This week’s Parashah includes the commandment to sound the trumpets at times of strife. We are also instructed to sound the trumpets in the Bais HaMikdash on festivals and during the sacrificial service: “When you go to wage war in your Land against an enemy who oppresses you, you shall sound short blasts of the trumpets, and you shall be recalled before Hashem, your G-d, and you shall be saved from your foes. On a day of your gladness, and on your festivals, and on your new moons, you shall sound the trumpets over your burnt-offerings and over your feast peace-offerings” (Bamidbar 1:9-10).
This week we will discuss the details of sounding the trumpets, and how this commandment might be relevant in our time. What is the underlying theme of sounding the trumpets? How were the trumpets actually sounded? Is it possible to renew the mitzvah today?
These questions, among others, are discussed below.
Contemporary Soundings
In accordance with the explicit command of the verse, the Rambam writes in his Sefer Ha-Mitzvos (Asei 59) that it is a Torah mitzvah to sound the trumpets at times of strife. The same ruling is found in Yad Hachazakah (Laws of Fasts 1:1). His ruling seems to indicate that the mitzvah applies even today, and is not limited to a specific era.
The Shulchan Aruch, however, writes that at times of strife the shofar is sounded (Orach Chayim 576:1). This ruling requires scrutiny: Why does the Shulchan Aruch depart from the explicit specification of the verse (and the Rambam) of trumpets, and say to sound the shofar?
Although the Gemara (Taanis 14a) writes that on fast days the shofar is sounded, and this appears to be the source of Shulchan Aruch, the Gemara has the same difficulty: Why does it mandate sounding the shofar and not trumpets?
Concerning the basic halachah of sounding trumpets at times of strife, the Magen Avraham (576:1) quotes the Rambam’s ruling requiring trumpets, and asks why we refrain from fulfilling the explicit Torah mitzvah of sounding trumpets (he also refers to sounding a shofar as a possibility) at times of strife? He offers no answer to this question.
In order to reach a solution to this enigma, we first introduce the Talmudic sugya in Rosh Hashanah (27a), which discusses the laws of sounding [the trumpets] at times of strife.
Three Opinions of How to Sound
The Gemara relates that R. Papa b. Shmuel wished to sound the shofar and trumpets on fasts. According to Rashi, the conclusion reached by the Gemara is that outside the Mikdash one must sound trumpets: “Outside the Mikdash, wherever there are trumpets, there is no shofar [meaning the shofar is not sounded].”
This is also the opinion of Baal Ha-Meor (ibid.), who subsequently questions the custom mentioned by Geonim of sounding the shofar on fast days.
The Ramban (Milchamos, ibid.) writes that the sounding of the shofar mentioned by Geonim derives from the Gemara in Taanis (14a), which explicitly mentions the sounding of shofaros. Although the conclusion of the Gemara in Rosh Hashanah seems to suggests otherwise, the Ramban explains that the two can be resolved, so that the Geonim’s ruling is based on the Gemara in Taanis.
This opinion is discussed by the Rashba, whose understanding of the conclusion of the Gemara is different from Rashi’s. According to the Rashba, the conclusion of the Gemara is that outside the Mikdash one may sound either the shofar or trumpets, but not both. Only in the Mikdash are both trumpets and shofarot sounded.
The above-mentioned custom to sound shofaros is therefore proper, for shofaros are more common today. Their sounding is permitted, provided trumpets are not present.
The ruling of the Rambam is therefore in line with the opinion of Rashi, so that only trumpets may be sounded. According to the Rashba, as noted, one may sound either the shofar or the trumpet. The Shulchan Aruch rules that specifically shofaros should be sounded.
No Trumpets?
We may now return to the question of the Magen Avraham: Why today do we not sound trumpets at times of strife?
Rav Moshe Feinstein (Shut Iggros Moshe, Orach Chayim 1:169) was asked a similar question concerning the Ritva, who writes that the custom in France not to sound the call at times of strife is because we do not have trumpets. Why should we not make trumpets, and use them for fulfilling the mitzvah?
As to creating our own trumpets to fulfill the mitzvah, Rav Moshe adds that the mitzvah applies solely to trumpets that are used for sounding in the Mikdash. He bases this assumption on the words of the Rambam, who records the sounding of trumpets at times of strife and the sounding in the Mikdash as a single mitzvah (a point questioned by Maggid Mishneh).
By placing the two mitzvos together, the Rambam teaches us that the only trumpets that may be used are those used in the Mikdash.
In an interesting responsa on the subject, Harav Elyashiv (Kovetz Teshuvos, Vol. 2, Orach Chayim 33) asks that we can simply make trumpets and consecrate them for use in the Mikdash, thereby validating them for sounding in times of strife?
To this question, he responds that the sounding of trumpets during the sacrificial service is part of the avodah. As an integral part of the sacrificial procedure, it follows that somebody who blows the trumpet for his own benefit (to play a tune) transgresses the Torah prohibition of me’ilah.
On account of this danger, we do not make trumpets in our times, and their sounding must await the Redemption and rebuilding of the Mikdash. (He also cited the Chinuch to the effect that the mitzvah applies specifically in times of the Mikdash.)
The Land of Israel
The answer above is only possible according to the Rambam, who maintains that only trumpets may be sounded. According to the Shulchan Aruch, who rules that the shofar is sounded, the question of sounding the shofar in the modern era remains. Why is the shofar not sounded in times of strife?
The Mishnah Berurah (576:1), who mentions the decision of Maggid Mishnah that a shofar (and not only a trumpet) may be sounded, addresses the issue. Citing the Nesiv Chayim, he writes that the mitzvah applies only in the Land of Israel. This is based on the simple reading of the verse: “When you go to wage war in your land … you shall sound the trumpets” (Bamidbar 1:9).
However, this answer is not without difficulties. Although the verse mentions the land, the mitzvah of sounding the trumpets is incumbent on ourselves (mitzvah shebegufo), and seems unrelated to the land. As a result, the mitzvah ought to apply universally (see Kiddushin 37a).
It can be suggested that a war in Eretz Yisrael is essentially different from a war outside the Holy Land, so that the mitzvah is limited to Eretz Yisrael. But we have already mentioned the custom of Geonim to sound the shofar on fast days, indicating that the mitzvah does apply outside the Land of Israel.
Notwithstanding these objections, Harav Moshe Sternbuch shlita (Teshuvos Ve-Hanhagos III:157) writes, based on the answer cited by Mishnah Berurah, that in the Land of Israel there is a full obligation to sound the trumpets or shofar.
He states that this, indeed, is the prevalent custom for special gatherings for communal prayer and supplication: “In Jerusalem it is customary to sound the shofar at communal gatherings at times of strife, at which selichos are recited. It would appear that this sounding fulfills the Torah precept.”
Another possibility, which is mentioned by the Aruch Hashulchan (576:3) and other authorities, is that the Torah mitzvah only applies in the Temple Era, but there is also a rabbinic mitzvah at all times—which would explain the custom of Geonim to sound the shofar.
Concerning this rabbinic enactment, the Aruch Hashulchan (576:3) explains that it was to sound the shofar (instead of the trumpets mandated by the Torah) specifically in the special benedictions enacted for fast days.
He thus states that because these blessings are not recited outside of the Land of Israel, it is not customary to sound the trumpets today (at least outside of Israel).
Practical Conclusions
It is interesting to note that on one occasion, when the threat of war loomed heavily on the State of Israel, the Jerusalem badatz decreed trumpets should be sounded, in line with the ruling of the Rambam.
Thus on 12 Iyar 5730 (18.5.1970), the last fast day of the Bahab series, specially fashioned silver trumpets were sounded as part of a special prayer service. In line with the ruling of Minchas Chinuch (384:2), the trumpets were sounded by Kohanim.
The custom, however, both with regard to trumpets and to shofaros, has not become common. We highlight a number of reasons why this might be so. The following list summarizes these reasons:
- The mitzvah can only be fulfilled with consecrated trumpets.
- The mitzvah only applies in the Temple Era.
- The mitzvah today is rabbinic, and was instituted together with blessings that are not generally recited.
- The mitzvah requires Kohanim, and today we cannot know who is a true Kohen (Mor U’Ketziah, Orach Chayim 576).
- The mitzvah only applies to strife that threatens the entire nation (Pri Megadim, quoted in Mishnah Berurah 576:1).
After a lengthy discourse, Shut Tzitz Eliezer (11:16) also concludes that it is improper to renew the custom in our times.
We await the time when it will be renewed—though not for times of strife, but for times of celebration.
