A Shabbos Rosh Hashanah Story in Talmud tractate Rosh Hashanah – via the lens of the first Kinus after the Rebbe’s passing
(my father, Rabbi Israel Rubin, discusses an idea for his weekly “MC Newsletter” column and he shared this with me on the last Wednesday night of 5786, before Rosh Hashanah, and one night before he was admitted to the hospital – may he have a speedy and complete recovery!)
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: פַּעַם אַחַת חָל רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה לִהְיוֹת בְּשַׁבָּת, וְהָיוּ כׇל הֶעָרִים מִתְכַּנְּסִין. אָמַר לָהֶם רַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי לִבְנֵי בְּתִירָה: נִתְקַע! אָמְרוּ לוֹ: נָדוּן.אָמַר לָהֶם: נִתְקַע, וְאַחַר כָּךְ נָדוּן. לְאַחַר שֶׁתָּקְעוּ, אָמְרוּ לוֹ: נָדוּן! אָמַר לָהֶם: כְּבָר נִשְׁמְעָה קֶרֶן בְּיַבְנֶה, וְאֵין מְשִׁיבִין לְאַחַר מַעֲשֶׂה.
The Rabbis taught in a Braysah: Once (after the Temple’s destruction) Rosh Hashanah fell on Shabbos and all the nearby towns came and gathered for the holiday in Yavneh (where the Great Assembly/Academy had moved from Jerusalem). R’ Yochanon Ben Zakkai told the Bnei Beseira: “Blow Shofar!” (as was done in the Temple itself, unlike other cities, on a Rosh Hashanah that fell on Shabbos). They replied, “Let us discuss.” He said, “first Blow Shofar, we will discuss later.” After Shofar, the Bnei Besaira wanted to discuss the validity of it, but R’ Yochanan ben Zakkai said: “The Shofar was already heard in Yavneh (on Shabbos) and we don’t refute a ruling once action has been taken!” (Talmud Rosh Hashanah 29b).
At the first Kinus HaShluchim (perhaps it was the main conference or at a smaller regional gathering) after the Rebbe’s passing on Gimmel Tammuz 5754/1994 there was much talk about how to continue after such a great loss.
Somehow this piece of Talmud came to mind, it was one of the first things I thought of, and I (Rabbi Rubin) shared it the as an inspirational encouraging message.
In times of crisis, destruction and loss, in times of uncertainty and doubt—We must go forward, the good works must continue on—questions and discussions can come later!