Shofar arouses hidden renewal and mercy

בפסוק תקעו בחודש שופר כו'.

On the pasuk "Blow the shofar at the new moon…"

The Sefas Emes begins with the pasuk in Tehillim (81:4) that we recite on Rosh Hashanah, and asks why this month in particular calls for the shofar.

דכתיב וביום החודש יפתח.

As it is written, "And on the day of the new moon it shall be opened."

He cites a pasuk in Yechezkel (46:1) about a gate that opens on the new moon, hinting at a spiritual opening each Rosh Chodesh.

ובחודש הזה החודש מתכסה כמ"ש חז"ל.

But in this month the moon is "covered," as Chazal said.

Unlike other months, on Rosh Hashanah the moon is concealed (the new moon is not yet visible), as Chazal derive from "covered (bakeseh) for the day of our festival."

והיינו שאין מתגלה זה הפתח שנפתח בכל החדשים וצריכין לעורר ההתחדשות ע"י תקיעת שופר.

That is, the opening which appears in every month is not revealed here, and we must awaken the renewal through the blowing of the shofar.

Because the usual monthly "gate of renewal" is hidden on Rosh Hashanah, we must actively arouse the renewal ourselves by blowing the shofar.

והאמת כי כל זה הוא לברר כחן של בנ"י כי גם בהסתלקות כח המיוחד להם כמ"ש החודש הזה לכם.

And the truth is that all of this is to make manifest the power of Bnei Yisrael — for even when the power uniquely theirs is withdrawn, as it says "This month is for you"…

The hiddenness is purposeful: it reveals the inner strength of Bnei Yisrael, who must draw on it even when their special God-given power (alluded to in "ha-chodesh ha-zeh lachem") seems concealed.

[ועיין בזוה"ק תצוה].

[And see the Zohar HaKadosh, Tetzaveh.]

He refers the reader to the Zohar on Parshas Tetzaveh for this idea.

מ"מ גם כשהם בהשתתפות כל האומות יש להם כח לעורר התחדשות ומזה בא אח"כ הארת חג הסוכות וזהו בכסה ליום חגינו.

Nevertheless, even when they stand together with all the nations, they have the power to awaken renewal — and from this there afterward comes the illumination of the festival of Sukkos; this is "covered for the day of our festival."

Even when Bnei Yisrael's distinctiveness is hidden and they seem on a par with the nations, they can still arouse renewal. That hidden labor on Rosh Hashanah ("covered") later blossoms into the revealed joy of Sukkos ("our festival").

כי חק לישראל הוא י"ל באופן הנ"ל כי היא נתינת טעם ע"י שיש כח לישראל להאיר גם במקום הנסתר שנק' חק שאין נגלה הטעם אעפ"כ ידם רב להם.

For "it is a chok (statute) for Yisrael" can be understood in the above manner — it gives the reason: that Yisrael have the power to illuminate even in the hidden place called "chok," whose reason is not revealed, yet even so their hand prevails.

The word chok denotes a decree whose rationale is hidden; the pasuk teaches that Bnei Yisrael's strength reaches even into such concealed realms, shining light where no reason is apparent.

ואמרו חז"ל בשעה שבנ"י תוקעין בשופר הקב"ה עומד מכסא דין ויושב על כסא רחמים.

And Chazal said: at the moment Bnei Yisrael blow the shofar, Hashem rises from the throne of judgment and sits upon the throne of mercy.

The shofar-blast of Bnei Yisrael moves Hashem, as it were, from strict din to rachamim.

והיינו שרצה הקב"ה שע"י בנ"י יתעורר הרחמים בעולם.

That is, Hashem desired that through Bnei Yisrael mercy should be awakened in the world.

Hashem deliberately arranged that it be Bnei Yisrael who arouse rachamim into the world.

ולכך מתכסה החודש כנ"ל שיצטרכו בנ"י לבוא למדת הרחמים כדי לזכות בזה לכל העולם כי במדה"ד אין העולם מתקיים.

And therefore the month is "covered," as above, so that Bnei Yisrael will need to come to the attribute of mercy, in order to bring this merit to the whole world — for the world cannot endure under the attribute of strict judgment.

The concealment forces Bnei Yisrael to summon rachamim, and through them mercy is extended to all of creation, since the world could not survive pure din.

ואפשר דלכך בשבת אין תוקעין דביום השבת יפתח.

And perhaps this is why we do not blow the shofar on Shabbos — for "on the day of Shabbos it shall be opened."

He suggests a reason for not blowing shofar when Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbos, again drawing on the Yechezkel pasuk about a gate that opens on Shabbos.

וזה הפתח אינו נכסה ולכך א"צ לתקוע בשבת.

And this opening is not covered, and therefore there is no need to blow on Shabbos.

On Shabbos the gate of renewal opens on its own and is not concealed, so the shofar's arousal is unnecessary.

והשבת מיוחד ג"כ לבנ"י ועיקר הכוונה שיהי' התעוררות הרחמים בכחן של בנ"י.

And Shabbos too is uniquely Bnei Yisrael's, and the main intent is that the awakening of mercy come through the power of Bnei Yisrael.

Both shofar and Shabbos belong to Bnei Yisrael, and in both the goal is the same: that rachamim be aroused specifically through them.

וכ"כ חדות ה' היא מעוזכם.

And so it is written, "The joy of Hashem is your strength."

He brings the pasuk from Nechemiah (8:10) spoken on Rosh Hashanah to seal the idea.

מה שבנ"י מתחזקין והעוז שלהם הוא בכח התורה שנק' עוז.

That which strengthens Bnei Yisrael — their strength (oz) — is the power of the Torah, which is called "oz."

The inner fortitude of Bnei Yisrael comes from the Torah, which Chazal call "oz" (strength).

וזה הוא חדות ה' כי הקב"ה שמח בשמחתן של בנ"י:

And this is "the joy of Hashem" — for Hashem rejoices in the joy of Bnei Yisrael.

When Bnei Yisrael draw strength from Torah and arouse mercy, Hashem Himself shares in their joy.

Summary: On Rosh Hashanah the "moon is covered" — the usual monthly opening of renewal is hidden — so that Bnei Yisrael must actively arouse renewal and mercy through the shofar. This concealment reveals their inner strength, rooted in the Torah, to draw down rachamim upon the whole world; and Hashem rejoices in their joy.