Blowing the Shofar

187. "In the seventh month, on the first day of the month" (Vayikra 23:24). Rabbi Yitzchak opened with, "Blow a Shofar at the new moon, at the full moon on our feast day" (Tehilim 81:4). Happy are Yisrael whom the Holy One, blessed be He, draw near rather than all the nations in the world, and chose them. From afar He drew them near. This is the meaning of, "And Joshua said to all the people, Thus says Hashem Elohim of Yisrael, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the river in old time" (Yehoshua 24:2), to indicate that He desired them from a distant place and drew them near Him. It is also written, "And I took your father Abraham from the other side of the river..." (Ibid. 3). We have to examine these verses. Did not the whole of Yisrael know this and Joshua all the more? WHY THE NEED TO SAY, "THUS SAYS HASHEM...?"

188. The whole Torah is both hidden and revealed just like the Holy Name, which is hidden and revealed, SPELLED AS YUD HEI VAV HEI BUT PRONOUNCED ADONAI. This is because the whole Torah is the Holy Name, which is why it is hidden and revealed. WE ASKED, If Yisrael and Joshua knew this, why is it written, "Thus says Hashem?" HE ANSWERS, Surely the secret meaning is that the Holy One, blessed be He, did great kindness with Yisrael in choosing the patriarchs, making them into a lofty holy Chariot for His glory. He brought them from the supernal, precious and holy river, the luminary of all luminaries, NAMELY BINAH, in order to be adorned by them. This is the meaning of, "Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the river in old time." The river IS that one specific river, NAMELY BINAH.

189. THE VERSE SAYS, "in old time (also: 'from the world')." HE ASKS, What does this convey, AND HE ANSWERS, This indicates Chochmah on the other side of the river, NAMELY from the world, since that river is called world. BINAH IS ALSO CALLED WORLD, AND HENCE "FROM THE WORLD" HAS THE SAME MEANING AS ACROSS THE RIVER. Hence IT SAYS, "Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the river from the world," to show the kindness and truth the Holy One, blessed be He did for Yisrael IN THIS, SINCE, "I took your father Abraham from the other side of the river." HE ASKS, What does THE VERSE teach us IN SAYING, "AND I TOOK YOUR FATHER ABRAHAM FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER," AND NOT SAYING, 'AND I TOOK ISAAC?' HE ANSWERS, Abraham did not cleave to that river like Isaac did, who was attached to his own aspect to draw strength.

190. Come and see, even though this river, BINAH, is not in Judgment, SINCE BINAH IS THE ATTRIBUTE OF MERCY, NEVERTHELESS Judgments come out from its side, AND JUDGMENTS are strengthened in it. When Isaac grows strong in his Judgments FROM THERE, the higher and lower beings are gathered for Judgment, the throne of Judgment, WHICH IS THE ATTRIBUTE OF JUDGMENT IN MALCHUT, is prepared, and the Holy King, ZEIR ANPIN, sits on the throne of Judgment and sentences the world. Then, "Blow a Shofar at the new moon, at the full moon on our feast day." BY THE SHOFAR THE ATTRIBUTE OF JUDGMENT TURNS INTO THE ATTRIBUTE OF MERCY. Happy are Yisrael who know how to remove the throne of Judgment and prepare the throne of mercy. How DO THEY DO IT? By the Shofar.

191. Rabbi Aba was sitting before Rabbi Shimon. He said to him, I have asked many times about the purpose of the Shofar, but never felt settled about it. He said to him, Surely this is its clear meaning. Yisrael need a Shofar rather than a horn on the day of Judgment, for the place of origin of the horn is known TO INDICATE MALCHUT, THE ATTRIBUTE OF JUDGMENT, and we should not arouse Judgment. IT IS NOT SO WITH THE SHOFAR THAT ALLUDES TO BINAH, WHICH IS MERCY. Indeed we learned that we need to indicate and rouse hidden things by deed, NAMELY, BY THE BLOWING OF THE SHOFAR AND ITS BLESSING.

192. Come and see, if the supernal Shofar, which includes all lights, is gone and does not shine upon the children, ZEIR ANPIN AND MALCHUT, Judgment is roused and thrones are prepared for the courthouse. The Shofar, BINAH, is called Isaac's ram, NAMELY Isaac's strength, SINCE 'RAM' IS DERIVED FROM STRENGTH. It gives importance to the patriarchs, CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET THAT RECEIVE ALL THEIR IMPORTANCE FROM THAT SHOFAR, BINAH. When the great Shofar is gone and does not shine on the children, ZEIR ANPIN AND MALCHUT, Isaac grows strong and prepares himself to judge the world.

193. When that Shofar is roused and people repent of their sins, the sound of the Shofar should resound from below. The sound arises up and then another, supernal Shofar is roused, WHICH IS BINAH. Mercy is awakened and Judgment is gone. A deed must be displayed by THE BLOWING OF the Shofar, in order to awaken another Shofar, BINAH, and to draw from the lower Shofar all those sounds, T'KIAH, SHVARIM, T'RUAH, T'KIAH, ETC., to show that all the celestial sounds included in the higher Shofar, THE THREE DETAILED COLUMNS INCLUDED IN BINAH, will be roused to emerge FROM BINAH TO ZEIR ANPIN AND MALCHUT.

194. By the sounds below Yisrael give strength above. Hence a Shofar needs to be summoned on that day, to arrange the sounds, NAMELY THE PATTERNS OF T'KIAH SHVARIM T'RUAH T'KIAH, ETC. to meditate on it so as to rouse another Shofar, BINAH, in which all the upper sounds, CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET OF ZEIR ANPIN are included.

195. In the first sequence OF THE THREE SEQUENCES, T'KIAH SHVARIM T'RUAH T'KIAH, ETC., a sound reverberates, adorned above IN BINAH. It rises through firmaments to be cleft between the high mountains. FROM THERE comes Abraham, CHESED OF ZEIR ANPIN, to dwell at its top. He is adorned, is roused and prepares the throne TO BE A THRONE OF MERCY. In the book of Agadah, we learned that when the first sound rises, Abraham awakens. He is adorned and prepares the throne. Aba is summoned upon him.

196. In the meantime the second sound resonates. It is strong to break harsh Judgments. This is the second sequence OF T'KIAH SHVARIM T'RUAH TEKIAH. The sound breaks with its strength. It rises TO BINAH and all Judgments that meet THERE are broken before it, until they rise to where Isaac is. When Isaac is roused and sees Abraham preparing the throne OF MERCY to stand before it, he is subdued and breaks the harsh Judgment. Whoever blows should meditate in heart and desire upon this, in order to break that power and the strength of the harsh Judgment. This is the meaning of, "Happy is the people that know the joyful note (Heb. t'ruah)" (Tehilim 89:16). T'RUAH IS DERIVED FROM BREAKING. Assuredly they know T'ruah.

197. In the third sequence OF T'KIAH SHVARIM T'RUAH T'KIAH, a sound emerges and rises. It cleaves all firmaments and mercy is aroused. ALL THIS OCCURS IN BINAH AND FROM THERE that sound reaches Jacob's head. Jacob wakes up and sees Abraham preparing on the other side. Then both hold Isaac from one side, THE RIGHT, and the other, THE CENTER, and the power OF THE JUDGMENT OF THE LEFT cannot come out. All these three sequences are all one sequence.

198. As for the other sequence OF THE THREE TIMES T'KIAH SHVARIM T'KIAH, a sound reverberates, rises, takes Abraham from his place and draws him down to where the powers of Isaac dwell. They maintain Abraham among them.

199. In the second sequence OF T'KIAH SHVARIM T'KIAH, a broken sound reverberates, not as strong as the first. It is not because the sound he blew is weak, but it is not directed at Isaac as before, where there is great strength. But THIS SOUND is meant for the lower courthouse, WHERE JUDGMENTS are more lax. They all see Abraham by them and are subdued before him.

200. Then comes the third sequence OF T'KIAH SHVARIM T'KIAH. A sound emerges and rises. It is crowned on the head of Jacob and draws him down to where the Judgments of the left dwell. Before it stand Abraham on the one side and Jacob on the other. There are GVUROT inside the two of them, which are then subdued and SHINE where they are. All THREE SEQUENCES are another, INCLUSIVE sequence.

201. The last, INCLUSIVE sequence IS THREE TIMES T'KIAH T'RUAH T'KIAH. These need to raise them to their places and settle Isaac among them as before. For that reason, they need to place him in his place IN SUCH A WAY that he will not come out through the power OF HIS GVUROT. All Judgments are subdued then and Mercy awakens.

202. For that reason it behooves us to meditate and concentrate on these sounds OF THREE TIMES T'KIAH SHVARIM T'RUAH T'KIAH, THREE TIMES T'KIAH SHVARIM T'KIAH AND THREE TIMES T'KIAH T'RUAH T'KIAH. And they need to repent before their Master. Then, when Yisrael ready themselves and arrange these sounds willingly and properly with this LOWER Shofar, BINAH, the upper Shofar SHINES again. When it SHINES again, it adorns Jacob, ZEIR ANPIN, and everything is established. A different throne, THE THRONE OF MERCY, is placed. Joy abounds everywhere and the Holy One, blessed be He has mercy upon the world. Happy is the lot of Yisrael, who know how to direct and draw their Master from Judgment to Mercy, and establish the worlds by their handiwork.

203. Come and see, in correspondence to this, THE THREE SEQUENCES OF THE SHOFAR, THE THREE COLUMNS, three books are open on that day. ONE IS FOR THE WHOLLY RIGHTEOUS, THE SECRET OF THE RIGHT COLUMN, ONE FOR THE WHOLLY EVIL, THE SECRET OF THE HARSH JUDGMENT ON THE LEFT COLUMN, AND ONE FOR THE MEDIOCRE, THE SECRET OF THE CENTRAL COLUMN. Just as THROUGH THE BLOWING OF THE SHOFAR Mercy awakens and harsh Judgments are subdued and return to their place, it is below as it is above. The harsh Judgments BELOW are subdued and removed from the world. These are the wholly wicked, who are harsh Judgments. They are subdued, and removed from the world. By that they are written and sentenced to death immediately. THE WHOLLY RIGHTEOUS, A CHARIOT TO THE RIGHT, ARE WRITTEN TO LIFE IMMEDIATELY AND THE MEDIOCRE, WHO ARE A CHARIOT TO THE CENTRAL COLUMN, ARE IN SUSPENSE UNTIL YOM KIPPUR, WHEN IT IS COMPLETED THROUGH THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH IN BINAH, THE LIGHT OF LIFE. Rabbi Aba said, Surely this is the clear meaning of the matter. Blessed is the Merciful that I have asked and attained these matters.

204. Rabbi Yehuda said, It is written, "a memorial of blowing" (Vayikra 23:24), WHICH MEANS we are reminded to direct the heart and wish IN THE MANNER MENTIONED ABOVE. Yisrael perform a memorial below, by the deed OF BLOWING THE SHOFAR so that a similar thing will be roused above.

205. Rabbi Elazar said, It is written, "at the full moon (also: 'the covering') on our feast day." THIS IS BECAUSE the moon, MALCHUT, was covered on it, FOR ON ROSH HASHANAH THE MOON IS HIDDEN. HE ASKS, How is it covered, AND HE ANSWERS, When there is a cloud UNDERNEATH THE SUN and the sun, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, does not shine, the moon is covered, WHICH MEANS it does not shine, SINCE THERE IS NO ONE FROM WHICH TO RECEIVE LIGHT, FOR WHATEVER MALCHUT HAS, SHE RECEIVES FROM ZEIR ANPIN. Therefore, if because of the clouds, WHICH INDICATE JUDGMENTS, the sun, ZEIR ANPIN, cannot shine, the moon all the more is hidden and cannot illuminate. Hence, in "at the covering (Heb. keseh) on our feast day," KESEH IS SPELLED WITH Hei IN FINAL POSITION, TO INDICATE THAT the moon is covered BECAUSE OF JUDGMENTS. How can everything, BOTH ZEIR ANPIN AND MALCHUT, shine? Through repentance and the sound of the Shofar, as it is written, "Happy is the people that know the joyful note." Then, "they shall walk, Hashem, in the light of Your countenance" (Tehilim 89:16).