Feast of Trumpets
Feast of Trumpets
This article was written by Roi Ziv, whom some of you met in Israel.
Leviticus 23:23-25 introduces the Feast of Trumpets, one of Israel’s feasts. Beside the regular instructions concerning a holy day, such as avoiding work, two words are unique for this feast: Zichron Tru’a – “memory of trumpet blowing”. In Numbers 29:1 it’s called ‘Yom Tru’a’ – “a day of trumpet blowing”. What is this day? What is its significance?
In Numbers 10:1-10, God tells Moses to make two silver trumpets and explains how they are to be used. A careful reading reveals two different sounds, serving for different purposes: ‘Tki’a’ and’ Tru’a’, usually translated as regular blowing and blowing an alarm. The first, Tki’a, serves for gathering the people. One trumpet calls just for the leaders and two trumpets call for the whole congregation. In addition, the trumpets are blown on the appointed feasts and on the first days of the months (verse 10). The sound of the trumpets will be “as a reminder of you before your God”.
The Tru’a serves as a sign for the camp to set out. When Israel will be in their land it will serve them in times of war, will again be a reminder of them before YHVH, and he will save them from their enemies.
So the trumpets were blown on all the feasts, not just on the Feast of Trumpets, and even on all the first days of the months. But this day is the day of Tru’a, not Tki’a. It is not the day of the sound for gathering, but that of setting out and of victory.
There is another meaning in Torah for Tru’a, mentioned in Leviticus 25. ‘Shnat Hayovel’, the year of Jubilee, the year of freedom, of releasing of slaves, of redeeming the lands, is proclaimed by a Shofar’s Tru’a, sounding on the Day of Atonement! This connects Tru’a to freedom as well.
I find it interesting that in the conquering of Jericho, when the priests were blowing the trumpets (Just as they are supposed to according to Numbers 10:9, by the way…), they were using the “Trumpets of Jubilee”! Now translations hide this fact, and even Hebrew scholars like Cassuto explain the seven trumpets as simply ram’s horns, but I still can’t help but think that maybe “Shofrot Hayovlim” (the seven horns in Joshua 6) were the ones intended for “Shnat Hayovel” (year of Jubilee) in Leviticus 25. In any case, the people shouted a great Tru’a, and the wall of Jericho fell down!
The Bible continues to use Tru’a, mainly in the context of war in the prophets and of YHVH’s praise in the Psalms.
Psalm 89:15 says “How blessed are the people who know the joyful sound!
O Lord, they walk in the light of your countenance” (NASB). The verse actually says: “How blessed are the people who know Tru’a”!
I can’t say I understand this day in its deepest level, but for me it’s somehow connected to freedom, victory, progress and moving forward as opposed to standing in one place, and above all, to YHVH’s protection and blessing, for “blessed are the people who know Tru’a”.
Shana Tova! Happy New Year J
Rosh Hashanah has been termed for this Feast today.
Few Jewish people refer to it as the Feast of Trumpets, but rather it is known as Rosh Hashanah which literally means “the head of the year.” The Israelis call this Feast of Trumpets Rosh Hashanah, or “the head of the year” because they believe that God created the heavens and the earth on this day. Therefore, this feast has become known as the beginning of the Jewish civil year.
Judaism has two calendars, a religious and civil new year, expressly stated in Exodus 12:2 in the Jewish month of Nisan in February/March and the other in Tishrei in the month of September/ October.
Repentance is the major theme, beginning with Rosh Hashanah, the Day of Blowing.
The blowing of the trumpets is a fantastic, incredible call to each individual to repentance, self-examination, regret for sins committed, and a firm rejection of the sins committed, and finally a firm resolution or resolve not to continue committing those sins any longer.
Originally, the shofar was blown a short blast every New Moon, marking the beginning of a new month.
But on the New Moon of the seventh month, Tishri 1, the “Feast of Trumpets,” prolonged alarm blasts were sounded. Obviously, these were to herald a warning to the people to repent, that the time has come to PREPARE TO BE JUDGED.
Yes, “How blessed are the people who know the joyful sound!” Amein!
Your speculation of seven trumpets is correct as far as interpretation. A metaphor is always the same. Hence seven trumpets is always the same seven trumpets. We say that that ‘seven’ is a metaphor for complete or fullness. It is more than a metaphor. Seven שׂבע sheba (used in Bathsheba) means to fulfill desires in the flesh. The sabbath שׁבת is rest, or the final/eternal filling of the desires. The word for trumpets also means ‘shout’. When you read ‘shout’ in Revelation, you may think trumpet.