Q&A: Teruah-Teruah Gezerah Shavah
Teruah-Teruah Gezerah Shavah
Question
The Sages taught: From where do we know that it is with a shofar? As it is written (Leviticus 25:9): “Then you shall sound the shofar blast.” I only know this regarding the Jubilee; from where do we know it regarding Rosh Hashanah? The text says, “in the seventh month.” It need not have said, “in the seventh month,” so why does it say, “in the seventh month”? To teach that all the blasts of this seventh month are alike.
The Sages drew an analogy between two verses—
AND YOU SHALL SOUND THE SHOFAR BLAST IN THE SEVENTH MONTH, on the tenth day of the month; on the Day of Atonement you shall sound the shofar throughout all your land. (Leviticus 25:9)
IN THE SEVENTH MONTH, on the first day of the month, there shall be for you a solemn rest, a memorial of BLASTING, a holy convocation. (Leviticus 23:24)
- The analogy is not necessary, because the Bible gives us other sources where a teruah is sounded—and there it is with trumpets, not a shofar. For example, in chapter 10 of the book of Numbers? https://www.mechon-mamre.org/i/t/k/k0410.htm
- A teruah is also sounded on festivals that occur in the seventh month, and with trumpets (source—ibid.). Why did the Jubilee receive exclusivity for the analogy from which we learn that the teruah is with a shofar?
Thank you very much, and happy holiday!
Answer
I assume it is because of the similarity in content. A gezerah shavah is not a purely technical matter. When two identical words are found, we compare the contexts—but according to the subject matter. I don’t have time right now to go in and check what exactly distinguishes each context and why they chose to compare specifically to a shofar and not to trumpets, but simply put, that is because the blowing on Rosh Hashanah is not a cry of alarm but a blast in honor of the Holy One, blessed be He.
I recall a comprehensive article by Prof. Pientko on the trumpets, and it’s worth checking. For now I found this:
https://www.kipa.co.il/%D7%99%D7%94%D7%93%D7%95%D7%AA/%D7%92%D7%9E%D7%A8%D7%90/%D7%91%D7%99%D7%9F-%D7%A9%D7%95%D7%A4%D7%A8-%D7%9C%D7%97%D7%A6%D7%95%D7%A6%D7%A8%D7%94/
Discussion on Answer
Thank you, Rabbi—
I looked for an article by Prof. Pientko and couldn’t find one—do you אולי have a link?
And if not, then maybe a direction for where to look?
This is what I found just now: http://hsf.bgu.ac.il/cjt/files/library%20files/al%20pi%20habeer%20toc.pdf
This is a memory from a very long time ago, and maybe you won’t find an answer there.
A teruah in the seventh month appears only in the Jubilee and on Rosh Hashanah.