פירוש על ראש השנה 3:4

בשל זכרים – rams

Introduction This mishnah deals with the shofar and trumpet blasts that are sounded on public fast days. These were fast days that were declared when Israel experienced distress, mostly the distress of not having enough rain. Tractate Taanit, the next tractate which we shall learn, is dedicated to this subject.

ושתי חצוצרות באמצע – they had two Shofarot, one on the one side and one on the other and trumpets in the middle.

On [public] fast days they used shofars of rams, curved, the mouths of which were covered with silver, and there were two trumpets in between them. The basic function of this mishnah is to distinguish the Rosh Hashanah ritual, described in yesterday’s mishnah, with the public fast day ritual described here. This distinction was probably created and then emphasized in the Mishnah in order to preserve the integrity of both occasions. On public fast days the shofar was made from a ram’s horn, which was curved and instead of its mouth being covered with gold, it was covered with silver. On Rosh Hashanah the trumpets were on the outside, whereas on public fast days they were in between the shofars.

שמצות היום בחצוצרות- for a mere fast is for the troubles of the community, and it is written (Numbers 10:9): “[When you are at war in your land] against an aggressor who attacks you, you shall sound short blasts on the trumpets, [that you may be remembered before the LORD your God and delivered from your enemies],” and specifically in the Temple they do this, but in the country (i.e., outside of the Temple) at the time when there is a Shofar, there are no trumpets, and when there are trumpets, there is no Shofar, as it is written (Psalms 98:6): “With trumpets and the blast of the horn, raise a shout before the LORD, the King;” “Before the Lord, the King” – yes; but not before the LORD, the King, no.

A short blast was made with the shofars and a long one with the trumpets, because the mitzvah of the day is with trumpets. This section again offers a distinction between the Rosh Hashanah practice and the public fast practice. On Rosh Hashanah the mitzvah is with the shofar so its blasts are longer. On the public fast day the mitzvah is with the trumpets, so their blasts are longer. This is derived from Numbers 10:9 according to which the Israelites should blast trumpets when going out to war. From here the rabbis derive that in all cases of public distress, they should sound blasts with trumpets.