... Another explanation. Why does the verse (Psalms 81:2) mention Yaakov and not all of the forefathers? Our rabbis taught: a man is measured with the measure by which he measures, as it says “In that measure (b’saseah), when they sent them out, it strove with it…” (Isaiah 27:8) A seah with a seah. I only know seah, from where do I learn tirkav and a half tirkav, kab and a half kav, rovah and a half rovah, a tuman and an uchlah? Scripture says “For every victory shout (s’on soein) sounds with clamor…” (Isaiah 9:4) Here there are many measures. I only know about something which comes by measure, from where do I learn little bits that add up to a large amount? Scripture says “…adding one to another to find out the account.” (Ecclesiastes 7:27) This is like a king who had three people that loved him, and sought to build himself a palace. He brought the first one and said to him: I want to build a palace for myself. His love replied to him: I recall that it was a mountain in the beginning. He called to the second love and said to him: I want to build a palace for myself. He replied: I recall that it was a field in the beginning. He called to the third love and said: I want to build a palace for myself. He replied: I recall that it was a palace in the beginning. He said to him: by your life! I will build that palace and call it by your name. So too Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov were lovers of the Holy One. Avraham called the Holy Temple ‘mountain,’ as it says “On the mountain, the Lord will be seen.” (Genesis 22:14) Yitzchak called it field, as it says “…the fragrance of my son is like the fragrance of a field…” (Genesis 27:27) Yaakov called it ‘house’ even before it was built, as it says “This is none other than the house of God…” (Genesis 28:17) The Holy One said to him: by your life! You called it a house before it was built and I will call it by your name, as it says “Come, let us go up to the Lord's mount, to the house of the God of Jacob…” (Isaiah 2:3) So too Jeremiah said “So said the Lord: Behold I am returning the captivity of the tents of Jacob…” (Jeremiah 30:18) So too Asaf decorated his words and only recalled the God of Yaakov with a trumpet blast, as it says “…sound the shofar to the God of Jacob.” (Psalms 81:2)

"Raise a song and strike the tambourine." Rabbi Hiyya bar Abba said, "The nevel (harp) is like a corpse (naveil)." Rabbi Shimon said, "The nevel is for itself, and the kinor (lyre) is for itself, and there are pegs and nails between them." Rav Huna said in the name of Rabbi Assi, "Through the leather that is not worked and through the pegs and nails." And why is it called nevel? Because it makes all kinds of music decay. Rabbi Yehuda bar Rabbi Elai said, "In this world, it is through the pegs and nails (and how many pegs are there between them) that there are seven pegs in the kinor, as it says, 'Seven times a day I praise You' (Psalms 119:164). In the days of the Messiah, there will be eight, as it says, 'For the conductor, on the eighth' (Psalms 12:1). And in the future to come, there will be ten, as it says, 'On me is a decade and a nevel (harp)' (Psalms 92:4)."

Blow the shofar in the month. This is what the scripture says (Psalms 89:16): "Happy is the people who know the shofar blast; they walk, O Lord, in the light of Your countenance." "Those who know the shofar blast" refers to the generation of the wilderness who camped and traveled by the sound of the shofar, as it says (Numbers 10:4): "And if they blow but one [shofar], then the princes, the heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves unto you." "They walk, O Lord, in the light of Your countenance" as it says (Exodus 13:21): "And the Lord went before them by day." Another interpretation: "Happy is the people" refers to the elders who determine the months and establish the new year. "In the light of Your countenance" - Rabbi Abbahu said, this refers to God who agrees with them. Rabbi Yosei ben Yaakov said in the name of Rabbi Acha (Genesis 49:21), "Naphtali is a hind let loose, who utters beautiful words." These are the words of Torah that were given through the shofar, as it says (Exodus 20:15): "The sound of the shofar." Therefore, "Blow the shofar in the month." Rabbi Yoshiyah said, "Do not the nations of the world also have hands raised in doubt?" Rather, "Happy is the people" refers to the Jewish people who know how to please God with the shofar. Another interpretation: "Happy is the people" refers to the Jewish people who know how to please God on Rosh Hashanah. "In the light of Your countenance they will walk" refers to Yom Kippur, on which the Lord forgives and enlightens them. "Blow the shofar in the new moon" refers to the month during which the new moon is covered, and this is Rosh Hashanah. "Blow the shofar in the new moon." The rabbis say: "Renew your deeds and improve your deeds, and I will cover your sins," as it is said: "You have borne the guilt of Your people, You have covered all their sins" (Psalms 85:3). Rabbi Berechiah said in the name of Rabbi Abba: "Improve your deeds and renew your deeds." Just as the shofar sound comes from one end and goes out the other, so do all the accusers in the world accuse before me, but I hear from one side and vindicate from the other. Therefore, blow the shofar in the new moon."