Why is there no Bracha made on the Blowing of Shofar in Elul, like there is a bracha when one reads the Meggilah on Purim and lights candles on Chanukah (which are also Rabbinic)?
asked Aug 11, 2010 at 14:59
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2 Answers
The Megillah and the Chanuka candles are Rabbinical Mitzvot, while blowing Shofar in Elul is merely an Ashkenzic custom (minhag), not a Mitzvah (see Rama on Orach Chaim 581:1). There's all kinds of discussion about which Mitzvot get a blessing and which don't, but in general, minhagim don't get blessings.
answered Aug 11, 2010 at 15:29
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Could be, but if so, it's presumably an even later minhag than the Ashkenazi one, since the Mechaber doesn't mention it.– Isaac Moses ♦Aug 11, 2010 at 15:44
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2@YS: different Sephardim do different things with Shofar. At one shul I've been to, we don't blow the shofar at all during Elul, at another we blow before teanu v'teatru in Kaddish at the end of selichot, at a third someone blows during the 13 middot in selichot and also before teanu v'teatru.– ChanochAug 11, 2010 at 22:08
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Chanoch or anyone else aware of sefardic Minhagim do you know the reasons? Aug 12, 2010 at 5:24
The Nois Hadeshe says it is because the blowing the whole month of Elul is partially a preparation for the blowing on Rosh Hashanah, and as the Ran says in Kesubos as to why we don’t make a Bracha on Kiddushin but do on Nissuin because Kiddushin is a preparatory step to the consimation of the Marrige through Nissuin, so to the Blowing in Elul is a preparatory step to the ultimate blowing of the Shofar on Rosh Hashnah itself and Hence blowing the Shofar the whole month of Elul requires no Bracha.
answered Aug 11, 2010 at 14:59