Rosh Hashanah 32 - November 10, 6 Kislev

Study Guide Rosh Hashanah 32

Today’s daf is sponsored by Barbara Goldschlag for a refuah shleima for Jeremy, Yirmiyahu ben Baila Frumit.

Today's daf is also sponsored by Rochie Sommer In loving memory of her Zayde, Aryeh Leib Ben Tzadok whose yahrzeit was on 30 Cheshvan. “I was not zoche to meet him. In his small neighborhood in Brooklyn, he was a role model for his community in his shul and through the standards he kept and his generosity to those in need amongst those who shopped at his butcher store. My mother, aunt and uncle have raised my Zayde's next generations with a love of Judaism and Eretz Yisrael.”

In the Mussaf prayer of Rosh Hashanah, there are 9 blessings. The three middle blessings include one for kedushat hayom, the sanctity of the day, one for zichronot, remembrance and one for shofarot. There is a debate between Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Yochanan ben Nuri regarding the blessing of malchuyot, kingship of God, whether it is combined with the third blessing, kedushat HaShem, sanctity of God or with the fourth blessing, sanctity of the day. They also debate whether or not the shofar is blown with malchuyot. What is the source in the Torah for the first three blessings and for malchuyot, zichronot and shofarot? Rabbi Akiva says one needs ten verses for each of the middle blessings while Rabbi Yochanan ben Nuri says only three. Only verses that are positive can be used and not ones speaking of bad times for the Jews. Remembrance of individuals is not used, only of the community. The ten verses are made up of 3 each from Torah, Prophets and Writings, and the final one from the Torah – or is it from the Prophets? The Gemara continues to analyze which verses can be used and which cannot. Shofar is blown in Mussaf while Hallel is recited by the chazan of Shacharit. Why? One is not allowed to do something that is forbidden on Yom Tov in order to blow the shofar, such as bring it from outside techum or climb up a tree to get it. Children are allowed to blow the shofar on Rosh Hashanah to practice.