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February 13, 2024

Malkhiyot, Zikhronot, and Shoferot: Structure and Meaning

Dr. Chanan Gafni

Dr. Chanan Gafni

Chanan Gafni Studied at the Mir Yeshiva in Jerusalem, while earning his academic degrees from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (MA) and Harvard University (PhD). He currently teaches at Hebrew University and Midreshet Lindenbaum. His publications include The Mishnah’s Plain Sense (2011), and most recently: Conceptions of the Oral Law in Modern Jewish Scholarship (2019).

The Mishnah in Tractate Rosh Hashanah tells of three blessings unique to the Rosh Hashanah service: מלכויות (malkhiyot, or “kingship”), זיכרונות (zikhronot, or “remembrances”), שופרות (shoferot, the shofar and its sounding). But the order of those blessings is the subject of much debate among the Tannaim and Amoraim. How does the text that we find in our siddur/makhzor reflect those various Rabbinic positions? Why are their biblical verses out of order (Writings before Prophets)? And finally, what can we derive from these blessings about Rosh Hashanah?