ראש השנה ג׳Rosh Hashanah 3

Mishnah 1א׳

רָאוּהוּ בֵית דִּין וְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל, נֶחְקְרוּ הָעֵדִים, וְלֹא הִסְפִּיקוּ לוֹמַר מְקֻדָּשׁ, עַד שֶׁחֲשֵׁכָה, הֲרֵי זֶה מְעֻבָּר. רָאוּהוּ בֵית דִּין בִּלְבַד, יַעַמְדוּ שְׁנַיִם וְיָעִידוּ בִפְנֵיהֶם, וְיֹאמְרוּ מְקֻדָּשׁ מְקֻדָּשׁ. רָאוּהוּ שְׁלשָׁה וְהֵן בֵּית דִּין, יַעַמְדוּ הַשְּׁנַיִם וְיוֹשִׁיבוּ מֵחַבְרֵיהֶם אֵצֶל הַיָּחִיד וְיָעִידוּ בִפְנֵיהֶם, וְיֹאמְרוּ מְקֻדָּשׁ מְקֻדָּשׁ, שֶׁאֵין הַיָּחִיד נֶאֱמָן עַל יְדֵי עַצְמוֹ:

If the Beth Din and all Israel saw the new moon, 1 or if the examination of the witnesses had already taken place, but it had become dark before the word "Mekudash [It is sanctified]," was pronounced, the month will be intercalary. When the Beth Din alone saw it, two of its members must stand up before the others as witnesses, who shall then say, "It is sanctified, it is sanctified." When only three forming a Beth Din have seen it, two of them must stand up as witnesses, and conjoin some of their learned associates with the single one, and then give their evidence before these, who are to say, "It is sanctified, it is sanctified," because a single member of a Beth Din has not this faculty by himself alone.

Mishnah 2ב׳

כָּל הַשּׁוֹפָרוֹת כְּשֵׁרִין חוּץ מִשֶּׁל פָּרָה, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא קֶרֶן. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי, וַהֲלֹא כָל הַשּׁוֹפָרוֹת נִקְרְאוּ קֶרֶן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יהושע ו), בִּמְשֹׁךְ בְּקֶרֶן הַיּוֹבֵל:

All shofars are acceptable, except that of a cow because it is a horn (“keren”). Rabbi Yosi said: But all shofars are called “keren”, as it states, “upon a long blast from the ram’s horn ('keren')” (Josh. 6:5).

Mishnah 3ג׳

שׁוֹפָר שֶׁל רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה שֶׁל יָעֵל, פָּשׁוּט, וּפִיו מְצֻפֶּה זָהָב, וּשְׁתֵּי חֲצוֹצְרוֹת מִן הַצְּדָדִין. שׁוֹפָר מַאֲרִיךְ וַחֲצוֹצְרוֹת מְקַצְּרוֹת, שֶׁמִּצְוַת הַיּוֹם בַּשּׁוֹפָר:

The shofar of Rosh Hashana – is [made] of an ibex [horn, and is] straight. Its mouth is coated in gold, and there are two trumpets alongside. The shofar [blast] extends while the trumpets cut short, since the mitzva of the day is with a shofar.

Mishnah 4ד׳

בַּתַּעֲנִיּוֹת, בְּשֶׁל זְכָרִים, כְּפוּפִין, וּפִיהֶן מְצֻפֶּה כֶסֶף, וּשְׁתֵּי חֲצוֹצְרוֹת בָּאֶמְצַע. שׁוֹפָר מְקַצֵּר וַחֲצוֹצְרוֹת מַאֲרִיכוֹת, שֶׁמִּצְוַת הַיּוֹם בַּחֲצוֹצְרוֹת:

On fast days – [the shofars that are used are] of a ram, [and are] bent. Their mouths are coated in silver, and two trumpets are in the middle. The shofar cuts short and the trumpets extend, since the mitzva of the day is with trumpets.

Mishnah 5ה׳

שָׁוֶה הַיּוֹבֵל לְרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה לַתְּקִיעָה וְלַבְּרָכוֹת. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה תּוֹקְעִין בְּשֶׁל זְכָרִים, וּבַיּוֹבְלוֹת בְּשֶׁל יְעֵלִים:

The Jubilee year is equivalent to Rosh Hashana with regard to blowings and blessings. Rabbi Yehuda says: On Rosh Hashana – we blow with those of rams, and on the Jubilee – with those of ibexes.

Mishnah 6ו׳

שׁוֹפָר שֶׁנִּסְדַּק וְדִבְּקוֹ, פָּסוּל. דִּבֵּק שִׁבְרֵי שׁוֹפָרוֹת, פָּסוּל. נִקַּב וּסְתָמוֹ, אִם מְעַכֵּב אֶת הַתְּקִיעָה, פָּסוּל. וְאִם לָאו, כָּשֵׁר:

A shofar that was cracked and glued – [is] unfit. [If one] glued fragments of shofars – [it is] unfit. [If it was] pierced and he stopped it up: If it impedes the blast – [it is] unfit, but if not – [it is] fit.

Mishnah 7ז׳

הַתּוֹקֵעַ לְתוֹךְ הַבּוֹר אוֹ לְתוֹךְ הַדּוּת אוֹ לְתוֹךְ הַפִּטָּס, אִם קוֹל שׁוֹפָר שָׁמַע, יָצָא. וְאִם קוֹל הֲבָרָה שָׁמַע, לֹא יָצָא. וְכֵן מִי שֶׁהָיָה עוֹבֵר אֲחוֹרֵי בֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת, אוֹ שֶׁהָיָה בֵיתוֹ סָמוּךְ לְבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת, וְשָׁמַע קוֹל שׁוֹפָר אוֹ קוֹל מְגִלָּה, אִם כִּוֵּן לִבּוֹ, יָצָא, וְאִם לָאו, לֹא יָצָא. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁזֶּה שָׁמַע וְזֶה שָׁמַע, זֶה כִּוֵּן לִבּוֹ וְזֶה לֹא כִוֵּן לִבּוֹ:

One who blows into a cistern, a barrel, or a jar: If he heard the sound of the shofar – he has fulfilled [his obligation]; if he heard the sound of an echo – he has not fulfilled [his obligation]. Similarly: one who was passing behind a synagogue, or whose house was adjacent to a synagogue, and heard the sound of the shofar or the sound of the scroll [of Esther, on Purim]: If he directed his heart – he has fulfilled [his obligation], but if not – he has not fulfilled [his obligation]. Even though this one and that one both heard, this one directed his heart, and that one did not direct his heart.

Mishnah 8ח׳

וְהָיָה כַּאֲשֶׁר יָרִים משֶׁה יָדוֹ וְגָבַר יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגוֹ' (שמות יז), וְכִי יָדָיו שֶׁל משֶׁה עוֹשׂוֹת מִלְחָמָה אוֹ שׁוֹבְרוֹת מִלְחָמָה. אֶלָּא לוֹמַר לְךָ, כָּל זְמַן שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִסְתַּכְּלִים כְּלַפֵּי מַעְלָה וּמְשַׁעְבְּדִין אֶת לִבָּם לַאֲבִיהֶם שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם הָיוּ מִתְגַּבְּרִים. וְאִם לָאו, הָיוּ נוֹפְלִין. כַּיּוֹצֵא בַדָּבָר אַתָּה אוֹמֵר (במדבר כא), עֲשֵׂה לְךָ שָׂרָף וְשִׂים אֹתוֹ עַל נֵס, וְהָיָה כָּל הַנָּשׁוּךְ וְרָאָה אֹתוֹ וָחָי. וְכִי נָחָשׁ מֵמִית, אוֹ נָחָשׁ מְחַיֶּה. אֶלָּא, בִּזְמַן שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל מִסְתַּכְּלִין כְּלַפֵּי מַעְלָה וּמְשַׁעְבְּדִין אֶת לִבָּם לַאֲבִיהֶן שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם, הָיוּ מִתְרַפְּאִים, וְאִם לָאו, הָיוּ נִמּוֹקִים. חֵרֵשׁ, שׁוֹטֶה, וְקָטָן, אֵין מוֹצִיאִין אֶת הָרַבִּים יְדֵי חוֹבָתָן. זֶה הַכְּלָל, כֹּל שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְחֻיָּב בַּדָּבָר, אֵינוֹ מוֹצִיא אֶת הָרַבִּים יְדֵי חוֹבָתָן:

[In this manner we find it stated in Scripture, that] “And so it was, when Moshe raised his hand, Israel prevailed…” (Exodus 17:11) Do Moshe’s hands make or break war? Rather, this teaches: Whenever Israel would look upward and direct their hearts to their Father in heaven – they prevailed, and if not – they fell. You can say similarly: “Make a copper snake and place it on a pole, and everyone bitten who sees it will live” (Num. 21:8) Does the snake cause death or revive? Rather: Whenever Israel would look upward and subject their hearts to their Father in heaven – they healed; and if not – they were harmed. A deaf and dumb, or a foolish person, and a child, cannot relieve others from their obligation by acting for them. This is the rule—all those who are not bound to the performance of a religious duty, cannot release others from their obligation.