Shofar as the voice of Torah and freedom

ענין תקיעת שופר לאחוז בקול תורה שהוא פנימיות כל הבריאה כדכ' בראשית בשביל התורה שנקראת ראשית והוא מאמר אחד שנתפשט אח"כ למעשה בראשית.

The idea of blowing the shofar is to grasp hold of the voice of Torah, which is the penimiyus (inner dimension) of all of creation, as it says, "In the beginning" — for the sake of the Torah, which is called "reishis" (beginning); it is one utterance that afterward expanded into the work of creation.

The shofar's sound connects us to the inner Torah-essence concealed within the universe; the entire creation began as a single Divine "utterance" of Torah that then unfolded into the natural world.

וזה הרמז שופר חכמה ואינה מלאכה.

This is the hint of the shofar: it is chochmah (wisdom) and not melachah (labor).

The shofar represents the dimension of Divine wisdom that underlies the world, as opposed to the realm of physical "work" — and so blowing it is permitted on Yom Tov.

כמ"ש בתרגום ירושלמי בראשית ברא בחוכמתא.

As the Targum Yerushalmi renders "Bereishis bara" — "with wisdom He created."

The Targum reads the first word of the Torah as "with wisdom," showing that chochmah is the foundation underlying all creation.

שנק' ראשית שהוא שורש הבריאה.

This wisdom is called "reishis," for it is the root of creation.

The Torah's wisdom is the source from which everything in the world springs.

והיא עיקר החיות.

And it is the essence of life-force.

This inner wisdom is what truly gives chiyus (vitality) to all things.

כמ"ש החכמה תחי' בעלי'.

As it says, "Wisdom gives life to those who possess it."

The verse (Koheles 7:12) teaches that chochmah is the very source of life for one who holds it.

וכ' מות וחיים ביד לשון.

And it is written, "Death and life are in the hand of the tongue."

The power of speech (Mishlei 18:21) can bring either life or death, depending on how a person uses it.

כמ"ש לעיל פ' תבוא שהלשון היא בחי' יד רמה למעלה מב' הידים.

As was explained above in Parashas Ki Savo, that the tongue is the aspect of a "raised hand" (yad ramah) above the two physical hands.

Speech is like a third, higher "hand" — a spiritual power that transcends the two ordinary hands of physical action.

והוא קול יעקב.

And this is "the voice of Yaakov."

The power of holy speech is the "kol Yaakov," the spiritual strength of Bnei Yisrael, as opposed to "the hands of Esav."

והוא ידו של משה דכ' כאשר ירים משה ידו.

And it is the hand of Moshe, as it is written, "When Moshe raised his hand."

This raised "hand" of holy speech is what Moshe lifted in the war against Amalek, drawing down strength from above.

ולכן סמכו במשנה זה הפסוק כאשר ירים לתקיעת שופר.

Therefore the Mishnah linked this verse, "when he raised," to the blowing of the shofar.

The Mishnah (Rosh Hashanah 29a) connects Moshe's raised hands to the shofar, teaching that both work by lifting the heart upward to Hashem.

שהרמז להסתכל למעלה לשורש ומשעבדין הלב לאביהם שבשמים.

For the hint is to look upward to the root and to subordinate the heart to their Father in Heaven.

Just as Bnei Yisrael looked heavenward when Moshe raised his hands, the shofar bids us turn our hearts upward and submit them to Hashem.

ובזה זוכין לחיים.

And through this one merits life.

By attaching the heart to its Source above, a person draws down true life on the day of judgment.

ומו"ז ז"ל אמר כי תשרי זמן גאולה.

And my grandfather, of blessed memory, said that Tishrei is a time of geulah (redemption).

The Chiddushei HaRim taught that the month of Tishrei carries the power of redemption.

כמ"ש ז"ל תשרי ותשבוק.

As Chazal said, "tishrei v'tishbok" (may You release and forgive).

The very name Tishrei echoes the Aramaic plea that Hashem release and pardon, hinting at the month's quality of liberation.

וכן אמרו בר"ה יצא יוסף מבית האסורים.

And likewise they said that on Rosh Hashanah Yosef went out from the prison.

Chazal teach (Rosh Hashanah 10b–11a) that Yosef was freed from prison on Rosh Hashanah, marking the day as a time of release.

והיא גאולת הנפש לצאת משעבוד הגוף עכ"ד.

And this is the redemption of the soul, to go out from the bondage of the body. (Thus far his words.)

The deeper geulah of Rosh Hashanah is the freeing of the neshamah from enslavement to the demands of the body.

וזהו עיקר המלחמה עם עמלק.

And this is the essence of the war with Amalek.

The true battle against Amalek is this very struggle to liberate the soul from the body's domination.

לכן כאשר ירים משה ידו.

Therefore, "when Moshe raised his hand."

Victory in that battle came specifically when Moshe lifted the higher "hand," directing the people's hearts upward.

והוא בכח תקיעות שופר שנק' יובל על שם החירות.

And this is accomplished through the power of the shofar blasts, which is called "yovel" on account of freedom.

The shofar shares the name of Yovel (the Jubilee), the year of liberation, because its blast embodies the power to set the soul free.

והתקיעה רמז שמצפין לצאת לחירות ולהתיר אגודות מוטה ונעשין כברי' חדשה:

And the shofar blast hints that we yearn to go out to freedom, to untie the bonds of the yoke, and to become like a new creation.

Blowing the shofar expresses our longing to break free of the yetzer hara's yoke and be reborn, made new for the year ahead.

Summary: The Sefas Emes explains that the shofar of Rosh Hashanah connects us to the "voice of Torah," the inner wisdom and life-force concealed within all creation. Like Moshe's raised hand in the war with Amalek, the shofar lifts the heart upward and subjugates it to Hashem. Tishrei is a time of geulah — the liberation of the soul from the bondage of the body — and the shofar (called yovel, freedom) expresses our yearning to break free and become a new creation.