The ancient ritual horn of Israel, representing, next to the ‘Ugab or reeds, the oldest surviving form of wind-instrument. As a rule “shofar” is incorrectly translated “trumpet” or “cornet”; its etymology shows it to signify either “tuba” (comp. Jastrow, “Diet.”) or, more accurately, “clarion” (comp. Gesenius, “Dict.” ed. Oxford). It is mentioned frequently in the Bible, from Exodus to Zechariah, and throughout the Talmud and later Hebrew literature. It was the voice of a shofar, “exceeding loud,” issuing from the thick cloud on Sinai that made all in the camp tremble (Exodus 19:16, 20:18); and for this reason, while other musical instruments were in each age constructed according to the most advanced contemporary practise (comp. ‘Ar. 10b), the trumpet family itself being represented by the long, straight silver “ḥaẓoẓerah,” the shofar has never varied in structure from its prehistoric simplicity and crudity.
In the Pentateuch the use of the shofar is prescribed for the announcement of the New Moon and solemn feasts (Numbers 10:10; Psalms 81:4), as also for proclaiming the year of release (Leviticus 25:9). The first day of the seventh month (Tishri) is especially termed “a memorial of blowing” (Leviticus 23:24), or “a day of blowing” (Numbers 29:1), the shofar; and the modern use of the instrument survives especially in this connection. In earlier days it was employed also in other religious ceremonials, as processions (2 Samuel 5:15; 1 Chronicles 15:28), or in the orchestra as an accompaniment to the song of praise (Psalms 98:6; comp. ib. 47:5). More frequently it was used as the signal-horn of war, like the silver trumpets mentioned in Numbers 10:9 (see Joshua 6:4; Judges 3:27; 7:16, 20; 1 Samuel 13:3).
The Mosaic law providing for the first day of the seventh month (1st of Tishri = Rosh ha-Shanah) a “zikron teru'ah” (memorial of blowing; Leviticus 23:24) and a “yom teru'ah” (day of blowing; Numbers 29:1) is traditionally interpreted by the Rabbis as referring to the ceremony of sounding the shofar. The shofar in the Temple was generally associated with the trumpet; and both instruments were used together on various occasions. On New-Year’s Day the principal ceremony was conducted with the shofar, which instrument was placed in the center with a trumpet on either side; it was the horn of a wild goat and straight in shape, being ornamented with gold at the mouthpiece. On fast-days the principal ceremony was conducted with the trumpets in the center and with a shofar on either side. On those occasions the shofarot were rams’ horns curved in shape and ornamented with silver at the mouthpieces. On Yom Kippur of the jubilee year the ceremony was performed with the shofar as on New-Year’s Day. R. Judah, however, declares that the shofar of Rosh ha-Shanah was of ram’s horn (and curved); that of the jubilee, of the horn of the wild goat (R. H. 3:3); while R. Levi thought it proper that the shofar of ram’s horn of a curved shape should be used for Rosh ha-Shanah and Yom Kippur (jubilee year), and that the straight-shaped shofar of the horn of the wild goat should be used on other occasions. The curved shofar is symbolic of the contrite heart repenting on the most solemn days of Rosh ha-Shanah and Yom Kippur (comp. ib. 26b; Yer. ib.). R. Abbahu thought that a shofar of ram’s horn was used on Rosh ha-Shanah in order to call to mind the ‘Aḳedah incident connected with the ram (Genesis 22:13; R. H. 16a). The shofar,however, may be the horn of any other clean animal, except that of a cow or calf, which would be a reminder of the golden calf incident (ib. 26a). A rent or hole in the shofar affecting the sound renders it unfit for ceremonial use. A shofar may not be painted in colors, but it may be carved with artistic designs (Shulḥan ‘Aruk, Oraḥ Ḥayyim, 586, 17, note). Women and minors are exempt from the command to hear the shofar-blowing, but they nevertheless usually attend the ceremony.
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Author: Jewish Encyclopedia
Keywords: Shofar
Source: Isidore Singer (editor), The Jewish Encyclopedia (12 Volumes), (1906).
Page indexed by: inWORD Bible Software.