The Siren’s Wail
“If a Festival Falls on the Eve of the Sabbath…”
(Chullin 26)
The Mishna on our daf refers to the custom, in Talmudic times, to sound the shofar on the eve of the Sabbath as a signal to the people that the Sabbath’s approach was imminent and, as such, to cease from any prohibited labor. The Mishna notes that in the event that the eve of the Sabbath was a Yom Tov, they would sound the shofar as well. Their reasoning was that since there were certain melachos (labors), such as cooking and carrying in the public domain, which are permitted on Yom Tov but are forbidden on the Sabbath, it was deemed necessary to inform the public of the onset of the Sabbath. Even though the sounding of a shofar on Yom Tov is considered a rabbinic issur (violation), the Sages waived that issur in order to prevent chillul Shabbos (desecration of the Sabbath by the performance of forbidden labor).
What of the opposite case, when Yom Tov falls on a Sunday? The Mishna states that in that situation, they did not sound the shofar but they recited havdalah, which served as a reminder that certain melachos were now once again permitted.
To Blast…
Rashi (sv. Tekiyah) assumes that on an ordinary Yom Tov eve, which would occur during the week, the shofar was sounded as well to warn everyone of the approaching Yom Tov and its prohibitions. This indeed is the opinion of Tosafos (Shabbos 114b, “litko’a”) as well.
Thus, according to Rashi and Tosafos, the reason for the Mishna’s statement that there was no sounding of the shofar in the event that Yom Tov fell on the day following the Sabbath was because they were already refraining from labor, and it was deemed needless to inform them of any further cessation.
…Or Not to Blast
Rambam (Hilchos Shabbos chap. 5:20), on the other hand, indicates that the shofar was never sounded on a Yom Tov eve. Therefore, the Mishna cannot be telling us not to sound the shofar on the eve of Yom Tov which occurs on a Sabbath, because the shofar was never sounded even when the eve of Yom Tov fell on a weeknight. Rather, as Rambam concludes, the shofar was sounded to announce the return to weekday labor.
Shabbos Is Coming!
Although the custom was discontinued after our exile from Eretz Yisrael, Rema (Orach Chayyim 256:1) notes that it was the custom in many communities to appoint an individual, a shamash, who would loudly proclaim the approaching Sabbath. This would be in place of the sounding of the shofar.
The Chofetz Chaim in his Biur Halacha commentary states that this should be done as well when Yom Tov falls on an Erev Shabbos. In his Mishna Berura commentary, he lauds those community leaders who volunteer and perform this much-needed service and great is their merit. Their reward will be children who grow to be Gedolei Yisrael.
A Pre-Set Siren via a Shabbos Clock
Today, with the advent of electricity and our modern technology, many communities have restored the warning sound, albeit in the form of a warning siren. A point to ponder: Perhaps in that event, it would be permitted – and indeed proper – to sound the alarm (which is on a clock timed to blast at the specific time) even when Erev Yom Tov is on Shabbos.