The Jewish People live in a state of flux. Sometimes their situation is dynamic, as when they face wars or other complications, of which it says, "When the Ark went forth, Moses said, 'Arise, O L-rd, and scatter your enemies! Let your foes flee before you!'" (Numbers 10:35) At other times, they experience rest, unity and repentance, of which it says, "When it came to rest, he said, 'Return, O L-rd, the myriads of Israel's families.'" (10:36)
These two situations are alluded to with the trumpet blasts. The tekiah, a long, simple blast, alluded to goodness, kindness, Jewish unity and the unity of the Israel's leaders, as it says:
Today, in our generation, we are simultaneously hearing tekiah blasts and teruah blasts. On the one hand, we hear the tekiah: we are privileged to live in the generation of the ingathering of the exiles and of political independence. The Torah is returning to its abode. The Land of Israel is turning into the center of Torah in the world, and G-d "is returning the myriads of Israel's families." The sound of the tekiah is being increasingly heard, and it will be heard more and more until we reach full repentance and solace.
At the same time, however, the sound of the teruah can also be heard, the sounds of war, as our sages said, "In the seventh year, there will be wars. After the seventh year, the son of David will come." There are also the sounds of internal fighting, as Joshua said to Moses at the Golden Calf:
And how can we not weep and sigh when we see the moral and spiritual deterioration that is striking parts of our beloved, precious people. How can we not weep and sigh when we see how Jews are being expelled from Eretz Yisrael, the land of our life's blood, and how those areas are being handed over to our enemies, robbers of our land? Yet, we take solace in knowing that everything will change for the better.
As Maharsha said, "Why does the Hebrew letter nun appear upside down before and after the words, 'When the Ark went forth'? It is to teach us that everything will be reversed for the better." (see Maharsha on Shabbat 116) And may the words of Moses be fulfilled: "Arise, O L-rd, and scatter your enemies! Let your foes flee before you!" Regarding this Rashi comments, "So to speak, Moses told G-d, 'Wait for us! Don't go far! We shall return to You and to Your Torah!'" As then, now as well, the day is not far off when the entire nation will return to G-d and to His Torah throughout the length and breadth of our land. And the sound of a great shofar blast will be heard, the shofar of the Messiah, and we will merit to see G-d return the myriads of Israel.
These two situations are alluded to with the trumpet blasts. The tekiah, a long, simple blast, alluded to goodness, kindness, Jewish unity and the unity of the Israel's leaders, as it says:
When both of the trumpets are sounded with a long note, the entire community shall assemble at the Communion Tent entrance.... If a long note is sounded on only one of them, the princes, who are leaders of thousands in Israel, shall come together to you. However, when the community is to be assembled, the trumpets shall be sounded with a long note, and not with a series of short notes. (10:3-4,7)In contrast, the teruah is a broken sound, a sound of loud sobbing, weeping and moaning (see Orach Chaim 504). The teruah alludes to complex situations, when the nation is marching off to war:
When you sound a series of short notes, the camps to the east shall begin the march.... When you go to war against an enemy who attacks you in your land, you shall sound a staccato on the trumpets. You will then be remembered before the L-rd your G-d, and will be delivered from your enemies. (Numbers 10:5,9)As far as these situations of approaching battle, on the one hand, alluded to by the teruah blasts, and rest, repentance and unity on the other hand, alluded to by the tekiah blasts, even though they seem like opposites, they are really all one, with one purpose. This finds expression in the tekiah-teruah-tekiah shofar blasts of Rosh Hashanah. First comes a tekiah, a simple blast that alludes to good thought and purpose in our world. After that come the teruah blasts, which allude to the hardships and moaning along the way, and in the end comes the tekiah again, a simple blast that alludes to G-d's kindness and the happy ending; all's well that ends well.
Today, in our generation, we are simultaneously hearing tekiah blasts and teruah blasts. On the one hand, we hear the tekiah: we are privileged to live in the generation of the ingathering of the exiles and of political independence. The Torah is returning to its abode. The Land of Israel is turning into the center of Torah in the world, and G-d "is returning the myriads of Israel's families." The sound of the tekiah is being increasingly heard, and it will be heard more and more until we reach full repentance and solace.
At the same time, however, the sound of the teruah can also be heard, the sounds of war, as our sages said, "In the seventh year, there will be wars. After the seventh year, the son of David will come." There are also the sounds of internal fighting, as Joshua said to Moses at the Golden Calf:
Joshua heard the sound of the people rejoicing, and he said to Moses, "It sounds as though there is a battle going on in the camp." "It is not the song of victory," replied [Moses], "nor the dirge of the defeated. What I hear is just plain singing." (Exodus 32:17,18)Rashi comments, "'Just plain singing': The sound of cursing and blasphemy that afflicts the spirit of all who hear it."
And how can we not weep and sigh when we see the moral and spiritual deterioration that is striking parts of our beloved, precious people. How can we not weep and sigh when we see how Jews are being expelled from Eretz Yisrael, the land of our life's blood, and how those areas are being handed over to our enemies, robbers of our land? Yet, we take solace in knowing that everything will change for the better.
As Maharsha said, "Why does the Hebrew letter nun appear upside down before and after the words, 'When the Ark went forth'? It is to teach us that everything will be reversed for the better." (see Maharsha on Shabbat 116) And may the words of Moses be fulfilled: "Arise, O L-rd, and scatter your enemies! Let your foes flee before you!" Regarding this Rashi comments, "So to speak, Moses told G-d, 'Wait for us! Don't go far! We shall return to You and to Your Torah!'" As then, now as well, the day is not far off when the entire nation will return to G-d and to His Torah throughout the length and breadth of our land. And the sound of a great shofar blast will be heard, the shofar of the Messiah, and we will merit to see G-d return the myriads of Israel.