L’Shana Tovah – Happy New Year
SHOFAR BLOWING

 
Tekiah, Shevarim, Teruah, Tekiah
In the Bible, Rosh Hashana is a one day holiday. The change from a one day to a two day holiday happened because that one day could possibly fall on Shabbat meaning the shofar could not be blown or heard. They added the second day to make it possible.

This year, Rosh Hashana starts on Friday night, September 10th and ends Sunday night. The shofar will not be blown on the first day of Rosh Hashana this year because it falls on a Shabbat.

Three different kind of sounds are used for the blowing of the shofar. Two of these shofar sounds are mentioned in the Bible: the tekiah and the teruah (Numbers 10:5-8).

The tekiah is described in the Talmud (4:9), Rosh Hashana book, as a long blast and the teruah as three yevavot, or trembling sounds. The exact idea of these sounds was never confirmed. In the third century, Talmudic Scholars debated the exact sound of the teruah, having come to an agreement that the tekiah was one single, long blast. Some thought the teruah was to be a moaning sound, while others felt it should consist of nine staccato blasts.

May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year!