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doubts as to the correct teruah. 20

21
22
Both the Ramban and the Ritva explain in their com-
mentaries that the shofar blasts, which accompany the be-
rachot of Mussaf, are of a different nature than the blasts
before Mussaf. While the tekiot demeyushav come to
discharge our obligation of hearing the shofar, the tekiot
deme’umad come to discharge our obligation as part of
prayer itself. It is less important what precise blast is blown,
what is critical is that the prayer is accompanied by the cry
of the shofar. 23

We can now understand why these additional blasts consti-
tute no violation of bal tosif. Rather than adding elements
to the mitzvah of shofar, these blasts come to serve as part
of a different mitzvah altogether.
In summary we have seen that the prohibition of bal tosif
exists as an explicit ban on adding elements to the Torah’s
commands. The mitzvah of shofar would seem to be a case
in point where we do exactly that. The Rishonim provide
several explanations as to why our additional tekiot do not
constitute a violation:
Tosafot explain that the prohibition is only to add elements
to an existing mitzvah, but there is no prohibition to per-
form a mitzvah multiple times. 24
The Rashba explains that, since the additional blasts stem
from a Rabbinical decree, they fall under the authority of
the Sages to make new enactments and could not violate
bal tosif.

The Ramban and the Ritva understand the additional
blasts to be a part of the mitzvah of prayer, rather than the
mitzvah of shofar itself.

20 See Shulchan Aruch 592:1 and commentaries there
21 Milchemet Hashem, Rosh Hashana 11a
22 Ritva, Masechet Rosh Hashana 34a
23 These Rishonim point to a similar idea found regarding the blowing of instruments on fast days.
24 See also Levush OC 585:3 who writes that, because the Torah used the term "העורת םוי", the implication is that the mitzvah of blowing the shofar
applies the entire day. Thus, even though the minimum amount of tekiot is stipulated by the Torah, one may continue blowing the shofar the entire day,
and every additional blast would constitute the fulfillment of the mitzvah.

46 · Hilchot Shofar Tzurba M’Rabanan