Question:
Last year I attended a Shul where the Baal Tokeia did not seem to blow three complete Shevarim. Instead, he blew two normal Shevarim and then a very short sound that sounded more like a Teruah than a third Shever. When I asked him about it, he responded that this is the Chabad custom. Is this correct, and were the listeners Yotzei?
Answer:
No. If the third sound was merely a short Teruah-like blast and not a valid Shever, then the listeners were not Yotzei.
The Shevarim must consist of three Shevarim. According to the final ruling of Admur, and so is the custom of the world, each Shever should initially be the length of three Terumatin, and all three Shevarim must be present. The widespread Chabad custom of adding a short kol pashut at the conclusion of the Shevarim does not replace the third Shever and is added only after three valid Shevarim have already been sounded.
Furthermore, a Shever must have a minimum length. While initially each Shever should be three Terumatin long, even Bedieved it must be at least slightly longer than a single Teruah sound. If the first or third “Shever” is so short that it is indistinguishable from the blower’s Teruah sounds, then it is invalid and cannot count as a Shever. In such a case, only two valid Shevarim were sounded, which does not fulfill the mitzvah.
This issue has become increasingly common due to attempts to imitate the Rebbe’s manner of blowing Shevarim without fully understanding the halachic requirements. The Chabad Rabbinical Court in Eretz Yisrael recently issued a public warning stating that many have fallen into various errors, including:
- Blowing only two Shevarim.
- Shortening the last Shever until it becomes a Teruah.
- Adding incorrect sounds and distortions.
They therefore ruled that anyone who is not absolutely certain how to perform the Chabad custom correctly should simply blow three regular Shevarim in the regular method done by the entire world and avoid modifications.
It is for this reason that many Poskim stress that every Baal Tokeia, regardless of his scholarship or piety, should have a knowledgeable observer standing next to him to ensure that all the sounds are halachically valid. Mistakes in the length of a Shever are very common and often go unnoticed by the blower himself.
Conclusion:
The Chabad custom is not to blow two Shevarim and then a Teruah-like sound. One must always sound three valid Shevarim. If one of the Shevarim was shortened to the point that it was no longer distinguishable from a Teruah, then only two valid Shevarim were sounded and the listeners were not Yotzei. Many contemporary mistakes stem from attempts to imitate the Rebbe’s custom without first ensuring that all three Shevarim remain complete and halachically valid.
Sources:
Admur 590:4-8 and 15-16; Rashi; Riva; Rivam; Rosh; Michaber 590:3; Magen Avraham 590:2; Chayei Adam 142:7; Mishnah Berurah 590:13, 15; Shaar Hatziyon 590:4, 8; Kaf Hachaim 590:25; Reshimos Hayoman p. 344; Shulchan Menachem 3:105; Toras Menachem 29 p. 14; Igros Kodesh 20:39; Public warning of the Chabad Beis Din in Eretz Yisrael regarding errors in the blowing of Shevarim.