Rosh Hashanah 34a

ראש השנה ל״ד ע״א

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Topic

The sources and order of the שופר blasts on ראש השנה, and רבי אבהו's sets of שברים and תרועה

Overview

This amud builds the order of the שופר blasts on ראש השנה from the פסוקים. One ברייתא uses the extra words 'in the seventh month' and a גזירה שוה on 'seventh' to give three sets of תקיעה-תרועה-תקיעה, nine blasts in all. The גמרא explains that this ברייתא's היקש was only a backup to its גזירה שוה. A second ברייתא learns the plain blasts before and after each תרועה from the trumpets in the מדבר, and carries them over to ראש השנה with a גזירה שוה on the word תרועה. That ברייתא counts two תרועות as Torah law and one as from the חכמים, while רבי יונתן counts only one as Torah law. The גמרא then works out where each opinion learns that the שופר is blown by day, the rules of רב מתנא, and that a שופר, not a trumpet, is used. Finally, רבי אבהו's practice in קיסרי of blowing שברים and תרועה is explained as covering the doubt about what the Torah's תרועה sounds like. The amud ends as the גמרא begins רבי יוחנן's comment on stretching one blast to count as two, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (44)

1. StatementAn extra phrase teaches that all seventh-month blasts are alike
2. QuestionAsking for the source of three sets of three blasts
3. ResponseThree verses mention תרועה, so there are three sets
4. QuestionHow can rules from one occasion apply to the other?
5. ResponseThe word 'seventh' links the two days
6. ConclusionThe practical result: nine blasts and the length of each
7. ChallengeWhy did the תנא switch methods?
8. ResolutionThe היקש was only a backup
9. StatementA second ברייתא learns from the מדבר
10. QuestionMaybe תקיעה and תרועה are one sound?
11. ResponseProof from gathering the people
12. ProofA plain blast comes before the תרועה
13. ProofA plain blast comes after the תרועה
14. StatementThe extra word 'שנית' teaches the rule
15. QuestionWhat about ראש השנה?
16. ResponseThe word תרועה links them
17. StatementThree פסוקים say תרועה for ראש השנה
18. ConclusionThree תרועות and six תקיעות: two from the Torah, one from the חכמים
19. Statementרבי יונתן: only one תרועה is from the Torah
20. QuestionWhat is the 'own teaching'?
21. ResponseIt teaches: blow by day, not at night
22. QuestionWhere does the other opinion learn 'by day, not by night'?
23. ResponseHe learns it from 'On the Day of Atonement'
24. ChallengeThen learn the plain blasts from the יובל verse too
25. ResolutionThose words do not mean plain blasts to them
26. QuestionSo what do they learn from those words?
27. ResponseThey follow רב מתנא's two lessons
28. QuestionAnd the other opinion: where does it learn רב מתנא?
29. ResponseHe learns רב מתנא from the unusual wording
30. ResolutionBlowing, not carrying, is learned from משה
31. ChallengeShould we use trumpets like in the wilderness?
32. ResolutionThe פסוק says שופר for ראש השנה
33. Statementרבי אבהו's order of blasts in קיסרי
34. ChallengeWhy blow both שברים and תרועה?
35. Resolutionרבי אבהו was unsure which sound the Torah means
36. ChallengeRav Avira: the extra שברים might break the set
37. ResolutionThat is why he also blows תקיעה-תרועה-תקיעה
38. Challengeרבינא: the extra תרועה might break the set
39. ResolutionThat is why he also blows תקיעה-שברים-תקיעה
40. ChallengeThen why is the combined set needed at all?
41. ResolutionMaybe the sound is moaning and then whimpering
42. ChallengeThen also blow the reverse order
43. ResolutionPeople first moan and then whimper
44. StatementBack to the משנה: stretching the second blast as two