This chapter focuses on three major themes:
- Who is obligated in shofar.
- The role of intention (kavanah).
- Why shofar is generally not sounded when Rosh HaShanah falls on Shabbat.
Halachah 1 – Who Must Hear the Shofar?
The following are obligated:
- Priests
- Levites
- Israelites
- Converts
- Freed slaves
The following are exempt:
- Women
- Non-Jewish slaves
- Minors
Special Cases
The Rambam rules that:
- A half-slave/half-free person
- A tumtum
- An androgynous
are obligated to hear shofar because of their possible or definite obligation status.
Halachah 2 – Who Can Fulfill the Mitzvah for Others?
A basic rule:
Someone who is not obligated cannot discharge the obligation of someone who is.
Therefore:
- A woman cannot blow shofar on behalf of an obligated man.
- A child cannot do so either.
Androgynous
An androgynous may fulfill the obligation for another androgynous.
Tumtum
A tumtum cannot fulfill the obligation for anyone because their halachic status is uncertain.
Halachah 3 – The Half-Slave Problem
A person who is:
Half slave and half free
cannot even discharge the obligation for himself.
Why?
Because:
- The free half requires fulfillment.
- The slave half cannot fulfill the mitzvah for the free half.
Therefore:
✅ He must hear shofar from a fully free Jew.
Halachah 4 – Intention Is Required
The Rambam introduces an important principle:
Practice Blowing
If someone blows merely to practice:
❌ No mitzvah is fulfilled.
Casual Hearing
If someone hears those practice blasts:
❌ No mitzvah is fulfilled.
Both Parties Need Intention
The listener must intend:
To fulfill the mitzvah.
The blower must intend:
To help fulfill the mitzvah.
If either lacks proper intention:
❌ The mitzvah is not fulfilled.
Halachah 5 – Public Blowing
Suppose a person blows with the intention:
“Whoever hears these blasts should fulfill the mitzvah.”
Then:
Anyone who hears and intends to fulfill the mitzvah:
✅ Fulfills the obligation.
This explains how congregational shofar blowing works.
Even a traveler passing by may fulfill the mitzvah if:
- He hears the blasts.
- He intends to fulfill the mitzvah.
Halachah 6 – Why No Shofar on Shabbat?
When Rosh HaShanah falls on Shabbat:
Generally:
❌ No shofar is blown.
The Rambam notes this is surprising because:
- Shofar is a Torah commandment.
- The prohibition involved is initially only Rabbinic.
Nevertheless, the Sages prohibited it.
The Reason
They feared:
Someone who cannot blow himself may carry the shofar:
- To an expert,
- Through the public domain,
- Violating Shabbat.
Because:
Everyone must hear shofar, but not everyone knows how to blow it.
The decree protects Shabbat.
Halachah 7 – Children Learning Shofar
Children may practice shofar blowing.
Adults may teach them.
The Rambam emphasizes that training children for mitzvot is important, and the Rabbinic restriction on blowing does not prevent educational practice.
Halachah 8 – The Original Exception: The Sanhedrin
While the Temple stood:
If Rosh HaShanah fell on Shabbat:
✅ Shofar was sounded in Jerusalem.
Nearby cities could also blow if they:
- Could see Jerusalem,
- Could hear Jerusalem,
- Could reasonably travel there.
Other locations could not.
Halachah 9 – Courts After the Temple
After the destruction:
The Rambam rules that shofar on Shabbat would be permitted only before a properly ordained court (semichah).
Conditions included:
- A qualified court.
- The court actively in session.
- The blowing taking place in its presence.
The rationale is:
The court supervises the public and prevents improper carrying.
Halachah 10 – Two Days of Rosh HaShanah
Outside the framework of the original court system:
When Rosh HaShanah is observed for two days:
Normal Case
Shofar is blown both days.
If Day One Is Shabbat
People who did not blow on the first day because of Shabbat:
✅ Blow on the second day.
Thus the mitzvah is still observed.