No community start suggestion yet.
Why do we blow shofar twice on Rosh Hashanah when once fulfills the obligation? The extra blowing demonstrates our love for mitzvos, which neutralizes Satan's prosecutorial power by showing our sins stem from human weakness rather than rebellion against God. When we approach judgment with genuine humility and demonstrated care for mitzvos, we transform how our actions are interpreted in the heavenly court.
This shiur examines a Gemara (גמרא) in Rosh Hashanah that asks why we blow shofar twice - once after Krias HaTorah while sitting, and again during the Amidah while standing. After explaining the technical obligation of 30 shofar sounds to cover all possible interpretations of the Torah (תורה)'s requirement for tekiah-teruah-tekiah, the focus shifts to the deeper question: why perform the mitzvah (מצוה) twice when once fulfills the obligation? Rashi (רש"י) explains that the second blowing is "kedei le'arbev es hasatan" - to confuse or silence Satan. This happens because when Satan sees our meticulous care and love (chibud) for the mitzvah - evidenced by doing it twice - he cannot prosecute effectively. The shiur explores this concept through the story of Dovid HaMelech and Natan HaNavi regarding Bat Sheva, where Dovid's harsh judgment of the rich man who stole the poor man's beloved sheep reveals a crucial principle: the same action can have vastly different moral weight depending on circumstances, motivation, and context.
Looking for the full summary?
Full access is available to members of the TUF Alumni Association or the Yam Hagadol Foundation.
Already a member? Let the admin know!
Dedicate a Shiur in Aggadita
L'ilui nishmas a loved one. In honor of a simcha or yahrzeit. As a zechus for a refuah sheleimah. Your dedication helps carry Rabbi Zweig's Torah to learners around the world.
How long must Hashem tolerate the Jewish people's rebellious behavior? A Midrash compares this to the halachic question of carrying a child holding muktze on Shabbos. The analysis reveals that rejecting Eretz Yisrael represents a deeper spiritual corruption than individual acts of avoda zara.
Rosh Hashanah 16b
Looking for the full transcript?
Full access is available to members of the TUF Alumni Association or the Yam Hagadol Foundation.
Already a member? Let the admin know!
What did Dovid mean when he reduced the 613 mitzvos to twelve principles? The Gemara reveals that mitzvos have two dimensions: fulfilling the obligation and achieving personal completion (hashlomah). Dovid identified twelve core principles that encapsulate the essential character development aspect of all mitzvos.
