Jámim noráim / érdekes halachák

Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Why does one sound [tokin] a blast on Rosh HaShana? The Gemara is astonished by the question: Why do we sound a blast? The Merciful One states in the verse: “Sound [tiku] a shofar” (Psalms 81:4). Rather, the question is: Why does one sound a staccato series of shofarblasts [terua] in addition to a long continuous shofar blast [tekia]? The Gemara is still surprised by the question: Sound a terua? The Merciful One states: “In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall be a solemn rest unto you, a memorial proclaimed with the blast of horns [terua]” (Leviticus 23:24). Rather, Rabbi Yitzḥak asked about the common practice in Jewish communities, which is not explicitly stated in the Torah: Why does one sound a long, continuous shofarblast [tekia] and then a staccato series of shofarblasts [terua] while the congregation is still sitting before the silent prayer,

§ The Gemara brings a series of statements in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak, all of which relate to judgment: And Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Any year that is poor [rasha] and troubled at its beginning will be made rich at its end, for it is stated: “From the beginning [mereishit] of the year” (Deuteronomy 11:12). The word meireishit is written defectively, without an alef, so that it may also be understood in the sense of rashut, poverty. The verse continues: “And until the end [aḥarit] of the year,” which means that the end of the year will have expectations of good things in the end [aḥarit].

The Gemara cites two more statements in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak, relating to the Festivals: And Rabbi Yitzḥak said: A person is obligated to go out and greet his teacher on a Festival, as it is stated that the husband of the Shunamite woman asked, when she was readying herself to go to the prophet: “Why will you go to him today; it is neither the New Moon nor Shabbat” (II Kings 4:23). By inference, we learn that on the New Moon and on Shabbat, which in this context means a Festival that is a day of rest, she was required to go.

And Rabbi Yitzḥak said: A person is obligated to purify himself on a Festival, as it is stated: “And their carcasses you shall not touch; they are impure to you” (Leviticus 11:8). This verse is referring to the Festivals, as taught in the following baraita.

And, with regard to the formulation of the blessings, Rabba bar Ḥinnana Sava said in the name of Rav: Throughout the year a person prays and concludes the third blessing of the Amida prayer with: The holy God, and concludes the blessing regarding the restoration of justice to Israel with: King who loves righteousness and justice, with the exception of the ten days between Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur, the Ten Days of Atonement. These days are comprised of Rosh HaShana, Yom Kippur, and the seven days in between, when one emphasizes God’s sovereignty, and so when he prays he concludes these blessings with: The holy King and: The King of justice, i.e., the King who reveals Himself through justice.

The Order of Prayers for the Ten Days of Repentance and Rosh HaShana. And in it is 9 paragraphs.
In the Ten Days of Repentance say The Holy King and The King of Judgment. If one made a mistake or even if one is uncertain, (the rule is as follows:) If it is with "HaMelech HaKadosh" he should go back to the beginning. If it is HaMelech HaMishpat if prior to uprooting his feet, he should go back to the Birchas Hasheveinu and say from there and on according to the order. If he did not remember until he uprooted his feet (see before the end of Siman 117) he should got back to the beginning (i.e. repeat). [Also see Siman 118.]

If one said The Holy God and within a moment he remembered and says The Holy King, he does not need to go return (the beginning). The same rule applies with The Holy Judge.

If one did not say "Remember Us" or "Who is like You", one does not return to it. Rema: Even if one did not uproot their feet yet, rather that the Blessing was completed (Terumas HaDeshen). So to if one did not say "And write" and "and in the Book" also the rule is so (Tur)

Rav Yehuda said: There is an additional distinction between the various sections of the Amida prayer: One must never request his own needs in the first three or in the last three blessings; rather, he should do so in the middle blessings. As Rabbi Ḥanina said: During the first three blessings, he is like a servant who arranges praise before his master; during the middle blessings, he is like a servant who requests a reward from his master; during the final three blessings, one is like a servant who already received a reward from his master and is taking his leave and departing.

ONE MUST NOT REQUEST HIS OWN NEEDS IN THE FIRST THREE OR IN THE LAST THREE [BLESSINGS].Rabainu Chananel and Rav Hai explained that this ruling that one should not ask for his needs during the first and last three b’rochos, was said only for an individual, but for the needs of the public, we may ask even during the first and last three b’rochos. And that is why we say זכרנו, קרובץ and יעלה ויבא during these b’rochos. And I will prove that this was specifically said for an individual that the main point of the last b’rochos is the needs of the public. Therefore, one may certainly ask Hashem for the needs of the public while reciting these b’rochos. Just as the ruling against asking for one’s needs does not apply to the public in the last three b’rochos, so too, it does not apply to public needs in the first three b’rochos.

Even though during the rest of the year we pray silently, on Rosh Hashanah we have the practice to pray out loud. There is no concern about getting lost because everybody has a Machzor. Rem"a: It is the practice that everybody says to their fellow "May you be inscribed for a good year" (Tur).

And one should not only pray in one's heart, but one must actually enunciate the words with one lips and let them be heard in a whisper tone by one's own ears, [however] one should not let one's voice be heard [fully during the Amidah]. [However,] if one is unable to direct one's intention [to the Amidah] while in a whisper tone, one is allowed to raise one's voice. And this is [only] when one is praying privately, but [if one is praying] with the congregation, it is forbidden, as this is a nuisance for the congregation. Gloss: If one is letting one's voice be heard in one's home when praying so that the members of one's household will learn from one, it is permitted (Tur).

It was taught in a baraita: One who sounds his voice during hisAmidaprayer is among those of little faith. Rav Huna said: This was only taught in a case where one is able to focus his heart while praying silently, but if he is unable to focus his heart while praying silently, he is permitted to sound his voice. This applies only to one praying alone, but when he is praying in a congregation his voice will come to disturb the congregation and it is prohibited.

Rav Hamnuna said: How many significanthalakhotcan be derived from these verses of the prayer of Hannah? As it says: “And Hannah spoke in her heart, only her lips moved and her voice could not be heard, so Eli thought her to be drunk” (I Samuel 1:13). The Gemara elaborates: From that which is stated here: “And Hannah spoke in her heart,” the halakha that one who prays must focus his heart on his prayer is derived. And from that which is stated here: “Only her lips moved,” the halakha that one who prays must enunciate the words with his lips, not only contemplate them in his heart, is derived. From that which is written here: “And her voice could not be heard,” the halakha that one is forbidden to raise his voice in hisAmidaprayer as it must be recited silently. From the continuation of the verse here: “So Eli thought her to be drunk,” the halakha that a drunk person is forbidden to pray. That is why he rebuked her.

Rabbi Yehoshua disagrees and says: In Nisan the world was created; in Nisan the Patriarchs were born; in Nisan the Patriarchs died; on Passover Isaac was born; on Rosh HaShana Sarah, Rachel, and Hannah were remembered by God and conceived sons; on Rosh HaShana Joseph came out from prison; on Rosh HaShana our forefathers’ slavery in Egypt ceased; in Nisan the Jewish people were redeemed from Egypt; and in Nisan in the future the Jewish people will be redeemed in the final redemption.