פירוש על ראש השנה 3:3

של יעל פשוט – since for the prayer/Amidah, we require straight horns [of the mountain goat]

Introduction This mishnah discusses the shofar used on Rosh Hashanah.

The shofar used on Rosh Hashanah was that of an ibex, straight, and its mouth was overlaid with gold. According to the mishnah, the shofar used on Rosh Hashanah should be from the horn of an ibex. The Talmud explains that the straightness or simplicity of the shofar is symbolic of the straightness of a person’s prayers. In the Talmud Rabbi Judah disagrees with this mishnah and says that one should use the bent horn of a ram, symbolic of how a person bends down in humility before God. The Rambam points out that the horn of the ram also reminds us on Rosh Hashanah of the sacrifice of Isaac, when Isaac was eventually replaced by a ram. The mouthpiece of the shofar was overlaid with gold. According to the Talmud, this relates to the shofar that was blown in the Temple. Covering the mouthpiece of the shofar is no longer allowed.

שופר מאריך – after the trumpets stop their Tekiot, the sound of the Shofar is heard.

There were two trumpets, one on each side of it. The shofar gave a long blast and the trumpets a short one, since the commandment of the day was with the shofar. The idea that there were trumpets accompanying the shofar is expressed also in Psalms 98:6, “With trumpets and the sound of a shofar you shall make blasts before God the King.” Again, the Talmud relates that this was done only in the Talmud. Priority was given to the sounds of the shofar over those made by the trumpets.