֲלַכְתֶּם עִמִּי בְּקֶרִי" (ויקרא כו כח) "וְהָלַכְתִּי גַּם אֲנִי עִמָּכֶם בַּחֲמַת קֶרִי". כְּלוֹמַר כְּשֶׁאָבִיא עֲלֵיכֶם צָרָה כְּדֵי שֶׁתָּשׁוּבוּ אִם תֹּאמְרוּ שֶׁהִיא קֶרִי אוֹסִיף לָכֶם חֲמַת אוֹתוֹ קֶרִי:

(ד) וּמִדִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים לְהִתְעַנּוֹת עַל כָּל צָרָה שֶׁתָּבוֹא עַל הַצִּבּוּר עַד שֶׁיְּרֻחֲמוּ מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם. וּבִימֵי הַתַּעֲנִיּוֹת הָאֵלּוּ זוֹעֲקִין בִּתְפִלּוֹת וּמִתְחַנְּנִים וּמְרִיעִין בַּחֲצוֹצְרוֹת בִּלְבַד. וְאִם הָיוּ בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ מְרִיעִין בַּחֲצוֹצְרוֹת וּבְשׁוֹפָר. הַשּׁוֹפָר מְקַצֵּר וְהַחֲצוֹצְרוֹת מַאֲרִיכוֹת. שֶׁמִּצְוַת הַיּוֹם בַּחֲצוֹצְרוֹת. וְאֵין תּוֹקְעִין בַּחֲצוֹצְרוֹת וְשׁוֹפָר כְּאֶחָד אֶלָּא בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהילים צח ו) "בַּחֲצֹצְרוֹת וְקוֹל שׁוֹפָר הָרִיעוּ לִפְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ ה'":

Mishneh Torah, Fasts 1:1-4

(1) It is a positive commandment from the Torah to cry out and to sound trumpets for all troubles that come upon the community; as it is stated (Numbers 10:9), "upon an enemy who attacks you and you sound trumpets." That is to say, [with] every matter that troubles you — such as famine, a plague, locusts and that which is similar to them — cry out about them, and sound the trumpets.

(2) And this thing is from the ways of repentance. For when a trouble comes and they yell out about it and sound [trumpets], everyone will know that it was because of their evil deeds that this bad was done to them. As it is stated (Jeremiah 5:25), "It is your iniquities that have diverted, etc." And this is what will cause them to remove the trouble from upon them.

(3) But if they do not cry out and sound [trumpets], but rather say, "What has happened to us is the way of the world, and this trouble is merely happenstance" — it is surely the way of cruelty, and it causes them to stick to their bad deeds. And the trouble will add other troubles. About this is it written in the Torah (Leviticus 26: 27-28), "but walk arbitrarily with Me. Then I will (also) walk arbitrarily with you in fury." That is to say, "When I will bring upon you troubles — if you will say that it is arbitrary, I will increase the fury of this arbitrariness."

(4) And it is (a rabbinic commandment) from the words of the Scribes to fast for each trouble that comes upon the community until they are granted mercy from the Heavens. And on these fast days, we yell out with prayers and supplicate and sound only the trumpets. And if they were in the Temple, they would sound trumpets and the shofar. The shofar blows short and the trumpets blow long, since the commandment of the day is with trumpets. And we only blow with the trumpets and the shofar at the same time in the Temple, as it is stated (Psalms 78:6), "With trumpets and the blast of the horn raise a shout before the Lord, the King."

From "Sound the Trumpets of Justice for All," by Rabbi Amy Eilberg, June 12, 2020 at https://www.jweekly.com/2020/06/12/sound-the-trumpets-of-justice-for-all/
Of course, the Torah’s injunction of one law for all was not written in the context of 21st-century America. But juxtaposing the Torah’s eternal call for equality with the racialized systems in this country should make us all weep.
But for me there is an image of hope in this parashah: Numbers 10 describes the commissioning of two silver trumpets to be used to summon the community (when blown in long blasts) and to direct the Israelite camp to move forward on its journey (when blown in short blasts). The trumpets are sounded in times of war and on festival days.
I can only hope that the agony of these weeks will serve as a sound of the trumpets, awakening our nation to the many injustices of institutional racism. We are being collectively summoned to attention and commanded to enter into a second civil rights movement, in which all people in our country will finally be granted equality and dignity once and for all.

From "Beha'alotekha" by Rabbi Shefa Gold; http://www.rabbishefagold.com/behaalotekha/
Our journeys are in some sense always just beginning. Wherever we stand in our lives can be perceived as the place of infinite potential, the intersection of Being and Becoming, the threshold of the beyond. From this vast potential of “here and now” we are either sent to who we are becoming or we get stuck in the traps of illusion or fear.
The blessings of Light and Sound are given to us to help us break through these obstacles and move forward on our path. The blessing of Light and the blessing of Sound can inspire us forward. They are the tools we use to release ourselves from the slavery we carry within.
The name Beha’alotekha refers to the “lighting” of the menorah, the golden candelabra in the Mishkan. This is the fire that lights our way forward. The gold of the sun is awakened in us through the service of the menorah.
The silver trumpet is a priestly instrument. The silver of the moon is awakened in us through the service of the trumpet. Its tones serve two purposes: first to call us to our center, and then to send us on our journey.
We journey by stages. When we are ready to move to the next stage of our journey we must open ourselves to the call of the silver trumpets. Their sounding will help to gather us — giving us access to both inner and outer resources. And their sounding will reveal the obstacles before us — clearing the way forward and sending us newly inspired to our destiny.