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Chassidusחסידות

The Arizal on Shofar Blasts and Divine Judgment

Chaim Vital's teachings on the inner mystical meaning of the shofar blasts on Rosh Hashanah, explaining how the tekiah, shevarim, and teruah work to sweeten the divine judgments and facilitate spiritual union.

מתערבב השטן ואינו משגיח לקטרג

5 sources · 2 verified

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The core of the Arizal's teaching, as presented in Sha'ar HaKavanot, Sermons on Rosh Hashanah 8:1:2, is that the shofar blasts are directed at Zeir Anpin, who on Rosh Hashanah is in a state of sleep and slumber back-to-back with the female counterpart, and the sounding works to saw away the harsh judgments clinging to that posture so the two may be restored face-to-face.

Valle, Inyanei Elul veRosh Hashana p. 76 explains that the shofar is rooted in the secret of binah, the source from which judgments arise and through which they are ultimately subdued, so its blowing on Rosh Hashanah corresponds to the judgments stirred when the King sits on the throne of judgment.

Valle, Inyanei Elul veRosh Hashana p. 44 adds that the earthly shofar sound awakens the supernal shofar, itself the secret of Binah, so that the arousal from below prevents the harsh judgments and their accusations from overpowering Israel.

Sha'ar HaKavanot, Sermons on Rosh Hashanah Introduction 8 connects this to the moment of tekiat shofar in the seated repetition, noting that at that time the accuser is confounded and unable to prosecute, so that words of confession rise together with the ascending sound of the shofar.

Tzitz Eliezer 18:37 draws out the role of the akeidah within this same dynamic, holding that the shofar's voice transforms the attribute of judgment associated with the expression "עלה אלקים" into mercy, and that the memory of the akeidah of Yitzchak is invoked so that it be recalled favorably on behalf of those praying.

Source 1 · Acharonim· different author
Verified

Sha'ar HaKavanot, Sermons on Rosh Hashanah 8:1:2

שער הכוונות, דרושי ראש השנה ח׳:א׳:ב׳

Sha'ar HaKavanot, Sermons on Rosh Hashanah 8:1:2

Chaim Vital explains that the shofar blasts awaken the process by which the judgments from Z"א’s rear are transferred to the female, replaced in Z"א by חסדים, and then sweetened so that the זוג return face-to-face for union.

יבאר בו ענין התקיעות בעצמם מה הם ועתה צריך לבאר בחי' התקיעות עצמם שהם תשר"ת תש"ת תר"ת והנה כונתם נתבארו בס"ה בפ' אמור בדצ"ט ע"ב וז"ל סדרא קדמאה כו' סדרא תנינא כו' ובדברינו אלה יתבאר לפניך דברי המאמר הנז' היטב ובתחילה צריך שנחזור לבאר התעוררות קול השופר מה עניינו. הנה נתבאר למעלה כי כונתינו ביום זה הוא כי ז"א הוא בסוד השינה והתרדמה וכונתינו הוא לנסור את זו"ן להחזירם פב"פ. והענין הוא כי הנה נודע טעם דבוקם אב"א הוא לפי שאחורים של זו"ן הם דינין לפי שהם שמו' אלקים וכדי שלא יתדבקו החיצונים בהם נתדבקו הם אב"א ובעלות רצון המאציל להחזירם פב"פ הוצרך להפיל על ז"א תרדמה וע"י תרדמה זו ננסרי' כל הדינין אשר באחורי ז"א וניתנין אל הנקבה ובמקום הדינין שבאחורי הזכר באים במקומו חסדים בסוד ויסגור בשר תחתינה ואז יהיה ז"א כולו חסדים ונוק' כולה דינין ועי"כ אין להם דבקות יחד בסוד אב"א ויפרדו איש מעל אחיו ואח"כ יתבסמו הדינין שבנקבה וזה נק' חיבוק השמאל ואח"כ יחבקנה בימין ואח"כ יחזירנה פב"פ עמו לצורך הזווג והרי נתבאר כללות הענין בקצרה.

Full text on Sefaria ↗
Source 2 · Acharonim· different author
Verified

Sha'ar HaKavanot, Sermons on Rosh Hashanah Introduction 8

שער הכוונות, דרושי ראש השנה הקדמה ח׳

Sha'ar HaKavanot, Sermons on Rosh Hashanah Introduction 8

ואמנם אפילו בלחש לא היה נוהג להתודות אלא בעת תקיעת שופר דמיושב לפי שאז מתערבב השטן ואינו משגי' לקטרג ואז דברי הוידוי עולים למע' בהתחברות קול השופר העול' למע' גם היה נוהג מורי ז"ל לבכות הרבה בתפלת ר"ה אפילו שהוא יו"ט ומכ"ש בתפילת יוה"כ. והיה אומר מוז"ל כי מי שאין בכי' נופלת עליו בימים האלו הוא הוראה שאין נשמתו הגונה ושלימה. גם היה אומר כי יש בנ"א נידוני' ביום ראשון ואז הם דינא קשיא ויש נידונים ביום ב' שהוא דינא רפיא ורוצה הב"ה לרחם עליהם ודן אותם ביום הב' ואמר כי האדם הנופלת עליו בכיה רבה מאליו בימים האלו בתפי' הוא הוראה שנידון באותה שעה למעל' אם ביום א' ואם ביום שני:

Full text on Sefaria ↗
Source 3 · Modern
External

Valle, Inyanei Elul veRosh Hashana p. 76

כתבי רמ״ד וואלי — עניני המועדים, עניני אלול וראש השנה עמ׳ ע״ו

Valle, Inyanei Elul veRosh Hashana p. 76

The passage explains that the shofar is a secret of binah, from which judgments arise and through which they are subdued, and that its sounding on Rosh Hashanah signifies the judgments awakened when the King sits on the throne of judgment.

On this pageThe passage explains that the shofar is a secret of binah, from which judgments arise and through which they are subdued, and that its sounding on Rosh Hashanah signifies the judgments awakened when the King sits on the throne of judgment.

Valle, Inyanei Elul veRosh Hashana p. 76 — page scan on HebrewBooks
Page 80

Excerpts from Rav Moshe David Valle (רמד״ו, 1697–1777, Padua, the Ramchal's colleague) compiled by the Spinner edition from Sefer HaLikkutim and his Tanach commentaries; each kuntres is a topical anthology paginated by printed folio. Rav Moshe David Valle — Moadim Kuntresim is not freely available in text. This PDF surfaced in our research. Please use the feedback buttons below to help us improve.

View on HebrewBooks — p. 80 ↗
Source 4 · Modern
External

Tzitz Eliezer 18:37

ציץ אליעזר, חי״ח סי׳ ל״ז

Tzitz Eliezer 18:37

The passage states that the shofar’s voice transforms the attribute of judgment represented by “עלה אלקים” into mercy, and recalls the akeidah of Yitzchak to plead that it be remembered mercifully on behalf of the worshippers.

On this pageThe passage states that the shofar’s voice transforms the attribute of judgment represented by “עלה אלקים” into mercy, and recalls the akeidah of Yitzchak to plead that it be remembered mercifully on behalf of the worshippers.

Tzitz Eliezer 18:37 — page scan on HebrewBooks
Page 78

Tzitz Eliezer is not freely available in text. This PDF surfaced in our research. Please use the feedback buttons below to help us improve.

View on HebrewBooks — p. 78 ↗
Source 5 · Modern
External

Valle, Inyanei Elul veRosh Hashana p. 44

כתבי רמ״ד וואלי — עניני המועדים, עניני אלול וראש השנה עמ׳ מ״ד

Valle, Inyanei Elul veRosh Hashana p. 44

The passage states that the earthly shofar awakens the supernal shofar, the secret of Binah, so that the harsh judgments do not overpower Israel through their accusations, reflecting the principle that an arousal below prompts an arousal above.

On this pageThe passage states that the earthly shofar awakens the supernal shofar, the secret of Binah, so that the harsh judgments do not overpower Israel through their accusations, reflecting the principle that an arousal below prompts an arousal above.

Valle, Inyanei Elul veRosh Hashana p. 44 — page scan on HebrewBooks
Page 48

Excerpts from Rav Moshe David Valle (רמד״ו, 1697–1777, Padua, the Ramchal's colleague) compiled by the Spinner edition from Sefer HaLikkutim and his Tanach commentaries; each kuntres is a topical anthology paginated by printed folio. Rav Moshe David Valle — Moadim Kuntresim is not freely available in text. This PDF surfaced in our research. Please use the feedback buttons below to help us improve.

View on HebrewBooks — p. 48 ↗
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