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Lilith and the Shofar Battle on Rosh Hashanah

Every shofar blast on Rosh Hashanah is a weapon aimed at Lilith and a demonic coalition assembled in the heavenly court against Israel.

Curated by Arthur · Told by Maggid ·
Table of Contents
  1. The Accusers Assembled in the Court
  2. What Barak Discovered in Battle
  3. The Sequence as a Battle Plan
  4. The Wilderness Model
  5. Lilith's Particular Role

The Accusers Assembled in the Court

On the day when the world stands in judgment, three forces position themselves against Israel in the heavenly court. The first is Lilith, the primordial female demon, whose accusation carries weight in the upper worlds because it is rooted in the structure of creation itself. The second is Samael, the angel who prosecutes, who possesses Sisera the Canaanite general and speaks through him. Between them stands a serpentine being the Sefer HaKanah calls Tanin'iver, the Blind Dragon, a conduit that channels power from Samael to Lilith and amplifies both.

Together they form a chain of accusation. And the shofar is aimed precisely at this chain.

What Barak Discovered in Battle

The teaching roots itself in a moment from the Book of Judges that most readers pass without noticing its mystical dimension. When Barak ben Avinoam defeated Sisera, the Sefer HaKanah says he did it by blowing a specific shofar sequence: one long sustained tekiyah followed by three shevarim, the broken wailing blasts. The sequence was not ceremonial. It was targeted.

The three shevarim landed on three specific sefirot: Hod, the quality of Splendor; Pachad, the quality of Fear; and Atarah, the Crown. These three sefirot correspond to the three forces aligned against Israel. The shevarim struck each one and evoked a fear that descended through the divine structure, disrupting the coalition that had assembled there. Sisera's external defeat on the battlefield was the visible surface of a more fundamental disruption in the upper worlds.

The Sequence as a Battle Plan

The Sefer HaKanah preserves the full rationale for each element of the shofar service on Rosh Hashanah as if annotating a military campaign. The tekiyah-shevarim-teruah-tekiyah sequence that forms the core of the service is not arbitrary. Each element addresses a different dimension of the demonic coalition's power. The tekiyah, the long unbroken blast, asserts the sovereignty of the divine and announces the presence of the one who blows as someone operating under divine authority. The shevarim fractures and unsettles. The teruah, the rapid broken staccato, penetrates more deeply, reaching into the places where the accusation is rooted.

The shofar, this tradition insists, should ideally be made of silver. Not because silver is expensive or beautiful, but because silver corresponds to the attribute of mercy. To blow a silver shofar is to sound the attribute of mercy directly into the structure of judgment that the season requires.

The Wilderness Model

The same text draws a second image: the shofar as a navigational instrument through the spiritual wilderness. The wilderness is a place of emptiness where dangers accumulate: snakes, scorpions, the gnawing thirst, what the text calls the heat wave or sun, perhaps a metaphor for harsh judgment concentrated and intensified without mercy to soften it. The twin tekiyot flanking the shevarim and teruah ward off these dangers by orienting the traveler, by asserting direction and protection against what moves through the unstructured space.

Both images, the battle against the demonic coalition and the navigation through the wilderness, operate on the same principle. The shofar is not a symbol. It is not a metaphor for repentance or a call to attention. It is interference in a specific frequency. When it sounds correctly, things change in the upper worlds that determine what happens in this one.

Lilith's Particular Role

The Sefer HaKanah places Lilith at the center of the coalition rather than at its margins. She is not a subordinate figure here, not merely a demon attached to Samael's retinue. She has independent standing in the heavenly court and her accusation carries weight because the Blind Dragon between her and Samael amplifies what she brings. Without the shofar's disruption, the chain holds. With it, the resonance that links the three accusers is fractured.

The tradition that a specific sound aimed at specific structures can break the power of prosecution in the upper court is not a marginal idea in the Kabbalistic tradition. It appears across multiple texts and periods. The Sefer HaKanah's version is among the most explicit: a named target, a named weapon, a named mechanism. The shofar blower on Rosh Hashanah, according to this teaching, is not a musician performing a ceremony. He is a soldier taking a position on behalf of an entire people standing in judgment.

LilithDemonsRosh HashanahShofarKabbalahSefirotJudgment
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From the tradition

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The texts this telling draws on, in full. Open a card to read inline, or expand it for a wider, quieter read.

Sefer HaKanah 45:9Sefer HaKanah

There's a whole mystical drama unfolding with each tekiyah, shevarim, and teruah. This teaching comes from the Sefer HaKanah, a Kabbalistic text. Imagine someone asking their teacher, their Rebbe, a really good question: “Why this particular sequence of blasts – tekiyah shevarim teruah tekiyah – and not something else?” The answer gets wild.

SISERA himself? He's possessed by SAMAEL (the angel of death), often considered the angel of death. But wait, there's more! A serpentine being called TANIN'IVER stands between them, channeling power to Sisera.

So what did BARAK (the Israelite commander) do to defeat Sisera? According to this tradition, he blew a tekiyah followed by three shevarim. The text explains that the shevarim (broken sounds) evoked fear that descended upon the "crown," specifically Hod (splendor), Pachad (fear), and Atarah (crown) – all sefirot (the divine emanations), or divine attributes, on the Kabbalistic Tree of Life.

Why no teruah (wailing) before the shevarim (groaning)? Because, the text says, "there is never wailing before groaning.", groaning often precedes an outburst of wailing. It makes sense. This order is crucial to the spiritual effect. The three shevarim contain three sounds, and they take hold of the "wailing" which is associated with the attribute of Din (judgment), which is then broken up into shards, and then comes the tekiyah.

The result? "Immediately, the power of SAMAEL, TANIN'IVER, and LILITH are interrupted!" Apparently, other evil forces rushed in to help Sisera, but they were all humiliated. Sisera's "shade" (meaning, perhaps, his negative influence) was removed, and he was delivered into Barak's hands because Barak had "brought close" (karev, spelled backwards is Barak) all ten sefirot and unified them, sweetening the harshness of Din (judgment).

But here’s the thing: what if the judgment came down through the shevarim? Or only through the teruah? To cover all bases, we blow tekiyah shevarim teruah tekiyah, tekiyah shevarim tekiyah, and tekiyah teruah tekiyah. Three times each. These correspond to the sefirot of Pachad, Hod, and Atarah.

This is why, during the Musaf (additional) service on Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year), when we add the special blessings of Malchuyot (kingship), Zichronot (remembrances), and Shofarot (shofar blasts), we're extra careful to include all these combinations. It’s like turning in every direction to sweeten the judgment, similar to shaking the lulav and etrog on Sukkot (the Festival of Tabernacles). The text suggests that Malchuyot corresponds to Atarah, Zichronot to Pachad, and Shofarot to Hod. And note that on public fast days, we recite Zichronot and Shofarot, but not Malchuyot, further cementing the association of Malchuyot with the attribute of compassion (Rachamim).

However, the text cautions us: don't just change these blasts willy-nilly! Rabbi Avahu was afraid of the number fourteen (possibly representing an attribute of Din), and since his name (אבהו) has a gematria (numerical value) of 14, he was careful not to interrupt or alter the established order.

The text then offers a deeper Kabbalistic reason for blowing the shofar during the Musaf service while standing: it’s a secret connected to the "congregation of Israel," the gate through which we enter to the King (God). The shofar blasts open the heavenly gates and, get this, distract SATAN! By making him think he's in trouble, we prevent him from prosecuting humanity before God. So, don't think there are any "extra blasts" – every single one is needed!

The text concludes with some intriguing connections to other mitzvot (commandments). For example, it touches on the mitzvah of tzitzit (fringes) and the idea of uniting the "sons with the mother," possibly referring to elevating Binah (understanding) to Chochmah (wisdom) and Keter (crown). It even touches on the laws of men appearing before God in the Temple, and how women are exempt from certain time-bound commandments because their performance might "damage above."

It ends with a warning: "We should warn the women with a warning of punishment, that they should not do like the matter of do not destroy to go up." The meaning is unclear, but it highlights the importance of observing the divine decrees with precision and reverence.

So, next time you hear the shofar blasts, remember this incredible story. It's not just a call to repentance; it's a cosmic battle against the forces of evil, a reunification of the divine attributes, and a profound expression of our connection to the King of the Universe.

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Sefer HaKanah 45:8Sefer HaKanah

In ancient text, Sefer HaKanah, these sounds are a complex language, a mystical dialogue between us, the divine, and the very forces that shape our reality.

Yourself in the wilderness, a place of emptiness, as Sefer HaKanah describes it. A place teeming with dangers – snakes, scorpions, the gnawing thirst. To navigate this spiritual desert, we need protection. That’s where the shofar comes in. We are told to sound two tekiyah blasts (long, sustained notes), interspersed with the harsher, broken sounds of the teruah and shevarim (shorter, wailing blasts). Why? To ward off the “heat wave” or “sun,” perhaps metaphorical representations of harsh judgment. Sefer HaKanah even suggests the shofar itself should be made of silver, hinting at the attribute of mercy associated with that metal. But the relationship between silver and mercy isn't clearly defined.

Rosh Hashanah, ah, that’s when things get really interesting. Sefer HaKanah states that on Rosh Hashanah, we stand in Din – in judgment. We recall our sins. And if we don't actively sound three teruah blasts, including them in mercy, it’s as if the energies of Pachad (fear), Hod (splendor), and Atarah (crown) are blocked, preventing our prayers from ascending. Atarah, here, is described as the lower half of Yesod (foundation), a Sephirot (divine attribute) that governs the world in the Messianic era before Olam Ha-Ba (the World to Come). It is a complex kabbalistic idea!

So, why the shofar specifically? Because, Sefer HaKanah explains, the sound signals to Binah (understanding), who designated the subdivisions of Din (judgment) and Rachamim (mercy). Binah, literally "understanding," is the Supernal Mother in the Kabbalistic Tree of Life, the source of discernment and compassion. The sound emanating from the shofar mirrors this duality: Din and Rachamim, represented by the tekiyah and the teruah. Though, the ordering here is somewhat unclear, as elsewhere it suggests the teruah corresponds with Din.

And what about the women? The text says they are obligated to hear the sounds of the shofar, but not necessarily to blow it. This, the text suggests, is because the teruah is emphasized and women are naturally more compassionate, so they are not obligated in the sound of judgement.

Sefer HaKanah then throws another curveball, stating that Binah considers the nation of Israel “the seventh” – a term whose origin is unclear. Because of this, the mitzvah (commandment) of the shofar falls in the seventh month, Tishrei. The first day of the month hints at renewing our intentions, though the text doesn’t clarify who "they" are in "their company." This is why the seventh month is called "The day of shofar."

Now, don't get the wrong idea. We shouldn't assume that the period leading up to Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) follows the same pattern as the creation of the world with its seven days and seven nights. if you were to blow a tekiyah blast at night, followed only by the teruah, without the shevarim, the text suggests it would lead to the sealing of Din. Therefore, the teruah must be placed between two tekiyah blasts, and this should be done at night. The meaning of this is unclear, especially since we don't blow the shofar at night on Rosh Hashanah, implying that it's a matter of Din with Rachamim, judgement tempered with mercy.

Even on Yom Kippur, we can't make a direct comparison with Rosh Hashanah. On Shabbat, there are two sheep offerings, and one shouldn’t light a fire as one would on Shabbat. The first day is holy, and the seventh day is also holy. On Yom Kippur, judgment occurs by day, but not by night because Din exists every day and night for Binah.

The text seems to suggest that Binah descends from its higher state into its lower form of Din during the day, only to reascend at night, allowing for Rachamim in the middle triad of Sephirot. But the actions of judgment still happen by night. You can't ever completely lock away Din, it seems.

So, what do we take away from all this? The shofar blasts aren't just sounds. They are a call to awaken, a plea for mercy, a reminder of the delicate balance between judgment and compassion that shapes our world. It's a complex and layered tradition, and perhaps that's the point: to engage us in a deeper exploration of ourselves and our relationship with the divine. And isn't that a journey worth embarking on, one blast at a time?

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