The fact that the mitzvah of shofar isn’t stated explicitly actually forces us to delve deeper into the essence of the mitzvah.
If the Torah is so explicit with mitzvos of the Yamim Tovim, why the vagueness when it comes to the mitzvah of shofar on Rosh Hashanah? Why are we being sent all the way to halachos of the once-in-50-year Yovel to understand what a shofar blast is all about?
It’s now the height of summer vacation, but in little over a week we’ll start blowing the shofar again. It’s a sharp transition, but if we look closely, there is in fact an intimate connection between these weeks and the shofar of Elul and Rosh Hashanah.
The blowing of the shofar throughout Elul is a rehearsal of sorts for Rosh Hashanah, in which shofar is the principal mitzvah of the day. We’ve all learned throughout the years about the multi-layered significance of the shofar, with its power of awakening, to the annual Day of Reckoning.
And yet, it’s an intriguing point that nowhere in the Torah is there a stated chiyuv to blow the shofar on Rosh Hashanah. At least, it can’t be found explicitly in the parshiyos dealing with Rosh Hashanah. The pasuk (Bamidbar 9:1) only says that the day shall be a “Yom Teruah.” And in parshas Emor (Vayikrah 23:24) the expression used is “Zichron Teruah.” But there’s no explanation of what exactly teruah is, nor any mention of a shofar. The fact that the mitzvah of shofar isn’t stated explicitly actually forces us to delve deeper into the essence of the mitzvah.
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