Talmud - Rosh Hashanah 34b ראש השנה ל״ד ב׳

the requisite nine shofar blasts at nine different times of the day, he has fulfilled his obligation, as the blasts need not be heard in immediate succession.

This is also taught in a baraita: If one heard nine shofar blasts at nine different times of the day, he has fulfilled his obligation. If one heard the blasts from nine different people simultaneously, he has not fulfilled his obligation. If one heard a tekia from this one and afterward he heard a terua from this other one, he has fulfilled his obligation, as one does not have to hear all the blasts from the same individual. And this is true even if one heard the blasts from the different individuals at intervals, and even if it took the course of the entire day.

The Gemara asks: And did Rabbi Yoḥanan actually say this? Didn’t Rabbi Yoḥanan say in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yehotzadak: During the reading of hallel or the Megilla of Esther, if one paused long enough to complete all of it, he must return to the beginning, as it must be read in one session? Why is the halakha different in the case of the shofar? The Gemara answers: This is not difficult, as this ruling with regard to the shofar is his own opinion, and that case of hallel and the Megilla is his teacher’s opinion. It is Rabbi Shimon ben Yehotzadak who holds that one may not pause in the middle of sounding the shofar.

The Gemara asks: And is this not also his own opinion as well? Wasn’t Rabbi Abbahu once walking after Rabbi Yoḥanan, and Rabbi Abbahu was reciting Shema as he walked? When he reached alleyways that were filthy with human excrement, where it is prohibited to utter words of Torah, he fell silent and stopped reciting Shema. After he passed through, Rabbi Abbahu said to Rabbi Yoḥanan: What is the halakha with regard to completing Shema from where I left off? Rabbi Yoḥanan said to him: If you remained in the alleyway for an interval sufficient to complete the entire Shema, return to the beginning and start again. This shows that Rabbi Yoḥanan himself holds that if one takes an extended break, he must start again from the beginning.

The Gemara answers: This is no proof, as it is possible that this is what Rabbi Yoḥanan said: I myself do not hold that one must start again after a long pause; however, according to you, as you hold that a delay is a problem, the halakha is that if you paused for an interval sufficient to complete the entire Shema, you must return to the beginning.

§ The Sages taught in a baraita: The various trumpet blasts on a fast day do not invalidate one another, i.e., if one was omitted, this does not invalidate the other blasts. Similarly, the additional blessings that are inserted into the Amida prayer on a fast day do not invalidate one another. However, the shofar blasts and additional blessings of Rosh HaShana and of Yom Kippur do invalidate one another.

The Gemara asks: What is the reason that all the blasts and blessings are indispensable on Rosh HaShana? Rabba said that the Holy One, Blessed be He, said: Recite before Me on Rosh HaShana Kingship, Remembrances, and Shofarot. Kingship, so that you will crown Me as King over you; Remembrances, so that your remembrance will rise before Me for good. And with what? With the shofar. Since these blessings constitute a single unit, one who did not recite them all has not fulfilled his obligation.

§ The mishna taught: In the case of one who recited the blessings of the additional prayer and only afterward a shofar became available to him, he sounds a tekia, sounds a terua and sounds a tekia; this is a set that he repeats three times. The Gemara explains: The reason that he may do this is that he did not have a shofar at the outset. This indicates that if he had a shofar at the outset, when he hears the blasts he must hear them by the order of the blessings, i.e., one set must be sounded after each special blessing.

The Gemara relates: Rav Pappa bar Shmuel once rose to pray on Rosh HaShana. He said to his attendant: When I signal to you that I have finished each of the blessings, sound the shofar for me. Rava said to him: They said that the shofar must be sounded after each blessing only where there is a quorum of ten [ḥever ir], not when it is sounded for an individual.

This is also taught in a baraita: When one hears the shofar blasts, he must hear them in order, i.e., a tekia-terua-tekia set, and upon the order of the blessings. In what case is this statement said? Where there is a quorum of ten [ḥever ir]. However, where there is not a ḥever ir, one must hear them in order, but he need not hear them upon the order of the blessings. And in the case of an individual who has not sounded the shofar, another may sound it for him. But with regard to an individual who has not recited the blessings, another may not recite the blessings for him.

And if one has to choose between hearing the shofar and reciting the blessings, the mitzva to be among those who sound the shofar is more important than the mitzva to be among those who recite the blessings. How so? If there are two towns, in one there are those who know how to sound the shofar, and in the other there are individuals who know how to recite the blessings, one should go to the place where they sound the shofar, and one does not go to the place where they know how to recite the blessings.

The Gemara asks: This halakha is obvious. Sounding the shofar is a mitzva by Torah law, whereas the additional prayer applies by rabbinic law. A mitzva that applies by Torah law is clearly more important. The Gemara answers: No; this seemingly superfluous ruling is necessary to teach that although in this town it is certain that the additional prayer will be recited and in this other town it is uncertain whether or not the shofar will be sounded, one should still go to the place where they know how to sound the shofar rather than the location where they know how to recite the blessings.

§ The mishna states: Just as the prayer leader is obligated in the prayers of Rosh HaShana, so too, every individual is obligated in these prayers. Rabban Gamliel says: The prayer leader fulfills the obligation on behalf of the many. It is taught in a baraita that the Rabbis said to Rabban Gamliel: According to your statement, why does the congregation recite the silent Amida prayer beforehand? He said to them: In order that the prayer leader should have time to prepare and arrange his prayer.

Rabban Gamliel said to the Rabbis: According to your statement, that the prayer leader does not fulfill the obligation on behalf of the many, why does the prayer leader descend before the ark and recite the Amida prayer? They said to him: He does so to fulfill the obligation of one who is not an expert in prayer. Rabban Gamliel said to them: Just as he can fulfill the obligation of one who is not an expert in prayer, so too, he can fulfill the obligation of the expert.

With regard to this baraita, Rabba bar bar Ḥana said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Ultimately, the Rabbis concede to the opinion of Rabban Gamliel. But Rav said: It is still a dispute that remains unresolved. The Gemara relates that Rabbi Ḥiyya, son of Rabba bar Naḥmani, heard this and went and stated this halakha before Rav Dimi bar Ḥinnana. He said to him that this is what Rav said: It is still a dispute. Rav Dimi bar Ḥinnana said to him: This is what Rabba bar bar Ḥana also said: When Rabbi Yoḥanan said this halakha, that the Rabbis concede to the opinion of Rabban Gamliel, Reish Lakish disagreed with him and said: It is still a dispute.

The Gemara asks: And did Rabbi Yoḥanan actually say this? Didn’t Rabbi Ḥana from the city of Tzippori say that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The halakha is in accordance with the opinion of Rabban Gamliel? From the fact that he said: The halakha, one can conclude by inference that the Rabbis still disagree. The very fact that he issued a ruling in favor of Rabban Gamliel shows that Rabbi Yoḥanan maintains that the Sages do not accept this opinion.

Traduction : The William Davidson digital edition of the Koren Noé Talmud, with commentary by Rabbi Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz.

RoshHashana 34b explores whether shofar blasts heard at scattered intervals fulfill one's obligation, comparing this to interruptions during Shema recitation.