The Appropriate Baal Tokei’a By Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser

It was during the month of Elul, and Rav Levi Yitzchok was searching for a baal tokei’a for Rosh Hashanah. Yidden from all over flocked to R’ Levi Yitzchok to beg for the zechus to blow shofar for him.

R’ Levi Yitzchok took aside each applicant and asked, “What are your kavanos during the teki’as hashofar?” And each individual enumerated the lofty and holy machshovos to which he would be mechaven.

R’ Levi Yitzchok then approached the simple Yid, bent over a sefer in the corner of the bais hamedrash, who just hadn’t had the courage to even come close to the group of scholars huddled around the Rav. R’ Levi Yitzchok asked, “And what about you?”

The Yid trembled in the gadol’s presence and said, “Rebbi, I am a simple Jew with four daughters to marry, and I don’t even have a penny for a dowry. When it comes time for tekias shofar I will be mechaven ‘Ribono Shel Olam, may the teki’as shofar be according to Your will, and may the Ribono Shel Olam please fulfill my will and send zivugim for my daughters.’”
“You have the proper kavanos; you will be the appropriate ba’al tokei’a for Rosh Hashanah,” Rav Levi Yitzchok exclaimed.

Accepting the Yoke of the Heavenly Kingdom By Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser

The Chasam Sofer beautifully explains one of the reasons that we have the shofar is to inspire Am Yisroel to accept ol malchus Shomayim -- the yoke of the Heavenly Kingdom. What is the yoke of the Heavenly Kingdom? That is the responsibility of Torah and mitzvos.

Therefore, when the Soton hears the first set of tekios that we are blowing according to the mitzvah of the Torah he is frightened, but not totally terrified. For he still “comforts” himself, believing that Klal Yisroel will only accept upon themselves the mitzvos of the Torah but they will surely not accept the mitzvos of rabbinic origin. However at the time of tefillas mussaf, when we once again blow the shofar following the instructions of the chachamim, it is clear proof to the Soton that we regard the words of the chachamim the same as the words of the Torah itself, even to the point that the prohibition of bal tosif does not apply at all to their words. When the Soton realizes that we have accepted the yoke of Torah and also the mitzvos d’rabbanan he becomes completely horrified.

Alarming the Soton By Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser

The Talmud Yerushalmi states that when the first set of tekios are blown before Mussaf, the Soton is somewhat alarmed. When we once again blow the tekios that the chachamim instituted during the tefillas mussaf, the Soton becomes terrified. The early commentaries ask: How is it possible that the chachamim instituted the extra blowing of the shofar during tefillas mussaf seemingly adding on to the original mitzvah? We know that there is a Torah prohibition of adding on to the mitzvos.

The Rashba answers that the issue of “bal tosif, adding on to a mitzvah” is only applicable where the person puts in something on his own accord. However, if the chachamim instituted it for a specific need then there is no prohibition of bal tosif. Like it says in the Torah (Devarim 17:11)”according to the teachings that they will teach you … shall you do,” meaning that we are commanded to listen to the words of our chachamim.

Commemorating Akeidas Yitzchak By Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser

In contrast to the way we fulfill all the other mitzvos in the Torah, an interesting difference has been noted in our performance of the mitzvah of tekias shofar. With every other mitzvah, we reveal the mitzvah that we are about to perform. However, by the mitzvah of shofar we cover the mitzvah, and the shofar is not revealed until we are actually ready to perform the mitzvah. Why is this so?

We learn that when Avraham Avinu set out on his journey to offer Yitzchak as a korban, he was afraid that perhaps the Soton would want to prevent him from fulfilling this mitzvah. He would perhaps throw a stone in order to wound Yitzchak and thus invalidate him as a sacrifice. As a precaution, Avraham Avinu covered Yitzchak and concealed him from all eyes. To recall the great zechus of Avrahm Avinu and his mesiras nefesh to sacrifice his only son, we cover the shofar which is in itself a commemoration of Akeidas Yitzchak.