(Exodus 17:11): "And it was, when Moses lifted his hand, that Israel prevailed, etc." [Because the role of intent is discussed above, it is taught here that when one directs his heart to his Father in heaven, he prevails.] Now was it Moses' hand that made war or halted war? The intent is, rather, that so long as Israel looked on high and devoted their hearts to their Father in heaven, they were victorious; failing this, they were defeated. A parallel instance (Numbers 21:8): "Make for yourself a fiery serpent, and place it upon a pole; and it shall be, all who are bitten shall see it and live." Now does a serpent wield the power of life and death? The intent is, rather, that when Israel looked on High and devoted their hearts to their Father in heaven, they were healed; failing this, they were quashed. A deaf-mute, an imbecile, and a minor cannot effect the fulfilling of the obligation of the many. This is the rule: Whoever is not obligated in something himself cannot effect the fulfilling of the obligation of the many (therein).
Bartenura on Mishnah Rosh Hashanah
והיה כאשר ירים משה ידו וכו' – since we were speaking above (Mishnah 7) about the intention of the heart, [the Mishnah] teaches this that has at the time when they have the religious intention (literally: “direct their hearts”) to their Father that is in heaven, they would be victorious.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Rosh Hashanah
Introduction
In yesterday’s mishnah we learned that for one to fulfill one’s obligation of hearing the shofar, one must have the proper intention. The first section of today’s mishnah provides an essential statement with regard to ritual and intention. While ritual plays an extremely important role in Judaism, it is nevertheless considered only an external sign of internal intention and conviction. The Mishnah brings up several cases in the Torah where Moses seems to perform a magical ritual that aids Israel. The rabbis understand the magic to be a means to evoke intention and reflection upon God, and not to be a ritual that works regardless of the inner emotions and thoughts of the people of Israel.
The second section of the mishnah teaches that those who cannot legally have intention, meaning the law considers them unable to have such thoughts concerning the fulfillment of commandments, cannot aid others in fulfilling their obligation to hear the shofar.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Rosh Hashanah
“And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand Israel prevailed” etc. (Exodus 17:1. Did the hands of Moses wage war or break [Israel’s ability] to wage war? Rather this teaches that as long as Israel would look upwards and subject their hearts to their Father in heaven they prevailed, and if not they fell. The stories and the lessons of this mishnah are taught quite straightforwardly. Moses’s raising of his hands does not itself cause Israel to conquer Amalek and when his lowering of his hands does not itself cause the Israelites to lose. Their success and failure in war is a function of their belief in God and their subjecting themselves to God. We might note that Moses’s hands are held up high, causing Israel to look up at them. This is intended to cause Israel to think about God, who dwells in Heaven. It might be no accident that the rabbis choose this example and the next to illustrate their attitude towards ritual and intention.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Rosh Hashanah
Similarly, “Make for yourself a fiery serpent and mount it on a pole. And if anyone who is bitten shall look at it, he shall live” (Numbers 21:8). Did the serpent kill or did the serpent keep alive? Rather, when Israel would look upwards and subject their hearts to their Father in heaven, they were healed, and if not their [flesh] would melt away. The copper serpent (in Hebrew “seraph”, a word whose meaning is somewhat uncertain) is not a magical charm healing Israel from the wounds of the serpents sent by God to attack them as a punishment for their constant complaining. Rather the serpent is symbolic again of God it causes Israel to look up and to direct their hearts to God. Only by having the right intention can Israel be healed.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Rosh Hashanah
A deaf-mute, a lunatic and a minor cannot cause others to fulfill their religious obligation. This is the general principle: one who is not himself obligated in the matter cannot perform it on behalf of others. According to rabbinic law, deaf-mutes, lunatics and minors are not in full control of their mental faculties, and hence cannot have proper “intention.” This causes them to be exempt from the performance of commandments that require intention, such as the hearing of the shofar. Since they themselves are not obligated to blow the shofar, they cannot blow the shofar in order for others to hear and thereby fulfill their obligation. This is true in all cases a person who is not obligated to perform a commandment cannot himself perform that commandment on behalf of others. One must be personally obligated in order to fulfill the more communal role of fulfilling a mitzvah for other people.
