The commandment of blowing the trumpets in the Temple and in war: To blow trumpets in the Temple each day as every sacrifice is offered, and also at a time of troubles, as it is stated (Numbers 10:9), “When you come to war, etc.” and it is written after it also (Numbers 10:10), “And on your joyous occasions, and your fixed festivals and new moon days, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt-offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace-offerings, etc.” And even though the verse warns about a joyous occasion, a fixed festival and a new moon day, this is not precise. As they would blow with the trumpets over the sacrifice every day in the Temple. And so is it explained in Rosh HaShanah 29a: “Everyone is obligated in the blowing of the shofar — priests, Levites, and Israelites.” And the Talmud wonders about this in the Gemara, “Is this not obvious? [For] if they are not obligated, who would be obligated?” And it responds to it, “It was necessary [to say] priests, for it may enter your mind to say, ‘Since it is written (Numbers 29:1), “It is a day of blowing, etc.,” [you might have said that with regard to one who is obligated to sound only one day, he is obligated to sound the shofar on Rosh HaShanah.] But these priests, since they are [obligated] all year long, as it is written (Numbers 10:10), “you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt-offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace-offerings, etc.” [you might say that they are not obligated].’” The Talmud then asks, “Are they similar? There it is a trumpet and here it is a shofar!” Nevertheless, we learned [from this] that throughout the whole year — meaning to say on each and every day — there were trumpets in the Temple. And they said in Tractate Arakhin 13a that we do not reduce to less than twenty-one blasts in the Temple and we do not increase to over forty-eight.
It is from the roots of the commandment that [it is] since at the time of the sacrifice they would need to properly focus their attention — as it is well-known that it is disqualified by certain thoughts — and also [that] the sacrifice requires complete awareness in front of the Master of all Who commanded about them; and also at the time of trouble, a person needs great focus in his supplication before his Creator, that He should have mercy upon him and save him from his trouble; we are therefore commanded to blow the trumpets at these times. As since man is physical, he requires great arousal to these things. For the way of nature is to stand asleep, and there is nothing as arousing as the sounds of music, [as is] well-known — and all the more so, the sounds of trumpets, which is the greatest sound of all musical instruments. And there is also another purpose, aside from arousal to focusing attention, that is realized through the sound of the trumpet; and that is that the sound of the trumpets removes all other worldly concerns from the heart of the listener, such that at that time he will only [direct] his heart to the matter of the sacrifice. But why should I go on so long? This is well-known to anyone who has ever bent his ear to hear, with focus, the trumpets or the sound of a shofar.
From the laws of the commandment — that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Menachot 28a) that the trumpets came from a block of silver, as [indicated] in Scripture, and [if it is] from other types of metals, it is disqualified; that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Arakhin 13a) that we do not ever reduce to less than two trumpets in the Temple and we do not increase above one hundred and twenty; and the rest of its details — are elucidated in Sifrei Bamidbar 77 (in Parashat Behaalotecha) and in Tractate Rosh Hashanah. And also in Tractate Taanit (Taanit 19a), the Sages elucidated that we are commanded to blow the trumpets at a time of trouble. (See Mishneh Torah, Laws of Fasts 1.)
The commandment is practiced by priests at the time of the Temple, as the commandment to blow the trumpets is incumbent upon them, and like the matter that is written about them in the movements of the encampments (Numbers 10:8), “And the sons of Aharon, the priests, will blow with the trumpets.” And lest you say that they did not blow over the sacrifices, but rather the Levites, this is not so. As behold, they explicitly said (Mishnah Tamid 7:3), “They gave him the wine to pour [for the libation]. The assistant stood on the horn [of the altar] with two handkerchiefs in his hand. Two priests stood in the table of (used for) fats and two trumpets were in their hands. They blew a teki’ah (long steady sound), then a teruah (a series of very short sounds) and then again a teki’ah.” Behold, it is elucidated that this commandment was performed by the priests, and that it was a constant commandment to them, meaning to say that they would blow every day, and not only on a holiday or the day of the new month. However, I have seen that Rambam wrote (Mishneh Torah, Vessels of the Sanctuary and Those who Serve Therein 3:5), “On all the festivals and on the new moon days, the priests would sound the trumpets and the Levites would sing.” It seems from his words that his opinion is that on other days, even the Levites blow the trumpets. And if the priests transgressed this and did not blow at the time of a sacrifice, and so [too,] if they did not blow at a time of trouble, they will have nullified this positive commandment.
מִצְוַת תְּקִיעַת חֲצוֹצְרוֹת בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ וּבַמִּלְחָמָה – לִתְקֹעַ בַּחֲצוֹצְרוֹת בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ בְּכָל יוֹם בְּהַקְרִיב כָּל קָרְבָּן, וּכְמוֹ כֵן בִּשְׁעַת הַצָּרוֹת. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר י ט) וְכִי תָבוֹאוּ מִלְחָמָה וכו', וּכְתִיב אַחֲרָיו גַּם כֵּן (שם י) וּבְיוֹם שִׂמְחַתְכֶם וּבְמוֹעֲדֵיכֶם וּבְרָאשֵׁי חָדְשֵׁיכֶם וּתְקַעְתֶּם בַּחֲצֹצְרֹת עַל עֹלֹתֵיכֶם וְעַל זִבְחֵי שַׁלְמֵיכֶם וְגוֹ'. וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהִזְהִיר הַכָּתוּב בְּיוֹם שִׂמְחָה וּמוֹעֵד וְרֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ לָאו דַּוְקָא, דִּבְכָל יוֹם הָיוּ תּוֹקְעִין בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ בַּחֲצוֹצְרוֹת עַל הַקָּרְבָּן. וְכֵן מְבֹאָר בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה פֶּרֶק רָאוּהוּ בֵּית דִּין שֶׁאָמְרוּ שָׁם (כט, א) הַכֹּל חַיָּבִין בִּתְקִיעַת שׁוֹפָר כֹּהֲנִים לְוִיִּם וְיִשְׂרְאֵלִים, וּמַתְמַהּ תַּלְמוּדָא עֲלַהּ בַּגְּמָרָא, פְּשִׁיטָא, אִי הָנֵי לָא מִחַיְּבִי מַאן מִחַיַּב? וּמַהְדַּר לֵיהּ, כֹּהֲנִים אִצְטְרִיכָא לֵיהּ, סָלְקָא דַעְתָּךְ אָמֵינָא הוֹאִיל וּכְתִיב יוֹם תְּרוּעָה וְגוֹ', וְהָנֵי כָּהֲנֵי הוֹאִיל וְאִיתַנְהוּ בִּתְקִיעָה דְּכָל הַשָּׁנָה כֻּלָּהּ, דִּכְתִיב וּתְקַעְתֶּם בַּחֲצֹצְרֹת עַל עֹלֹתֵיכֶם וְגוֹ'. וּמַהְדַּר לֵיהּ מִי דָמֵי? הָתָם חֲצוֹצְרוֹת, הָכָא שׁוֹפָר. לָמַדְנוּ מִכָּל מָקוֹם דִּבְכָל הַשָּׁנָה כֻּלָּהּ, כְּלוֹמַר בְּכָל יוֹם וְיוֹם, אִיכָּא חֲצוֹצְרוֹת בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ, וְאָמְרוּ בְּמַסֶּכֶת עֲרָכִין (יג א) אֵין פּוֹחֲתִין מֵעֶשְׂרִים וְאַחַת תְּקִיעוֹת בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ, וְלֹא מוֹסִיפִין עַל אַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁמֹנֶה.
The commandment of blowing the trumpets in the Temple and in war: To blow trumpets in the Temple each day as every sacrifice is offered, and also at a time of troubles, as it is stated (Numbers 10:9), “When you come to war, etc.” and it is written after it also (Numbers 10:10), “And on your joyous occasions, and your fixed festivals and new moon days, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt-offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace-offerings, etc.” And even though the verse warns about a joyous occasion, a fixed festival and a new moon day, this is not precise. As they would blow with the trumpets over the sacrifice every day in the Temple. And so is it explained in Rosh HaShanah 29a: “Everyone is obligated in the blowing of the shofar — priests, Levites, and Israelites.” And the Talmud wonders about this in the Gemara, “Is this not obvious? [For] if they are not obligated, who would be obligated?” And it responds to it, “It was necessary [to say] priests, for it may enter your mind to say, ‘Since it is written (Numbers 29:1), “It is a day of blowing, etc.,” [you might have said that with regard to one who is obligated to sound only one day, he is obligated to sound the shofar on Rosh HaShanah.] But these priests, since they are [obligated] all year long, as it is written (Numbers 10:10), “you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt-offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace-offerings, etc.” [you might say that they are not obligated].’” The Talmud then asks, “Are they similar? There it is a trumpet and here it is a shofar!” Nevertheless, we learned [from this] that throughout the whole year — meaning to say on each and every day — there were trumpets in the Temple. And they said in Tractate Arakhin 13a that we do not reduce to less than twenty-one blasts in the Temple and we do not increase to over forty-eight.
מִשָּׁרְשֵׁי הַמִּצְוָה. לְפִי שֶׁבִּשְׁעַת הַקָּרְבָּן הָיוּ צְרִיכִים לְכַוֵּן דַּעְתָּם יָפֶה בְּעִנְיָנוֹ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁיָּדוּעַ, שֶׁהוּא נִפְסָל בְּמַחֲשָׁבוֹת יְדוּעוֹת, וְגַם כֵּן צָרִיךְ הַקָּרְבָּן כַּוָּנָה שְׁלֵמָה לִפְנֵי אֲדוֹן הַכֹּל שֶׁצִּוָּנוּ עָלָיו, וְגַם כֵּן בְּעֵת הַצָּרָה צָרִיךְ הָאָדָם כִּוּוּן גָּדוֹל בְּהִתְחַנְנוֹ לִפְנֵי בּוֹרְאוֹ שֶׁיְּרַחֵם עָלָיו וְיַצִּילֵהוּ מִצָּרָתוֹ, וְלָכֵן נִצְטַוּוּ בִּתְקִיעַת הַחֲצוֹצְרוֹת בְּעִתִּים אֵלֶּה, לְפִי שֶׁהָאָדָם מֵהֱיוֹתוֹ בַּעַל חֹמֶר צָרִיךְ הִתְעוֹרְרוּת גְּדוֹלָה אֶל הַדְּבָרִים, כִּי הַטֶּבַע מִבְּלִי מֵעִיר יַעֲמֹד כְּיָשֵׁן, וְאֵין דָּבָר יְעוֹרְרֵהוּ כְּמוֹ קוֹלוֹת הַנִּגּוּן, יָדוּעַ הַדָּבָר, וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן קוֹל הַחֲצוֹצְרוֹת, שֶׁהוּא הַקּוֹל הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁבְּכָל כְּלֵי נִגּוּן. וְעוֹד יֵשׁ תּוֹעֶלֶת נִמְצָא בְּקוֹל הַחֲצוֹצְרוֹת לְפִי הַדּוֹמֶה מִלְּבַד הַהִתְעוֹרְרוּת אֶל הַכַּוָּנָה, כִּי בְּכֹחַ הַקּוֹלוֹת יָסִיר הָאָדָם מִלִּבּוֹ מַחְשֶׁבֶת שְׁאָר עִסְקֵי הָעוֹלָם וְלֹא יִתֵּן לֵב בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה כִּי אִם בִּדְבַר הַקָּרְבָּן, וּמָה אַאֲרִיךְ וְיָדוּעַ זֶה לְכָל אֲשֶׁר הִטָּה אֹזֶן לִשְׁמֹעַ הַחֲצוֹצְרוֹת וְקוֹל שׁוֹפָר בְּכַוָּנָה.
It is from the roots of the commandment that [it is] since at the time of the sacrifice they would need to properly focus their attention — as it is well-known that it is disqualified by certain thoughts — and also [that] the sacrifice requires complete awareness in front of the Master of all Who commanded about them; and also at the time of trouble, a person needs great focus in his supplication before his Creator, that He should have mercy upon him and save him from his trouble; we are therefore commanded to blow the trumpets at these times. As since man is physical, he requires great arousal to these things. For the way of nature is to stand asleep, and there is nothing as arousing as the sounds of music, [as is] well-known — and all the more so, the sounds of trumpets, which is the greatest sound of all musical instruments. And there is also another purpose, aside from arousal to focusing attention, that is realized through the sound of the trumpet; and that is that the sound of the trumpets removes all other worldly concerns from the heart of the listener, such that at that time he will only [direct] his heart to the matter of the sacrifice. But why should I go on so long? This is well-known to anyone who has ever bent his ear to hear, with focus, the trumpets or the sound of a shofar.
מִדִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה. מָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה בְּמַסֶּכֶת מְנָחוֹת (כח, א) שֶׁהַחֲצֹצְרָה הָיְתָה בָּאָה מִן הָעֶשֶׁת שֶׁל כֶּסֶף כְּמוֹ שֶׁבָּא בַּכָּתוּב, וּמִשְּׁאָר מִינֵי מַתָּכוֹת פְּסוּלָה. וּמָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ערכין יג, א) שֶׁאֵין פּוֹחֲתִין לְעוֹלָם בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ מִשְּׁתֵּי חֲצוֹצְרוֹת, וְלֹא מוֹסִיפִין עַל מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים, וְיֶתֶר פְּרָטֶיהָ, מְבֹאָרִים בַּסִּפְרֵי (בהעלותך פיסקא עז) וּבְמַסֶּכֶת רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה (כו ב) וְגַם כֵּן בְּמַסֶּכֶת תַּעֲנִית (יט א) בֵּאֲרוּ שֶׁאָנוּ מְצֻוִּין בִּתְקִיעַת הַחֲצוֹצְרוֹת בְּעֵת צָרָה [ה' תענית פרק א].
From the laws of the commandment — that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Menachot 28a) that the trumpets came from a block of silver, as [indicated] in Scripture, and [if it is] from other types of metals, it is disqualified; that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Arakhin 13a) that we do not ever reduce to less than two trumpets in the Temple and we do not increase above one hundred and twenty; and the rest of its details — are elucidated in Sifrei Bamidbar 77 (in Parashat Behaalotecha) and in Tractate Rosh Hashanah. And also in Tractate Taanit (Taanit 19a), the Sages elucidated that we are commanded to blow the trumpets at a time of trouble. (See Mishneh Torah, Laws of Fasts 1.)
וְנוֹהֶגֶת מִצְוָה זוֹ בִּזְמַן הַבַּיִת בַּכֹּהֲנִים, שֶׁעֲלֵיהֶם הַמִּצְוָה לִתְקֹעַ בַּחֲצוֹצְרוֹת, וּכְעִנְיָן שֶׁכָּתוּב בָּהֶן בְּמַסַּע הַמַּחֲנוֹת, וּבְנֵי אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֲנִים יִתְקְעוּ בַּחֲצֹצְרוֹת. וְשֶׁמָּא תֹּאמַר לֹא הָיוּ תּוֹקְעִין הֵם עַל הַקָּרְבָּן אֶלָּא הַלְּוִיִּם, אֵינוֹ כֵּן, שֶׁהֲרֵי בְּפֵרוּשׁ אָמְרוּ בְּמַסֶּכֶת תָּמִיד פֶּרֶק שְׁבִיעִי (מ"ג) נָתְנוּ לוֹ יַיִן לְנַסֵּךְ, הַסְּגָן עוֹמֵד עַל הַקֶּרֶן וְהַסּוּדָרִין בְּיָדוֹ, וּשְׁנֵי כֹּהֲנִים עוֹמְדִים עַל שֻׁלְחַן הַחֲלָבִים וּשְׁתֵּי חֲצוֹצְרוֹת בְּיָדָם, תָּקְעוּ וְהֵרִיעוּ וְתָקְעוּ. הֲרֵי נִתְבָּאֵר, שֶׁעַל יְדֵי כֹּהֲנִים נַעֲשֵׂית מִצְוָה זוֹ וְשֶׁהִיא מִצְוָה תְּמִידִית לָהֶם, כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁבְּכָל יוֹם הָיוּ תּוֹקְעִין, וְלֹא בְּיוֹם מוֹעֵד וְרֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ בִּלְבַד. אֲבָל רָאִיתִי לְהָרַמְבַּ"ם זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה (כלי מקדש ג, ה) שֶׁכָּתַב, בִּימֵי הַמּוֹעֵד כֻּלָּן וּבְרָאשֵׁי חֳדָשִׁים הָיוּ הַכֹּהֲנִים תּוֹקְעִין בַּחֲצוֹצְרוֹת וְהַלְּוִיִּם אוֹמְרִים שִׁירָה. נִרְאֶה מִדְּבָרָיו, שֶׁדַּעְתּוֹ שֶׁבִּשְׁאָר הַיָּמִים אַף הַלְּוִיִּם תּוֹקְעִין בַּחֲצוֹצְרוֹת. וְאִם עָבְרוּ עַל זֶה הַכֹּהֲנִים וְלֹא תָּקְעוּ בִּשְׁעַת הַקָּרְבָּן, וְכֵן אִם לֹא תָּקְעוּ בְּעֵת הַצָּרָה, בִּטְּלוּ עֲשֵׂה זֶה.
The commandment is practiced by priests at the time of the Temple, as the commandment to blow the trumpets is incumbent upon them, and like the matter that is written about them in the movements of the encampments (Numbers 10:8), “And the sons of Aharon, the priests, will blow with the trumpets.” And lest you say that they did not blow over the sacrifices, but rather the Levites, this is not so. As behold, they explicitly said (Mishnah Tamid 7:3), “They gave him the wine to pour [for the libation]. The assistant stood on the horn [of the altar] with two handkerchiefs in his hand. Two priests stood in the table of (used for) fats and two trumpets were in their hands. They blew a teki’ah (long steady sound), then a teruah (a series of very short sounds) and then again a teki’ah.” Behold, it is elucidated that this commandment was performed by the priests, and that it was a constant commandment to them, meaning to say that they would blow every day, and not only on a holiday or the day of the new month. However, I have seen that Rambam wrote (Mishneh Torah, Vessels of the Sanctuary and Those who Serve Therein 3:5), “On all the festivals and on the new moon days, the priests would sound the trumpets and the Levites would sing.” It seems from his words that his opinion is that on other days, even the Levites blow the trumpets. And if the priests transgressed this and did not blow at the time of a sacrifice, and so [too,] if they did not blow at a time of trouble, they will have nullified this positive commandment.