{"id":10134,"date":"2014-05-03T00:02:45","date_gmt":"2014-05-02T21:02:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/?p=10134"},"modified":"2020-09-14T13:21:18","modified_gmt":"2020-09-14T10:21:18","slug":"15-03-02","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/15-03-02\/","title":{"rendered":"02. A Day of Teru\u2019a<\/em>"},"content":{"rendered":"

Because Rosh Ha-shana is a day of judgment, it is called \u201cyom teru\u2019a<\/em>\u201d (Bamidbar 29:1). While teki\u2019a<\/em> expresses joy and stability, teru\u2019a<\/em> alludes to brokenness, dread, crying, and radical change (4:1 below). Thus, Onkelos translates the phrase \u201cyom teru\u2019a<\/em>\u201d as \u201ca day of wailing.\u201d[1]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n

Similarly, God instructed the Israelites in the desert to blow a teki\u2019a<\/em> on the trumpets when they needed to gather the people, as a teki\u2019a<\/em> expresses joy and togetherness. In contrast, when they needed to go out to war or leave their encampment and move on, they were instructed to blow a teru\u2019a<\/em> (Bamidbar 10:1-7), for a teru\u2019a <\/em>represents brokenness and crying over that which is finished but imperfect, and apprehension about what comes next. If this is the feeling that results from physical dislocation, how much greater is the apprehension surrounding Rosh Ha-shana \u2013 a time when a person\u2019s allotted life for the past year has run out, and his life for the next year has yet to be allotted. It has yet to be determined who will live and who will die, who will enjoy tranquility and who will suffer. All is dependent upon the judgment.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, intense apprehension fills the heart of all who are aware of the tremendous responsibility God tasked us with \u2013 sustaining and repairing the world. With fear and dread, each person takes stock of his internal landscape, evaluating whether he has carried out his mission or fallen short. Therefore, even though the sound of a teru\u2019a<\/em> is of short duration, the day in its entirety is referred to as yom teru\u2019a<\/em> \u2013 a day of brokenness and tears, fear and apprehension.<\/p>\n

We are commanded to blow a shofar rather than a trumpet because the sound produced by the shofar better expresses the teru\u2019a<\/em>. It is a cri de coeur<\/em>, a primal sound, a sound that precedes words and articulation, more primal than standard sighs or tears. Its sound has the power to express tremendous pain for all the lies, thieving, neglect, and wantonness; for the awful distance which separates a person from the Creator; for the vast chasm between our lofty aspirations and our mundane lives (Shlah<\/em>, Masekhet Rosh Ha-shana<\/em>, Torah Or<\/em> \u00a755).<\/p>\n

This is the great mitzva that God commanded His people \u2013 to blow the shofar on Rosh Ha-shana, to express, with humility and modesty, their recognition of His kingship. It is precisely through the pain and wailing hinted at by the shofar blasts that all claims against us are annulled, and we are judged favorably. This is the meaning of the Sages\u2019 statement: \u201cAny year that starts impoverished (rash<\/em>) will end with wealth, as the verse says, \u2018From year\u2019s beginning (me-reshit <\/em>[spelled defectively]) to year\u2019s end\u2019 (Devarim 11:12)\u201d (Rosh Ha-shana<\/em> 16b). However, we are also commanded to surround each teru\u2019a<\/em> with teki\u2019ot<\/em>, which allude to stability and happiness, since judgment and punishment at their root are meant to perfect and correct.<\/p>\n

It is said in the name of Arizal that one should cry on Rosh Ha-shana, and that if one is not overcome with weeping, it indicates that his soul is indecent and imperfect (Sha\u2019ar Ha-kavanot<\/em> 90a). Tears are an expression of yom teru\u2019a<\/em>, a day of wailing and tears. True, Rosh Ha-shana is also a holiday and a sacred occasion, on which there is a mitzva to rejoice. Evidently, the tears of Rosh Ha-shana are not tears of despair and depression, but tears of longing to ascend higher, tears of sorrow for all that we have not yet been privileged to repair, tears of overwhelming joy over the privilege to stand before Him, the immensity of the mission He gave us, and the holy soul with which He has endowed us. This weeping on the day of judgment causes inner joy and pleasure, because it expresses the truth, and leads to improvement and blessing. These two aspects of Rosh Ha-shana \u2013 holiday and teru\u2019a<\/em> day \u2013 are expressed through the teki\u2019ot<\/em> and the teru\u2019ot<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n[1]<\/a>. It is written, \u201cSmash them (tero\u2019em<\/em>) with an iron mace; shatter them like potter\u2019s ware\u201d (Tehilim 2:9). The word tero\u2019em<\/em> indicates breaking. Similarly, we read, \u201cThe earth is breaking, breaking (ro\u2019a hitro\u2019a\u2019a<\/em>). The earth is crumbling, crumbling. The earth is tottering, tottering\u201d (Yeshayahu 24:19). Finally, \u201cThey shall lay waste (ve-ra\u2019u<\/em>) to the land of Assyria with the sword\u201d (Micha 5:5), meaning they will smash the land of Assyria (Rashi).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Because Rosh Ha-shana is a day of judgment, it is called \u201cyom teru\u2019a\u201d (Bamidbar 29:1). While teki\u2019a expresses joy and stability, teru\u2019a alludes to brokenness, dread, crying, and radical change (4:1 below). Thus, Onkelos translates the phrase \u201cyom teru\u2019a\u201d as \u201ca day of wailing.\u201d[1] Similarly, God instructed the Israelites in the desert to blow a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[186],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10134","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-15-03"],"yoast_head":"\n02. 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Thus, Onkelos translates the phrase \u201cyom teru\u2019a\u201d as \u201ca day of wailing.\u201d[1] Similarly, God instructed the Israelites in the desert to blow a […]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/15-03-02\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Peninei Halakha\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2014-05-02T21:02:45+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2020-09-14T10:21:18+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"\u05e6\u05d5\u05d5\u05ea \u05d4\u05d0\u05ea\u05e8\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"\u05e6\u05d5\u05d5\u05ea \u05d4\u05d0\u05ea\u05e8\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/15-03-02\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/15-03-02\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"\u05e6\u05d5\u05d5\u05ea \u05d4\u05d0\u05ea\u05e8\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/8822293bfa4f7cd35b44a3c311851b63\"},\"headline\":\"02. 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