Shofar "contest"

It was the summer of 5572 (just under 200 years ago), and Napoleon Bonaparte, the self-proclaimed Emperor of the French, was in the midst of conquering Europe through a series of stunning military victories. Once Napoleon had captured most of Europe, he set out to conquer Russia as well. On Tisha B'Av 5572 (1812), he invaded Russia, expecting to receive assistance from the Jews there. Many of the Jews were indeed very supportive of his campaign, as he was a big proponent of the modern ideals of justice and equal rights for the Jews.

However, amongst the tzaddikim of his generation, there were differences of opinion. While many of them, including the Kozhnitzer Maggid and R’ Shlomo Karliner, supported him for the above reasons, seeing in his success an end to years of persecution of their people, the Alter Rebbe marshaled his Chassidim against Napoleon. The Alter Rebbe said that although Napoleon would be good for the Jews’ material and physical plight, the spiritual level of the Jewish community would be greatly harmed if he were to win.

[The Alter Rebbe also said that when the Czar won, he would definitely remember everything the Jews did to help him win the war. Not only would he rescind some of the harsh and harmful decrees that had been set forth against the Jews, but he would also help to improve their situation. This actually came to pass: The Rebbe's contribution to Russia's victory was recognized by the Czar, who awarded Rabbi Schneur Zalman’s descendents the status of "an honorable citizen for all generations." Shortly afterwards, the Mittler Rebbe received from the government some tracts of land in the Cherson province to establish Jewish settlements. Subsequently, five generations of Rebbeim were to make use of this special standing for the benefit of Russian Jewry].

It is obvious that a war is not won on the battlefield, but rather in the shuls and botei midrash of Tzaddikim. Yet, in this instance, with the Tzaddikim differing about what would be the ideal outcome, there needed to be a means for the Heavenly Court to reach a decision. Therefore, chassidim relate, the decree was that whoever of the Tzaddikim would blow the shofar first on Rosh Hashana, his opinion would prevail. The “contest” was between the Alter Rebbe and the Maggid of Kozhnitz, and it would decide the outcome of Napoleon’s war against Russia.

The Maggid of Kozhnitz arose well before dawn, immersed in the mikveh, began davening at the earliest permissible hour, davenned faster than ever before, and sounded the shofar the earliest it had ever been sounded in Kozhnitzer history. However, as he reached the point of blowing shofar, he remarked "The Litvak (i.e. the AR) has bested us,".

The Alter Rebbe had arisen at the regular time, but blew shofar before davening, thus being the first. Indeed, as a result Napoleon lost the war (suffering humiliating defeats by the Russian army, until he was ultimately forced to abdicate, and spent the remainder of his life in exiles).