Rabbi Abahu said: Why do we blow on
a ram's horn? The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Sound before Me a shofar
from a ram's horn so that I will remember on your behalf the binding of Isaac
the son of Abraham, and I will ascribe it to you as if you had bound
yourselves before Me.
Talmud, Rosh haShana 16a
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It
is obvious that God does not require a reminder, rather Rabbi Abahu teaches
that God wishes us to understand the merit of the akeda (binding of
Isaac) as we listen to the blast of the shofar on Rosh haShana.
Yet,
no shofar was blown at the akeda, and perhaps the reminder should
be in merely looking at a ram’s horn on Rosh haShana.
Further,
the words Rabbi Abahu quotes from God’s mouth: “sound a ram’s horn” appear
inexact, since the mitzva of shofar is that it be heard.
Perhaps
Rabbi Abahu teaches that simply looking at a shofar would be
insufficient, because it is a passive act, and God expects His people to be
active.
While
it is true that the actual mitzva is hearing the shofar, as
evidenced by the blessing which our Sages instituted: “... Who has commanded us
to hear the sound of the shofar,” necessarily, there is an active
component to fulfilling the mitzva, since it is obvious that the shofar
must be blown in order to be heard. In essence, one who blows the shofar
allows the entire congregation to fulfill its obligation. As such, shofar
presents a positive example of the power of the individual to influence and
impact the collective.
Perhaps
this point is the conceptual basis for Israel’s request to benefit from the
merit of the akeda.
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