The commandment of blowing the shofar on Yom Yippur of the Jubilee: To blow the shofar on the tenth of Tishrei — which is Yom Kippur — as it is stated (Leviticus 25:9-10), “And you shall proclaim a shofar blow, etc. on Yom Kippur, you shall proclaim the shofar in all of your land, etc. and you shall proclaim freedom, etc.” And it is known that the commandment of the blowing of the shofar on this day is to publicize the freedom of every Israelite slave to go out as a free man without money. (See Rosh Hashanah 8b.) And its substance is not like the substance of the blowing of the shofar on Rosh Hashanah, as that blowing we do to fix our thoughts on the matter of the binding of Yitschak and to depict in our souls to also do like him from the love of God, may He be blessed. And from that, our memory will go up well in front of God — meaning, that we be meriting (cleared in judgment) in front of Him. Whereas this blowing of the Jubilee is to publicize the freedom, as we have said. (See Sefer HaMitzvot, Positive Commandments 137.)
It is from the roots of the commandment [that it is] since the sound of the shofar is to arouse the hearts of all people — whether for peace or for war. And the matter of sending away the slave that served his master a long time is very difficult in the eyes of the master. Therefore we were commanded about it to arouse the hearts of the creatures about the matter — to strengthen their souls and to warn them about the commandment when they hear the sound of the shofar, through their perceiving that the thing is the same in the whole land and that everyone [releases their slaves]. As there is nothing that strengthens the hearts of people like the action of the many; and like the statement of the sage, “The pain of the many is a consolation.” (See Devarim Rabbah 2:22.) Also the slave himself is aroused to leave from under the hand of his master whom he loves, like all of the slaves, when he hears the sound of the shofar. And from that, the commandment is observed, such that everyone returns to the domain of the Master of all.
The laws of the commandment: For example, with which shofar do we blow on this day and which blessing do we recite for it — and they, may their memory be blessed, have already said more generally in Tractate Rosh Hashanah 26b, “Jubilee and Rosh Hashanah are the same for blowing and for the blessings.” And we will speak a little about it in the commandment of shofar of Rosh Hashanah (Sefer HaChinukh 405), with God’s help — as is our custom. And nonetheless, even though they, may their memory be blessed, said that they are the same, there is a little difference between them; as on Rosh Hashanah that falls out on Shabbat, they would only blow the shofar in the court; whereas on the Jubilee, each and every individual blows — whether in front of the court or whether not in front of the court — so long as the court meets (Rosh Hashanah 30a).
And likewise from the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Rosh Hashanah 8b), “From Rosh Hashanah until Yom Kippur, the slaves would eat, drink, and rejoice in their masters’ homes — they were not released to their homes and they were [also] not enslaved to their masters. Once Yom Kippur arrived, [and] the court would sound the shofar, they would be released to their homes; and likewise, fields would be returned to their owners.” And many of the details of the laws of the Jubilee are in Arakhin and the laws of shofar are in Tractate Rosh Hashanah.
And this commandment is practiced in the Land of Israel at the time that Jubilee is practiced. And behold, I have written you adjacently (Sefer HaChinukh 330), which time the Jubilee is practiced and that the commandment of Jubilee is given over to the court. And if the court transgresses this and does not blow the shofar — even if the slaves are sent away and the fields go back to their owners without blowing — they have violated this positive commandment.
מִצְוַת תְּקִיעַת שׁוֹפָר בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים שֶׁל יוֹבֵל – לִתְקֹעַ בְּשׁוֹפָר בָּעֲשִׂירִי בְּתִשְׁרֵי שֶׁהוּא יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כה ט י) וְהַעֲבַרְתָּ שׁוֹפַר תְּרוּעָה וְגוֹ' בְּיוֹם הַכִּפֻּרִים תַּעֲבִירוּ שׁוֹפָר בְּכָל אַרְצְכֶם וְגוֹ' וּקְרָאתֶם דְּרוֹר וְגוֹ'. וְיָדוּעַ שֶׁמִּצְוַת הַתְּקִיעָה בְּיוֹם זֶה הִיא לְפַרְסֵם חֵרוּת כָּל עֶבֶד עִבְרִי שֶׁיֵּצֵא בֶּן חוֹרִין (עי' ר"ה ח ב) בְּלִי דָּמִים, וְאֵין עִנְיָנָהּ כְּעִנְיַן תְּקִיעַת הַשּׁוֹפָר בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה, שֶׁהַתְּקִיעָה הַהִיא אָנוּ עוֹשִׂים לִקְבֹּעַ מַחְשַׁבְתֵּנוּ עַל עִנְיַן עֲקֵדַת יִצְחָק, וּנְצַיֵּר בְּנַפְשֵׁנוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת גַּם אָנוּ כָּמוֹהוּ לְאַהֲבַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, וּמִתּוֹךְ כָּךְ יַעֲלֶה זִכְרוֹנֵנוּ לִפְנֵי הַשֵּׁם לְטוֹב, כְּלוֹמַר, שֶׁנִּהְיֶה זַכָּאִים לְפָנָיו, וְזֹאת הַתְּקִיעָה שֶׁל יוֹבֵל הִיא לְפַרְסֵם הַחֵרוּת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ (עי' סהמ"צ עשין קלז).
The commandment of blowing the shofar on Yom Yippur of the Jubilee: To blow the shofar on the tenth of Tishrei — which is Yom Kippur — as it is stated (Leviticus 25:9-10), “And you shall proclaim a shofar blow, etc. on Yom Kippur, you shall proclaim the shofar in all of your land, etc. and you shall proclaim freedom, etc.” And it is known that the commandment of the blowing of the shofar on this day is to publicize the freedom of every Israelite slave to go out as a free man without money. (See Rosh Hashanah 8b.) And its substance is not like the substance of the blowing of the shofar on Rosh Hashanah, as that blowing we do to fix our thoughts on the matter of the binding of Yitschak and to depict in our souls to also do like him from the love of God, may He be blessed. And from that, our memory will go up well in front of God — meaning, that we be meriting (cleared in judgment) in front of Him. Whereas this blowing of the Jubilee is to publicize the freedom, as we have said. (See Sefer HaMitzvot, Positive Commandments 137.)
מִשָּׁרְשֵׁי הַמִּצְוָה. לְפִי שֶׁיָּדוּעַ כִּי קוֹל הַשּׁוֹפָר יְעוֹרֵר לֵב בְּנֵי אָדָם אִם לְשָׁלוֹם וְאִם לְמִלְחָמָה, וְעִנְיַן שִׁלּוּחַ הָעֶבֶד שֶׁעָבַד אֶת אֲדוֹנָיו זְמַן רַב הוּא קָשֶׁה מְאֹד בְּעֵינֵי אֲדוֹנָיו, עַל כֵּן לְעוֹרֵר לֵב הַבְּרִיּוֹת עַל הָעִנְיָן וּלְחַזֵּק נַפְשָׁם וּלְהַזְהִירָם עַל הַמִּצְוָה בְּשָׁמְעָם אֶת קוֹל הַשּׁוֹפָר, בִּרְאוֹתָם כִּי הַדָּבָר הַשָּׁוֶה הוּא בְּכָל הָאָרֶץ וְשֶׁהַכֹּל עוֹשִׂים כֵּן נִצְטַוִּינוּ עַל זֶה, שֶׁאֵין דָּבָר שֶׁיְּחַזֵּק לִבּוֹת בְּנֵי אָדָם כְּמוֹ מַעֲשֵׂה הָרַבִּים, וּכְמַאֲמַר הֶחָכָם צַעַר רַבִּים נֶחָמָה (עי' דברים רבה ב כב). גַּם הָעֶבֶד בְּעַצְמוֹ מִתְעוֹרֵר לָצֵאת כְּכָל הָעֲבָדִים מִתַּחַת יְדֵי רַבּוֹ אֲשֶׁר אָהַב, בְּשָׁמְעוֹ קוֹל הַשּׁוֹפָר, וּמִתּוֹךְ כָּךְ, הַמִּצְוָה מִתְקַיֶּמֶת לָשׁוּב הַכֹּל בִּרְשׁוּת אֲדוֹן הַכֹּל.
It is from the roots of the commandment [that it is] since the sound of the shofar is to arouse the hearts of all people — whether for peace or for war. And the matter of sending away the slave that served his master a long time is very difficult in the eyes of the master. Therefore we were commanded about it to arouse the hearts of the creatures about the matter — to strengthen their souls and to warn them about the commandment when they hear the sound of the shofar, through their perceiving that the thing is the same in the whole land and that everyone [releases their slaves]. As there is nothing that strengthens the hearts of people like the action of the many; and like the statement of the sage, “The pain of the many is a consolation.” (See Devarim Rabbah 2:22.) Also the slave himself is aroused to leave from under the hand of his master whom he loves, like all of the slaves, when he hears the sound of the shofar. And from that, the commandment is observed, such that everyone returns to the domain of the Master of all.
דִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה. כְּגוֹן בְּאֵיזֶה שׁוֹפָר תּוֹקְעִין בְּיוֹם זֶה, וְאֵיזוֹ בְּרָכָה מְבָרְכִין בּוֹ. וּכְבָר אָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ר"ה כו, ב) דֶּרֶךְ כְּלָל בְּמַסֶּכֶת רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה שָׁוֶה הַיּוֹבֵל לְרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה לַתְּקִיעָה וְלַבְּרָכוֹת. וּבְמִצְוַת שׁוֹפָר דְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה בְּסֵדֶר פִּנְחָס (מצוה תה), נְדַבֵּר בּוֹ קְצָת בְּעֶזְרַת הַשֵּׁם כְּמִנְהָגֵנוּ. וּמִכָּל מָקוֹם, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שם ל, א) שֶׁשָּׁוִין הֵן חִלּוּק קְצָת יֵשׁ בֵּינֵיהֶם, דִּבְרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה שֶׁחָל לִהְיוֹת בְּשַׁבָּת לֹא הָיוּ תּוֹקְעִין אֶלָּא בְּבֵית דִּין, וּבַיּוֹבֵל תּוֹקֵעַ כָּל יָחִיד וְיָחִיד כָּל זְמַן שֶׁבֵּית דִּין יוֹשְׁבִין, בֵּין בִּפְנֵי בֵּית דִּין, וּבֵין שֶׁלֹּא בִּפְנֵיהֶם.
The laws of the commandment: For example, with which shofar do we blow on this day and which blessing do we recite for it — and they, may their memory be blessed, have already said more generally in Tractate Rosh Hashanah 26b, “Jubilee and Rosh Hashanah are the same for blowing and for the blessings.” And we will speak a little about it in the commandment of shofar of Rosh Hashanah (Sefer HaChinukh 405), with God’s help — as is our custom. And nonetheless, even though they, may their memory be blessed, said that they are the same, there is a little difference between them; as on Rosh Hashanah that falls out on Shabbat, they would only blow the shofar in the court; whereas on the Jubilee, each and every individual blows — whether in front of the court or whether not in front of the court — so long as the court meets (Rosh Hashanah 30a).
וְכֵן מִדִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה מָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שם ח, ב): כִּי מֵרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה וְעַד יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים, הָיוּ הָעֲבָדִים אוֹכְלִין וְשׁוֹתִין וּשְׂמֵחִין בְּבֵית אֲדוֹנָם, לֹא נִפְטָרִין לְבָתֵּיהֶם, וְלֹא הָאָדוֹן מִשְׁתַּעְבֵּד בָּהֶן, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִגִּיעַ יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים תָּקְעוּ בֵּית דִּין בַּשּׁוֹפָר נִפְטָרִין לְבָתֵּיהֶם, וּכְמוֹ כֵן שָׂדוֹת חוֹזְרוֹת לְבַעֲלֵיהֶם. וְרַבִּים מִפְּרָטֵי דִּינֵי הַיּוֹבֵל בַּעֲרָכִין, וְדִינֵי שׁוֹפָר בְּמַסֶּכֶת רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה (שם).
And likewise from the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Rosh Hashanah 8b), “From Rosh Hashanah until Yom Kippur, the slaves would eat, drink, and rejoice in their masters’ homes — they were not released to their homes and they were [also] not enslaved to their masters. Once Yom Kippur arrived, [and] the court would sound the shofar, they would be released to their homes; and likewise, fields would be returned to their owners.” And many of the details of the laws of the Jubilee are in Arakhin and the laws of shofar are in Tractate Rosh Hashanah.
וְנוֹהֶגֶת מִצְוָה זוֹ בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּזְמַן שֶׁהַיּוֹבֵל נוֹהֵג, וַהֲרֵי כָּתַבְתִּי לְךָ בְּסָמוּךְ (מצוה של), אֵיזֶה זְמַן הַיּוֹבֵל נוֹהֵג, וְשֶׁמִּצְוַת הַיּוֹבֵל מְסוּרָה לְבֵית דִּין, וְאִם עָבְרוּ בֵּית דִּין עַל זֶה וְלֹא תָּקְעוּ בַּשּׁוֹפָר, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁנִּשְׁתַּלְּחוּ הָעֲבָדִים וְהֻחְזְרוּ הַשָּׂדוֹת לְבַעֲלֵיהֶן מִבְּלִי תְּקִיעָה בִּטְּלוּ מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה זֶה.
And this commandment is practiced in the Land of Israel at the time that Jubilee is practiced. And behold, I have written you adjacently (Sefer HaChinukh 330), which time the Jubilee is practiced and that the commandment of Jubilee is given over to the court. And if the court transgresses this and does not blow the shofar — even if the slaves are sent away and the fields go back to their owners without blowing — they have violated this positive commandment.