Shofar reveals hidden providence

תקעו בחודש שופר בכסה כו' דרשו חז"ל שמתכסה בו.

"Blow the shofar at the new moon, at the covered time (ba'keseh) for our festival day" (Tehillim 81:4) — Chazal expounded that [the moon] is concealed on it.

Rosh Hashanah falls at the new moon, when the moon is hidden. Chazal read "ba'keseh" as referring to this concealment, which becomes the theme of the entire piece: Rosh Hashanah is a day of hiddenness (haster).

וי"ל דבכל החגים יש התגלות כמ"ש יראה כל זכורך וכאשר דרשו חז"ל יִרְאֶה יֵרָאֶה ולכן יש בהם שמחה כמ"ש מועדים לשמחה וההלל שהוא מלשון התגלות כמ"ש בהלו נרו כו'.

One may explain that on all the [other] festivals there is revelation (hisgalus), as it is written, "all your males shall appear (yeira'eh)" (Shemos 23:17) — and as Chazal expounded, [it can be read both] "yireh" (he shall see) and "yeira'eh" (he shall be seen). Therefore there is simchah in them, as it is written, "festivals for rejoicing," and Hallel, which is an expression of revelation, as in "when His lamp shone (b'hilo)" (Iyov 29:3).

The Shalosh Regalim are festivals of revelation: one comes to the Bais Hamikdash both to see and to be seen by the Divine Presence. Because the Shechinah is revealed, these festivals carry joy and Hallel — and the very word "Hallel" connotes shining and revelation.

וכמ"ש במ"א ענין הטהרה ברגל להסיר המלבוש הגשמיי כי אין לבוא בשער המלך בלבוש שק.

And as explained elsewhere, the matter of taharah (purity) on a festival is to remove the physical garment, for "one may not enter the king's gate in sackcloth" (Esther 4:2).

To stand before the revealed Presence on the festivals, a person must purify himself and shed the coarse "garment" of physicality — just as no one may approach the king dressed in mourning. Revelation demands purity.

ובר"ה הוא באתכסיא אך ע"י השופר אמרו חז"ל כיון דלזכרון אתי כלפנים דמי והוא השגחה שבא מתוך ההסתר.

But Rosh Hashanah is in concealment (b'iskasya); yet through the shofar, Chazal said, "since it comes for remembrance, it is considered as within (k'lifnim)" — and this is hashgachah (Divine providence) that comes from within the concealment.

Unlike the Regalim, Rosh Hashanah is a day of hiddenness. But the shofar pierces that concealment: because the shofar "comes for remembrance," it has the status of "within" — drawing the hidden providence of Hashem out from behind the veil. Even in concealment, Hashem watches over us.

והוא ביראה כמ"ש בזוה"ק ראי' בחסד שמיעה ביראה כמ"ש שמעתי שמעך יראתי.

And this is through yirah (awe), as it is brought in the Zohar HaKadosh: seeing is through chessed, hearing is through yirah, as it is written, "I heard the report of You and I was afraid" (Chavakuk 3:2).

The Zohar distinguishes the two senses: sight corresponds to chessed (love, expansive revelation), while hearing corresponds to yirah (awe). Because Rosh Hashanah works through hearing — the sound of the shofar — its avodah is one of yiras Shomayim rather than the open joy of sight.

וכמו ברגלים יש ראי'.

And just as on the Regalim there is "seeing."

On the pilgrimage festivals the mode is sight — coming to "see and be seen," the revealed avodah of chessed and joy.

עתה יש מצות שמיעת קול שופר.

Now [on Rosh Hashanah] there is the mitzvah of hearing the sound of the shofar.

In contrast to the "seeing" of the Regalim, the central mitzvah of Rosh Hashanah is hearing — the avodah of the ear, of yirah, fitting for a day of concealment.

ומתקיים ג"כ בב' אופנים שיכולין לשמוע התעוררות שבא משמים ביום זה.

And it is fulfilled in two ways as well: that one can hear the arousal (hisorerus) that comes from Heaven on this day.

The "hearing" of the shofar works in two directions. First, from above downward: a person can hear and receive the spiritual awakening that Hashem sends down from Heaven on Rosh Hashanah.

וכמו כן מתעלה קול שופר לשמים ושומע קול תרועת עמו ברחמים:

And likewise the sound of the shofar ascends to Heaven, and He hears the sound of the teruah of His people with mercy.

The second direction is from below upward: our shofar blasts rise to Heaven, and Hashem "hears the teruah of His people with rachamim." The hearing is mutual — we hear His arousal, and He hears our cry — and through this exchange, hidden providence and mercy are drawn down even on a day of concealment.

Summary: Rosh Hashanah, falling at the covered moon, is a festival of concealment, unlike the Shalosh Regalim with their open revelation, joy, and Hallel through "seeing." Its avodah is "hearing" — the shofar — which corresponds to yirah rather than the chessed of sight. Yet precisely through the shofar, which "comes for remembrance," the hidden Divine providence is drawn out from behind the veil: we hear the arousal Hashem sends from above, and He hears the teruah of His people and answers with mercy.