Rosh Hashanah 33a (לג.) — the Talmud in English

We learned in the Mishna:

and one may not cut it:

the shofar,

whether with an implement

whose prohibition

is due to shevut

of rabbinic origin,

or with an implement whose

prohibition

is due to a negative commandment

from the Torah.

And we explain:

due to shevut:

when he cuts it with a

sickle,

a sickle. Since it is not customary to cut shofarot with it, repairing a vessel with an implement that is not ordinarily used for that purpose, which is a labor performed in an unusual manner, is prohibited only by rabbinic decree.

Due to

a negative commandment—

when he cuts it

with a knife,

a knife, which is customarily used to cut shofarot. One who repairs the shofar in the usual manner has performed a complete Torah-level labor of “striking with a hammer.”

And we raise a difficulty:

Now, if you said that it is prohibited due to shevut,

since you, the tanna, have already said that it is prohibited to cut the shofar with an implement whose prohibition is due to shevut, then when it is cut in the usual manner, which is

a negative commandment

from the Torah—

is it necessary

for the tanna to teach us that one may not cut the shofar with an implement whose use is prohibited by a Torah negative commandment?!

And we answer: Our Mishna was formulated in the manner of

“this, and it is not necessary to state that.”

The tanna stated that it is prohibited to cut the shofar with an implement whose use is prohibited due to shevut, and it is not necessary to state that it is prohibited to cut it with an implement whose use is prohibited by Torah law, as this follows by a

. We learned in the Mishna:

But if he wishes to place water or wine inside it, he may do so.

And we infer: Specifically,

water or wine, yes.

That is so. But

urine, no;

he may not place it in the shofar, as follows.

Who is the author of the Mishna,

according to whose view was our Mishna taught? It is the view of

Abba Shaul.

As it was taught in a beraita: Abba Shaul says: Water or wine is permitted—

in order to polish it.

But

urine is prohibited—

because of the honor

due to the mitzva.

We learned in the Mishna:

One does not prevent

[one does not stop]

children from sounding the shofar.

And we infer: This indicates that specifically children are not prevented, because they must be trained in the mitzvot in which they will become obligated when they grow up.

But women,

who are entirely exempt from sounding the shofar, because it is a time-bound positive mitzva and women are exempt from it,

are prevented—

they are stopped from sounding it, because if they sound it, they transgress the prohibition of adding to the mitzvot.

And we challenge this:

But it was taught in a beraita,

for we learned in a beraita:

One does not prevent either women or children from sounding the shofar on Yom Tov!

Abaye said: It is not difficult,

there is no contradiction between our Mishna and the beraita:

This,

our Mishna, is in accordance with the view of

Rabbi Yehuda.

This,

the beraita, is in accordance with the view of

Rabbi Yosei and Rabbi Shimon,

as follows:

As it was taught in a beraita:

It is stated [Leviticus 1], concerning the burnt offering:

“Speak to the children of Israel

and say to them: When a person among you brings an offering to the Lord ... and he shall place his hand upon the head of his offering.”

Specifically,

the children of Israel

[who are mentioned in the verse]

perform semikha, but the daughters of Israel do not perform semikha,

and even if they wish to perform semikha, they are not permitted to do so, because they transgress the prohibition of adding to the mitzvot,

the words of Rabbi Yehuda.

Rabbi Yosei and Rabbi Shimon say: Women,

although they are not obligated to perform semikha, if they wish,

perform semikha voluntarily,

of their own accord. And the matter is not prohibited due to the prohibition of adding to the mitzvot.

Accordingly, our Mishna, which states that women are prevented from sounding the shofar on Rosh HaShana, follows the view of Rabbi Yehuda, that one who is exempt from a matter and performs it transgresses the prohibition of adding to the mitzvot. Therefore, women are prohibited from sounding the shofar on Rosh HaShana.

The beraita, by contrast, follows the view of Rabbi Yosei and Rabbi Shimon: Women may fulfill mitzvot in which they are not obligated, and there is no prohibition of adding to the mitzvot in doing so.

We learned in the Mishna: One does not prevent children from sounding the shofar

but

[rather]

one occupies himself with them,

telling them to sound it,

until they learn.

Rabbi Elazar said: Even on Shabbat

one occupies himself with children until they learn. We are not concerned that they might come to carry the shofar four cubits in the public domain.

Because the adult is not himself preoccupied with a mitzva, but is occupied with teaching the child. The Sages decreed concern that he might carry four cubits only when he is obligated to sound the shofar, lest, because of his preoccupation, he forget that it is Shabbat. Rav Ovadiah of Bertinoro.

It was taught likewise in a beraita,

for this too was taught in a beraita:

One occupies himself with them

[with the children]

until they learn, even on Shabbat.

And one does not prevent

the

children from sounding the shofar on Shabbat.

And although it is prohibited to carry the shofar four cubits on Shabbat, they were not concerned that they might come to carry it.

And it goes without saying

that one does not prevent them

on Yom Tov,

when it is permitted to carry the shofar in the public domain.

And we raise a difficulty:

This itself is difficult.

The words of the beraita contradict one another:

At first,

you stated

that

one occupies himself with them until they learn, even on Shabbat.

It is evident,

from here we learn that

we say ab initio, “Sound the shofar!”

The adults may initially tell the children, “Go sound the shofar.”

And then the tanna taught,

and afterward the beraita taught:

One does not prevent

the children from sounding the shofar on Shabbat.

This indicates that specifically with regard to

preventing, one does not prevent them.

But,

however,

initially—

we do not say,

we do not tell them,

“Sound the shofar!”

Thus, the words of the beraita contradict one another!

And we answer:

It is not difficult.