Rabbi Calls to Resume Shofar Blowing on Shabbat

At an event marking the 50th anniversary of the Neve Dekalim Yeshiva, Rabbi Yisrael Ariel urged the revival of the practice of blowing the shofar on Rosh Hashanah when it falls on Shabbat. Rabbi Ariel, head of the Temple Institute and the Machon HaMikdash yeshiva, argued that current conditions permit resuming this observance, citing historical sources and customs.

He addressed the concern that blowing the shofar might be considered a prohibited labor on Shabbat, stating that rabbinic tradition views it as a skill, not a forbidden act. Furthermore, he contended that the historical prohibition against carrying the shofar in public on Shabbat is mitigated by the widespread presence of eruvs, which permit carrying within designated areas. Rabbi Ariel noted that in contemporary society, various items are carried on Shabbat for religious purposes, questioning why the shofar, a central mitzvah, should be excluded.

Rabbi Ariel also discussed the historical uncertainty surrounding the determination of Rosh Chodesh, which led to the postponement of Rosh Hashanah observances in the past. He asserted that in the modern era, with readily available calendars and timekeeping devices, everyone knows the exact date of Rosh Hashanah, removing this historical impediment.

He referenced the Mishnaic תקנה (regulation) by Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai, which allowed shofar blowing in places with a Sanhedrin (rabbinical court) after the destruction of the Temple. He cited Rabbi Yitzhak Alfasi (Rif) who, according to Rabbi Ariel, would blow the shofar annually on Shabbat in his yeshiva in Fes, Morocco, even without a formal Sanhedrin. Rabbi Ariel also touched upon the debate regarding the required nature of the rabbinical court, contrasting Maimonides' view requiring a nearby court in Israel with other opinions that a court of three suffices.

Rabbi Ariel presented evidence of shofar blowing on Shabbat in Israel and other communities for centuries, attributing the cessation of the practice in Israel to the destruction of communities and the influence of immigrants bringing their customs. He mentioned an unsuccessful attempt about 150 years ago in Jerusalem to revive the practice, where rabbinic leaders deemed it halachically permissible but it did not materialize.

Concluding his remarks, Rabbi Ariel reiterated his call to reinstate the practice, emphasizing the current availability of eruvs, calendars, and learned individuals. He noted that shofar blowing on Shabbat is already occurring in Jerusalem in years when Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbat, with initiatives underway to establish rabbinical courts for this purpose.