A short Insight into SHMUEL 1, Chapter 4 By Rabbi Nisson Dov Miller

At the beginning of our perek, we read about B'nei Yisrael losing the opening battle in their war against the Philistines. Because of this loss, they decide to take the Ark from its resting place in Miskan Shiloh with them into battle. As they are ready to do battle again, the verse (5) relates, “When the Ark of the Covenant of Hashem arrived at the camp, all Israel sounded a great shofar blast.” Why is there such emphasis put on those blowing these blasts, “all of Israel”, and the ba'al tokai'a, the one who blows the blasts of the shofar on Rosh Hashana?