Question
Every year as Elul approaches, I notice that some communities begin blowing the Shofar on the first day of Rosh Chodesh Elul, while others only begin on the second day, which is the first actual day of Elul. Why is there a dispute regarding when to start? What are the reasons behind the various customs, and what is the Chabad custom in practice?
Answer
There is a longstanding dispute regarding whether the Elul Shofar blowing begins on the first day of Rosh Chodesh Elul (the 30th day of Av) or on the second day of Rosh Chodesh (the 1st day of Elul). Some Poskim rule that one should begin on the first day of Rosh Chodesh, while others rule that one should begin on the second day. Practically, the Chabad custom, based on a directive of the Frierdiker Rebbe, is a compromise between the two views: on the first day of Rosh Chodesh one blows the Shofar merely as a practice blow, while from the second day of Rosh Chodesh and onward one begins the regular order of Shofar blowing until Erev Rosh Hashanah.
Background:
Why Do We Blow Shofar During Elul? The custom of blowing the Shofar during Elul is connected to Moshe Rabbeinu’s ascent to Har Sinai to receive the second Luchos. Chazal teach that when Moshe ascended the mountain, a Shofar was blown throughout the camp in order to publicize his ascent and prevent a repetition of the sin of the Golden Calf. In commemoration of this event, the custom developed to blow the Shofar throughout Elul as a preparation for the Days of Judgment and Yom Kippur. The dispute centers on one simple question: Which day did Moshe actually ascend the mountain? And from there, another question emerges: Is the purpose of the Elul Shofar connected primarily to Moshe’s forty-day ascent, or to creating a full thirty-day period of Elul Shofar blowing?
Opinion #1: Begin on the First Day of Rosh Chodesh: Many Poskim rule that one begins blowing from the first day of Rosh Chodesh Elul, which is actually the thirtieth day of Av. This is the opinion of the Levush, Shlah, Mateh Moshe, Maharil, and others, and is also the ruling of the Taz. Their reasoning is straightforward. Moshe’s final ascent lasted forty days until Yom Kippur. Counting backward from Yom Kippur places the beginning of that forty-day period on the first day of Rosh Chodesh Elul. Since the original Shofar blowing took place on that day, they maintain that our annual commemoration should likewise begin on the first day of Rosh Chodesh. According to this approach, the purpose of the Elul Shofar is primarily to commemorate the beginning of Moshe’s ascent and the forty days of mercy that culminated on Yom Kippur.
Opinion #2: Begin on the Second Day of Rosh Chodesh: Other Poskim maintain that one begins blowing only on the second day of Rosh Chodesh, which is the first actual day of Elul. This view is brought by the Magen Avraham and is recorded by many later authorities.
Several reasons are suggested. One explanation is that the custom was intended to create exactly thirty days of Shofar blowing leading up to Rosh Hashanah, corresponding to the verse: “Blow the Shofar in the month.” Since we do not blow on Erev Rosh Hashanah, beginning on the second day of Rosh Chodesh produces the desired count of thirty days. Now, the Magen Avraham cites another approach: that Moshe actually ascended Har Sinai on the second day of Rosh Chodesh because that year Elul was a full thirty-day month. According to this understanding, the original historical event itself began on the second day of Rosh Chodesh. For this reason, many communities developed the custom to begin only on the second day.
The Practical Halachic Debate: The Taz rules that the primary ruling is to begin on the first day of Rosh Chodesh. The Magen Avraham notes, however, that many communities were already accustomed to beginning on the second day, and he writes that one should not deviate from the accepted custom of his community. Accordingly, many Poskim conclude that this matter depends on communal custom.
The Chabad Custom: The Frierdiker Rebbe established a unique practice which accomplishes both views. On the first day of Rosh Chodesh Elul, the Shofar is blown merely for practice. Then, beginning on the second day of Rosh Chodesh, one starts the regular daily order of Shofar blowing which continues until Erev Rosh Hashanah. This practice allows us to acknowledge the opinion that requires blowing on the first day of Rosh Chodesh while also maintaining the custom of beginning the formal Elul Shofar program on the second day.
What If the First Day of Rosh Chodesh Falls on Shabbos? One might think that according to the Chabad custom one should practice on the preceding Friday. However, the Rebbe explains that this is unnecessary. When the first day of Rosh Chodesh falls on Shabbos, one does not compensate by practicing on Erev Rosh Chodesh. Rather, one simply waits until the regular beginning of the custom on the second day of Rosh Chodesh.
Practical Summary
| Opinion | When to Begin |
| Levush, Shlah, Maharil, Taz | First day of Rosh Chodesh (30 Av) |
| Magen Avraham and many communities | Second day of Rosh Chodesh (1 Elul) |
| Chabad custom | Practice on first day, regular blowing from second day onward |
Sources
The dispute regarding when to begin blowing: Magen Avraham 581:2; Taz 581:1; Levush; Shlah; Mateh Moshe; Maharil
The opinion to begin from the first day of Rosh Chodesh: Levush; Shlah; Mateh Moshe; Maharil; Taz 581:1
The opinion to begin from the second day of Rosh Chodesh: Magen Avraham 581:2; Chayei Adam 138:1; Mishnah Berurah 581:3
The Chabad custom of practicing on the first day and beginning regular blowing on the second day: Sefer Haminhagim p. 113; Hayom Yom, 30 Menachem Av; Likkutei Sichos vol. 33
The ruling that one does not practice on Erev Rosh Chodesh when the first day falls on Shabbos: Likkutei Sichos vol. 34 p. 95