Chapter 119

It had been arranged that R. Avraham would serve as baal tokeia, because they wished the shofar blower to be one of the members of our fellowship who had already been in Uman. R. Avraham asked me to serve as the makri before the baal tokeia—that is, to call out “tekiah,” and so forth, before each blast. He desired the makri likewise to be someone who had been in Uman, for the makri has a significant share in the shofar blasts. Since one cannot always choose the desired baal tokeia—not everyone is capable of sounding the shofar—one at least selects as makri a worthy and distinguished man. If the blower is unable to direct his thoughts toward the kavanos, the makri directs them; for this reason an important and worthy person is chosen as makri, and so forth. I refused under all circumstances. When they saw that they could not prevail upon me, they asked R. Tzvi Aryeh, who had likewise been in Uman. He too refused, but in the end he was compelled to consent.

When we had completed the Zohar passage mentioned above, R. Avraham, the baal tokeia, began to recite aloud and with awakening, “For the conductor, by the sons of Korach, a psalm.” The entire congregation recited the whole psalm together with a loud, resounding voice and intense awakening seven times, in accordance with Jewish custom. Its recitation occupied a long time, after which the leader concluded it with awakening. We then whispered with awakening and tears the prayer for the baal tokeia printed in the machzorim. The shofar blower afterward began, in a tearful voice and with immense awakening, the verses commencing “From the straits,” and so forth. The congregation repeated each verse after him with weeping and awakening, and so forth. He then recited the blessings.

He began to sound the shofar. The makri called, “Tekiah,” and R. Avraham attempted the blast but could not sound it properly—perhaps because he had exhausted himself during Shacharis and in preparing for the shofar blasts. Nevertheless, the makri called “Shevarim,” and he sounded it, but again not properly. The makri called “Teruah,” and he attempted it but could not sound it properly, and so forth.

In sum, another man had to sound the shofar. R. Avraham handed it to Yona, one of the younger members of our fellowship. Without repeating the blessing, Yona began the blasts anew and sounded them properly. The makri continued calling before him, and he sounded the entire TaShRaT series three times. The congregation experienced spiritual awakening and whispered confession, as taught in the writings of the Arizal, and recited the Yehi Ratzon that the blasts be accepted, and so forth, as printed in the machzorim.

The makri then called “Tekiah,” the blower sounded it, and so they continued until they had completed the TaShaT series three times. They whispered confession and recited the Yehi Ratzon as above. The makri then called “Tekiah,” and so forth, and they sounded the TaRaT series three times. They whispered confession, after which the entire congregation recited together, with a resounding voice, weeping, and awakening: “And therefore, may it be Your will ... that these angels issuing from the shofar and from the tekiah ... ascend and advocate favorably on our behalf.”

R. Avraham, who was also to lead Mussaf, then chanted the verses “Fortunate is the people who know the shofar’s cry,” and so forth, in the Uman melody and rite, and the congregation repeated them after him with a tearful voice and immense awakening. He next chanted, “In Your Name they rejoice all the day,” in the same Uman melody and rite, and the congregation repeated it amid immense weeping and awakening. Then came, “For You are the glory of their strength,” in the same melody and rite, and the people repeated it with a tearful voice and immense awakening.

He then began the verse “Fortunate are those who dwell in Your house,” in the Uman melody and rite, with a tearful voice and immense awakening. The entire congregation recited the whole psalm of Ashrei with profuse weeping, immense awakening, and prolonged pauses. The leader afterward began, “Righteous is Hashem in all His ways,” in the Uman rite and melody, with a tearful, awakened voice. The congregation whispered every word with him amid weeping and an awakening beyond estimation.

He then took the Torah scroll in his hands and recited “They shall praise,” and so forth, likewise with sweetness and awakening. Everyone kissed the Torah scrolls, which were returned to the Ark. The congregation then recited the verses of “By David, a psalm” calmly, as customary.