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The Shofar on Rosh Hashana
Commandment to Blow Shofar on Rosh Hashana

(כד) דַּבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי בְּאֶחָד לַחֹדֶשׁ יִהְיֶה לָכֶם שַׁבָּתוֹן זִכְרוֹן תְּרוּעָה מִקְרָא קֹדֶשׁ. (כה) כָּל מְלֶאכֶת עֲבֹדָה לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ וְהִקְרַבְתֶּם אִשֶּׁה לַיהוָה.

(24) Speak unto the children of Israel, saying: In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall be a solemn rest unto you, a memorial proclaimed with the blast of horns, a holy convocation. (25) Ye shall do no manner of servile work; and ye shall bring an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
(יג) וַיִּשָּׂ֨א אַבְרָהָ֜ם אֶת־עֵינָ֗יו וַיַּרְא֙ וְהִנֵּה־אַ֔יִל אַחַ֕ר נֶאֱחַ֥ז בַּסְּבַ֖ךְ בְּקַרְנָ֑יו וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ אַבְרָהָם֙ וַיִּקַּ֣ח אֶת־הָאַ֔יִל וַיַּעֲלֵ֥הוּ לְעֹלָ֖ה תַּ֥חַת בְּנֽוֹ׃
(13) And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt-offering in the stead of his son.

אמר רבי אבהו למה תוקעין בשופר של איל אמר הקדוש ברוך הוא תקעו לפני בשופר של איל כדי שאזכור לכם עקידת יצחק בן אברהם ומעלה אני עליכם כאילו עקדתם עצמכם לפני

Rabbi Abihu said: Why do we blow on a ram's horn? The Holy One, Blessed be G-d, said: Sound before Me a ram's horn so that I may remember on your behalf the binding of Isaac, the son of Abraham, and account it to you as if you had been bound yourselves before Me.

Rav Saadia Gaon (10th cent. Iraq) writes that there are 10 reasons why God commanded us to blow the shofar on Rosh Hashana.

1. This day is the beginning of creation when God createad the world and ruled over it. At the beginning of a king's reign, they sounds the trumpets and shofars, to promulgate in all locations that the new reign has begun; likewise, we accept upon ourselves God's reign on this day [by sounding the shofar]...

2. RH is the 1st of the 10 Days of Teshuva, and we blow the shofar in order to announce that all those who wish to do teshuva, should do so!

3. The shofar reminds us of the shofar at Mt. Sinai, when we accepted the Torah.

4. The shofar reminds us of the Prophets, whose voice exhorts us to improve our ways.

5. The Shofar reminds us of the destruction of the Holy Temple and the cries of war. When we hear this sound, we will beseech God to rebuild the Temple.

6. The shofar (ram's horn) reminds us of the Binding of Isaac, who was ready to give his life for the sake of Heaven; likewise, we should also dedicate ourselves to sanctifying God's name, God will surely recall us for the good.

7. When we hear the sound of the shofar, we will tremble. This is the nature of the sound of the shofar, it causes one to tremble with trepidation.

8. The shofar reminds us of the ultimate Day of Judgment.

9. The shofar reminds us of the Gathering of the Exiles when the shofar will be sounded, and this causes us to yearn for that time.

10. The shofar reminds us to believe in the resurrection of the dead.

The Baal Shem Tov, Keter Shem Tov, 194

A King had a son, an only child. The King wanted his son to learn and to experience various cultures, so he sent him to a far-off country, supplied with a generous quantity of silver and gold. Far away from home, the son squandered all the money until he was left completely destitute. In his distress he resolved to return to his father's house and after much difficulty, he managed to arrive at the gate of the courtyard to his father's palace.

He had forgotten the language of his native country, and he was unable to identify himself to the guards. In utter despair he began to cry out in a loud voice, and the King, who recognized the voice of his son, went out to him and brought him into the house, kissing him and hugging him.

This is the shofar...

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