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Why do Rav Levi bar Chama and Rava argue whether shofar blowing is forbidden on Shabbos (שבת)? The shiur identifies three distinct aspects of shofar: prayer (Rashi (רש"י)), preparation for Yom HaDin (Ramban (רמב"ן)), and Yovel freedom proclamation (Tosafos (תוספות)). Only the Yovel aspect constitutes potential melacha since it accomplishes concrete change, while prayer and judgment preparation remain permissible as 'chochma v'einah malacha.'
This shiur presents a comprehensive analysis of the Gemara (גמרא) in Masechta Shabbos (שבת) 131b, addressing fundamental questions about the nature of shofar blowing on Rosh Hashanah and its permissibility on Shabbos. Rabbi Zweig begins by examining the machlokes between Rav Levi bar Chama, who holds that blowing shofar is assur d'oraisa on Shabbos, and Rava, who maintains there is no such issur because it is 'chochma v'einah malacha' (wisdom but not work). The shiur addresses several kashas (difficulties) raised by the Turim and Eliyahu Zuta, including how Chachamim can institute a third tekiah if there's an issur d'oraisa, how one can blow shofar in cases of safek, and why shofar was blown to signal the end of Yom Tov before Shabbos. The analysis reveals three distinct aspects of tekiah shofar according to different Rishonim. According to Rashi (רש"י), shofar blowing is fundamentally a tefillah (prayer), as evidenced by his commentary that the bent shofar of Rosh Hashanah reflects the bent posture of prayer, and his interpretation of 'zichron teruah' as requiring the recitation of zichronos and shofros passages to give meaning to the shofar sounds. The Ramban (רמב"ן) presents a second aspect: shofar on Rosh Hashanah is connected to Yom Kippur and serves as preparation for the Day of Judgment. Tosafos (תוספות) introduces a third dimension: every tekiah shofar has an aspect of Yovel, learning from the gezeirah shavah between Rosh Hashanah and Yovel that they share the same essence - both involve proclaiming freedom and renewal. The resolution of the machlokes hinges on understanding that only the Yovel aspect of shofar constitutes a potential issur d'oraisa on Shabbos, because Yovel accomplishes concrete changes (freeing slaves, returning land). The tefillah and Yom HaDin aspects are merely 'chochma v'einah malacha.' When the Torah (תורה) says 'zichron teruah' regarding Shabbos, it indicates that on Shabbos, shofar retains only its prayer aspect, without the Yovel dimension. This explains why Rava permits shofar on Shabbos - because the Shabbos shofar lacks the accomplishment aspect that would create an issur. The shiur concludes by explaining how this resolves various practical questions, including why missing shofar due to Shabbos doesn't necessarily portend a bad year (since the prayer aspect is preserved), while missing it due to other circumstances (when the Yovel aspect is also lost) does create a deficiency.
Masechta Shabbos 131b
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