Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, on the first of the month, you shall have a sabbath, a memorable acclamation, a holy gathering.
Leviticus 23:24
This study changed significantly during its research stage. In fact, the title originally was going to be Day of Trumpets. This is because Yom Teruah is often translated into English as “Day of Trumpets”, and almost all writings about the day refer to it that way. For many, it is even commemorated by blowing the shofar or ram’s horn. Imagine my surprise to discover that nowhere in scripture is this appointed time ever connected to blowing the shofar!
Shouting or Trumpets?
Let’s begin by rereading the scripture verse on the cover above, which is taken from The Interlinear Bible and compare it to the same passage in multiple other translations:
- Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, on the first of the month, you shall have a sabbath, a memorable acclamationh8643, a holy gathering. The Interlinear Bible
- Say to the Israelites: ‘On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of sabbath rest, a sacred assembly commemorated with trumpet blastsh8643. New International Version
- Speak to the people of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe a day of solemn rest, a memorial proclaimed with blast of trumpetsh8643, a holy convocation. English Standard Version
- Speak to the Israelites and say, ‘On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of rest, a sacred assembly announced by trumpet blastsh8643. Berean Standard Bible
- Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a sabbath-rest, a memorial of blowing of trumpetsh8643, a holy convocation. New King James Version
- Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpetsh8643, an holy convocation. Restoration Study Bible
Yom Teruah is also commanded in Numbers 29:1 And in the seventh month, on the first of the month, you shall have a holy gathering; you shall do no work of service. It shall be a day of blowing the trumpetsh8643 to you.
The underlined word, in Hebrew, is Strong’s h8643 תְּרוּעָה teruah: clamor, i.e. acclamation of joy or a battle-cry; especially clangor of trumpets, as an alarum:—alarm, blow(-ing) (of, the) (trumpets), joy, jubile, loud noise, rejoicing, shout(-ing), (high, joyful) sound(-ing). The KJV translates teruah in the following manner: shout (11x), shouting (8x), alarm (6x), sound (3x), blowing (2x), joy (2x), and miscellaneous others (4x). The meaning of the word indicates blowing of air out of your mouth, either by shouting or blowing into something. In order for the meaning to be blowing air into a horn or trumpet the word for horn or trumpet would need to accompany it, as in Numbers 31:6. However, that is not the case in reference to Yom Teruah.
Numbers 31:6 And Moses sent them to the army, a thousand for a tribe, them and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest to the army; also the holy vessels, and the trumpetsh2689 to soundh8643 in his hand.
Why does this matter? Many end-times prophecies include descriptions of the sounding of a trumpet or trumpets, and because Yom Teruah is translated “Day of Trumpets”, people are looking to this day for their fulfillment, which may not be correct at all.
The Hebrew words often translated “trumpet” are shofarh7782 (ram’s horn) and hasosrah2689 (trumpet).
The Israelites blew the shofar: 1) to sound an alarm regarding battle, 2) to announce a new king, 3) when moving the ark (David), and 4) on the Day of Atonement in the jubilee year (proclamation of liberty/freedom). The ram’s horn was blown as a means of communicating with the people. The word shofar is also used as a description for the voice of YHWH.
The Levitical priests blew the hasosra: 1) for calling the assembly, 2) to move the camps, 3) before going to war in order to be remembered by YHWH, 4) when they were happy and rejoicing, 5) on YHWH’s appointed times, and 6) At the beginning of the months (new moon). This trumpet was to be made of silver and was only for the sons of Aaron to blow, and primarily as a means of communication with YHWH.
Most translations highlight Yom Teruah as a day for sounding an alarm, meaning blowing trumpets, rather than shouting for joy, and even the Greek Septuagint translates teruah in this passage with the Greek word for “trumpet”, sal’-pinx. However, it’s the only place we could find the Hebrew word teruah translated sal’-pinx.
Strong’s g4536 σάλπιγξ sal’-pinx: a trumpet:—trump(-et). The word sal’-pinx is the Greek Septuagint translation for these Hebrew words that mean trumpet or horn:
- Shofarh7782 in Exodus 19:16 &19; Lev 25:9; Joshua 6:5; 2 Samuel 6:15. A Shofar is a ram’s horn made into an instrument to blow into likened to a trumpet.
- hasosrah2689 in Numbers 10:2, 8, 9, &10, and 31:6; Joshua 6:5; 2 Kings 11:14; 1 chronicles 13:8, 15:28, 16:6; 2 chronicles 20:28, 29:26,27&28. A hasosra is a metal (silver) trumpet.
- qerenh7161 in Joshua 6:5. A qeren is an animal’s horn (usually still attached to the animal).
The sons of Aaron were to signal the new moon and all appointed feasts with trumpet blasts from a silver trumpet (h2689) as stated in Numbers 10:1-10. Yom Teruah is both a new moon and one of YHWH’s appointed times, therefore, they would have been blowing the silver trumpet on this day. However, that would not set Yom Teruah apart from the first day of any other month or from any other appointed time. There is no more reason to call it the “Day of Trumpets”, than the first of any other month or any other appointed time.
To recap: the Hebrew word often translated “blowing of trumpets” or “trumpet blasts” in the description of Yom Teruah is h8643 (shouting). The two Hebrew words often translated “trumpet” are h7782 (ram’s horn) and h2689 (trumpet). Let’s look at some other verses that use these words so we can see how bible translators translate them elsewhere in scripture.
2 Samuel 6:15 And David and all the house of Israel were bringing up the ark of YHWH with shoutingh8643, and with the sound of the ram’s hornh7782.
2 Chronicles 13:12 And behold, God is with us at our head, and His priests, and the trumpetsh2689, the signalh8643 to sound for battle against you. O sons of Israel, do not fight with YHWH, the God of your fathers, for you shall not prosper.
2 Chronicles 15:14 And they swore to YHWH with a loud voice, and with shoutingh8643, and with trumpetsh2689, and with ram’s hornsh7782.
Psalm 47:5 God has gone up with a shouth8643, YHWH with the sound of a ram’s hornh7782.
Psalm 98:6 With trumpetsh2689 and sound of a hornh7782, make a joyful noise before YHWH the King.
What we see is that on Yom Teruah we are to have a day of no servile work, and we are to gather together, read the Torah, and be shouting for joy. If there was a Levitical priesthood they would be blowing silver trumpets, but no one needs to be blowing the shofar.
Mourning or Rejoicing?
The Book of Nehemiah was written between 440 BC and 425 BC, likely by Ezra, after the Jews had returned to Jerusalem from Babylon. The Book of Nehemiah gives us a description of a Yom Teruah observance. Please note that there is no blowing of the shofar or hasosra mentioned. We believe this is because they are describing what they did specifically in observance of Yom Teruah, not what they do for every new moon and appointed feast day.
Nehemiah 8:1-12 And all the people gathered as one man into the plaza that was before the Water Gate. And they spoke to Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses, which YHWH had commanded to Israel. And Ezra the priest brought the Law before the congregation, both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month. And he read in it before the plaza that was before the Water Gate, from the morning until noon, before the men and the women, and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people listened to the Book of the Law. And Ezra the scribe stood on a pulpit of wood which they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand were Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah and Meshullam. And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people. And when he opened it, all the people stood up. And Ezra blessed YHWH, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, lifting up their hands. And they bowed and worshipped to YHWH with their noses to the ground. And Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the Law. And the people were in their place. And they read aloud clearly in the Book of the Law of God, and they gave the sense and caused them to understand the reading. And Nehemiah the governor, and Ezra the priest, the scribe, and the Levites who taught the people, said to all the people, This day is holy to YHWH your God. Do not mourn or weep, For all the people wept when they heard the words of the Law.
Then he said to them, Go eat the fat, and drink of the sweet, and send portions to him for whom nothing is prepared. For this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be sorry, for the joy of YHWH is your stronghold.
And the Levites were silencing all the people, saying, Be quiet, for today is holy and do not be grieved. And all the people went to eat and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words which were made known to them.
Here we are seeing a group of new followers of Torah learning how to live in obedience to YHWH in the sixth century BC, after coming out of Babylon. Their grief over years of ignorant disobedience has them in mourning, but the Levites quieted their weeping and told them Yom Teruah is a day for great rejoicing! This passage is especially moving to a new follower of Torah in the twenty-first century—having recently “come out of Babylon”.
Revelation 18:4 And I heard another voice out of heaven saying, My people, come out of her that you may not share in her sins and that you may not receive of her plagues;
Yom Teruah is a day for joy and celebration because it will be the day of the wake-up call to the ten virgins, the day the Bridegroom is first seen returning for His bride!
Yom Teruah in Prophecy
We believe that the shouting of Yom Teruah is fore-shadowing the “wake-up call” that the ten virgins will receive that alerts them that the bridegroom is returning. This is why it is a day of great rejoicing!
Matthew 25:1-13 Then the kingdom of Heaven shall be compared to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to a meeting of the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five foolish. Those being foolish, taking their lamps did not take oil with them. But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
But, the bridegroom delaying, all nodded and slept. And at midnight a cry occurred: Behold, the bridegroom comes! Go out to meet him. Then all those virgins rose up and prepared their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out. But the wise answered, saying, No, lest there not be enough for us and you. But rather go to those who sell and buy for yourselves.
But they going away to buy, the bridegroom came. And those ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. And afterwards the rest of the virgins also came, saying, Lord, Lord. open unto us. But answering he said, Truly I say to you, I do not know you. Therefore, watch, for you do not know the day or the hour in which the Son of Man comes.
For an in-depth study on this parable, please see our study: The Parable of the Ten Virgins (coming soon).
The Bridegroom is Yeshua Messiah who will return to collect His bride and take her to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.
Revelation19:6-10 And I heard as a sound of a numerous crowd, and as a sound of many waters, and as a sound of strong thunders, saying, Hallelujah! Because the Lord God Almighty reigned. Let us rejoice and let us exult, and we will give glory to him, because the marriage of the Lamb came, and His wife prepared herself. And it was given to her that she be clothed in fine linen, pure and bright, for the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints.
And he says to me, Write: Blessed are the ones having been called to the supper of the marriage of the Lamb. And he says to me, These words of God are true. And I fell before his feet to worship him, but he said to me, Behold! Stop! I am your fellow-slave, and of your brothers, having the testimony of Jesus. Worship God. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
Obedience to Torah is the fruit (olives) from which the oil for the lamp is made. Therefore, the oil represents the love that is produced through obedience to Torah.
Why does obedience to Torah equate to love? Yeshua said that all of the commandments of YHWH rest on loving YHWH and loving others. The Torah is all about love!
Zechariah 4 describes the illustration to the right: the olive tree is Israel; believers are the branches; the olives are their obedience to Torah; the oil moving through the pipes is love; the lampstands are the seven churches; the flame produced by the burning oil is the Holy Spirit; the menorah is Yeshua Messiah, the righteous Branch.
Oil used for anointing is a symbol of the Holy Spirit, but the oil we find here is oil for burning, like the oil YHWH instructed the Levites to burn in the tabernacle. Anointing oil is mixed with spices and other types of oil; oil for burning is pure golden olive oil, which is the pure love manifested through obedience to YHWH. Observe the following verses that equate love with obedience to Torah:
John 14:21-24 He that has My commandments and keeps them, it is that one who loves Me; and the one that loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I shall love him and will reveal Myself to him. Judas, not the Iscariot, said to Him, Lord, what has happened that You are about to reveal Yourself to us and not at all to the world? And Jesus answered and said to him, if anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him. And We will come to him and will make a dwelling-place with him. The one who does not love Me does not keep My words–and the word which you hear is not Mine, but of the Father who sent Me!
1 John 2:3-6 And by this we know that we have known Him, if we keep His commands. The one saying, I have known Him, and not keeping His commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that one. But whoever keeps His Word, truly in this one the love of God has been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him. The one saying to rest in Him ought so to walk himself as that One walked.
1 John 4:7-13 Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God, and everyone who loves has been born of God, and knows God. The one who does not love has not known God, because God is love. By this the love of God was revealed in us, because His Son, the Only-begotten, God has sent into the world that we might live through Him.. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be a propitiation relating to our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love having been perfected is in us. By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because of His Spirit He has given to us.
1 John 5:2-3 By this we know that we love the children of God: when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not heavy.
We see that love is what comes from the fruit in the following analogy of a grapevine. Yeshua says: John 15:1-10 I am the True Vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser. Every branch in Me not bearing fruit, He takes away; and each one bearing fruit, He prunes so that it may bear more fruit. You are already pruned because of the word which I have spoken to you. Remain in Me, and I in you. As the branch is not able to bear fruit of itself, unless it remain in the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in Me. I am the Vine, you are the branches. He that remains in Me, and I in him, this one bears much fruit. For apart from Me you are not able to do anything. Unless one remains in Me, he is cast out as the branch, and is dried up; and they gather and throw them into a fire, and they are burned. If you remain in Me, and My words remain in you, whatever you desire you will ask, and it shall happen to you. In this My Father is glorified, that you should bear much fruit; and you will be My disciples. As the Father loved Me, I also love you; continue in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will continue in My love; as I have kept My Father’s commandments and continue in His love.
The Church of Philadelphia from Revelation 3:7-13 is the five wise virgins. See our study called The Seven Churches & The Seven Seals for more on the Church of Philadelphia.
The virgins (branches) who did not obey Torah (olives) did not have enough oil (love) in their lamps. They tried to go buy more oil before the bridegroom arrived. This time period is represented by the ten days between the wake-up call on the Day of Shouting and Yeshua’s arrival on the Day of Atonement. A note of special interest is that Jewish tradition calls these ten days the ten days of awe. According to chosenpeople.com:
The Ten Days of Awe, or the Ten Days of Repentance, are observed during the time between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Jewish tradition calls upon us to ask for forgiveness from those we may have offended during the past year and to forgive others for their offenses against us in anticipation of receiving God’s forgiveness at the conclusion of the ten-day period.
These ten days are also the ten days that the Church of Smyrna will experience tribulation before being saved. Revelation 2:8-11 And to the angel of the church of Smyrna, write: These things says the First and the Last, who became dead, and lived: I know your works, and the affliction, and the poverty; but you are rich. And I know the evil speaking of those saying themselves to be Jews, and they are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not at all fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the Devil is about to throw you into prison, so that you may be tried; and you will have affliction ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. The one who has an ear, hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one overcoming will not at all be hurt by the second death.
Yeshua returned before the foolish virgins were back and they missed the marriage supper. They were left behind to be refined and purified in the fire that will be the Great Tribulation.
We also believe that the descriptions given in Revelation 12:1-5 are literal signs in the heavens that occurred at Yeshua’s birth and will occur again when He returns. YHWH gave the lights in the sky to show the times and seasons:
Genesis 1:14 And Elohim said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days, and years. (RSB)
The location of the constellations, sun, moon, and planets in the sky tells us when YHWH’s appointed times have come. Most of Revelation 12 is describing the events in the sky during the fall appointed times.
Revelation 12:1-2 And a great sign was seen in Heaven, a woman having been clothed with the sun, and the moon was underneath her feet; and on her head a crown of twelve stars; and having a babe in womb, She cries, being in labor, and having been distressed to bear.
Every year in September/October the sun is in the constellation Virgo. Virgo has a crown of twelve stars above her head that have been removed from the description of the constellation and forgotten. On the Day of Shouting, the new moon is also in or under Virgo; and some years the moon is right at her feet. This was the case on Yom Teruah in 2 BC at the birth of Yeshua Messiah, and we believe that this will be the case the year Yeshua returns.
The Day of Shouting will be when those who believe in Yeshua Messiah (the ten virgins) will hear the call to come out to meet Him. The Day of Atonement will be the day Yeshua takes His bride (the five wise virgins) to the marriage supper of the Lamb, which will be the Feast of Tabernacles.
How to Observe Yom Teruah
What we’ve learned from this study is that the way to observe the Day of Shouting is to:
- do no servile work
- give to those in need
- study/read Torah aloud until noon
- gather together to eat in the afternoon
- celebrate, rejoice, and shout for joy
May you be blessed by this study. Shalom.