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In addition to the aforementioned reasons, many other reasons are cited in the more mystical works to explain the essence
of this mitzvah.

THE DEFINITION OF THE MITZVAH

In order to properly understand the parameters of the mitzvah of shofar, we must clarify its nature: Is the essence of the
mitzvah to blow the shofar or to hear the shofar? On one hand, it is of course impossible to hear the shofar without it being
blown, and only when it is blown does one hear it. If so, perhaps the mitzvah is the blowing of the shofar, and whenever
one person is appointed to blow, all those that hear the blasts are considered as having blown themselves. On the other
hand, perhaps there is no mitzvah to blow at all and the mitzvah is to hear the shofar. If so, all those who hear it fulfill the
mitzvah simply through listening (including the blower himself), and the blowing is only a means in order to be able to
hear the shofar. A practical halachic ramification of this question is whether the wording of the beracha should be “to hear
the sound of the shofar” or “blowing the shofar.” From the language of the Rambam, it is clear that he holds the essence of
the mitzvah is to hear the shofar.

א קרפ ,בלולו הכוסו רפוש תוכלה ,ם”במר 3 .
,טכ רבדמב( ”םכל היהי העורת םוי“ :רמאנש ,הנשה שארב רפושה תעורת עומשל הרות לש ”השע“ תווצמ )א(
והיבגה אלו וב עגנ אלש יפ לע ףא ,לוקה תעימשב אלא הווצמה ןיאש ,אצי – וב עקתש לוזגה רפוש )ג( ...)אי
...לזג ןיד לוקב ןיאו ,עמושה
Rambam, Hilchot Shofar v’Sukkah v’Lulav, Chapter 1
(1) It is a positive biblical commandment to hear the sound of the shofar on Rosh Hashana, as it says: “It
shall be a day of blowing for you.” ... (3) If one blew with a stolen shofar, he has fulfilled his obligation; as the
commandment is only listening to the sound – even though the listener did not touch it or pick it up, [he has
fulfilled his obligation]; and there is no law of theft regarding the sound.

במק ןמיס ,ם”במרה ת”וש 4 .
הזו .דואמ לודג םהיניב לדבהה :הבושתה ?”רפוש תעיקת לע“ ןיבו ”רפוש לוק עומשל“ ןיב לדבהה המ :הלאש
.העיקתה תעימש אלא ,העיקתה הניא תבייוחמה הווצמהש

Responsa of the Rambam, Siman 142
Question: what is the difference between the [language of] “to hear the sound of the shofar” and “blowing the
shofar”? Answer: The distinction is very great indeed. For the mitzvah is not to blow the shofar, rather to hear
the shofar.

In contrast to the Rambam, Rabbeinu Tam and the Sefer Mitzvot Gedolot (Semag) hold that the essence of the mitzvah is
to blow the shofar.

ןנברמ אברוצ רפוש תוכלה · 17