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Shofar. A shofar is a trumpet made from the horn of a kosher animal with the marrow removed. The central mitzvah of Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) is to hear the shofar being blown—often in synagogue, ideally as part of the prayer service. This year, listen to the blowing of the shofar on Oct. 3 and 4, 2024.
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- A Shofar Is the Horn of an Animal. Many animals have horns, made of keratin, which can be hollowed out by removing the bone and tissue found inside. When the tips of the horns are either removed or drilled through, a sound can be produced.
- It Is the Central Mitzvah of Rosh Hashanah. The Torah refers to Rosh Hashanah as the “day of the [shofar] blast.” 1 Since Biblical times, the central focus of Rosh Hashanah has been listening to the sounding of the shofar blasts.
- It May Be the Longest Continuously Played Instrument. From the Biblical era until today, shofar has been blown regularly, very possibly making it the oldest instrument still in use.
- It Was Once Blown for Battle. Still today, warriors use noise as an important weapon. Booming drums and blasting horns can sound alarms, send commands, frighten the enemy, and encourage weary soldiers.
- Is The Shofar Blown on Shabbat?
- Where Can One Hear The Shofar?
- How Was The Shofar Used Through time?
- Read More About The Shofar
The shofar is not supposed to be blown on Shabbat. You might be tempted to think this prohibition is similar to the prohibition against playing other instruments on Shabbat. But in fact, the rule against blowing the shofar on Shabbat has more to do with the prohibitions against carrying items outside of the home on the day of rest. (Many of these p...
The most common place to hear the shofar is in synagogue. If you attend synagogue for the High Holidays, you’ll be guaranteed to hear the shofar blown when you are there for Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur. In some cities, especially those with large Jewish populations, you might be able to hear the shofar blown on street corners, or in public parks. T...
The shofar is blown on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, but the ram’s horn has had other roles throughout Jewish history. Read more about the origins of the shofar here.
Turn the shofar on its side and it looks like a question mark — and its blast draws our attention to the most important question we can ask. Learn more about the different blasts of the shofar — and hear them as well. Want to learn more about the High Holidays? Sign upfor a special High Holiday prep email series.
When To Sound The Shofar. The shofar should be sounded during the day only, and not at night. The mitzvah can be fulfilled from sunrise until sunset; those who are diligent fulfill the mitzvah at the first possible opportunity.
- Reminiscent of the Coronation of a King. The sound of the shofar is analogous to the trumpet-blasts that announce the coronation of a king. On Rosh Hashanah, God created the world and assumed the role of its Sovereign, and in the sounding of the shofar we acknowledge Him as our King.
- Stirs Our Conscience. Rosh Hashanah is the first of the 10 Days of Penitence, and the shofar is sounded to stir our conscience, to confront our past errors and return to God, who is ever ready to welcome the penitent.
- Reminds Us of Sinai Revelation. The shofar is reminiscent of God’s revelation at Sinai, which was accompanied by the sounding of a shofar. It thus reminds us of our destiny — to be a people of Torah, to pursue its study and to practice its commandments.
- Like the Exhortations of the Prophets. The sound of the shofar is reminiscent of the exhortations of the prophets whose voices rang out like a shofar in denouncing their people’s wrongdoing, and in calling them to the service of God and man.
The Shofar has been sounded as a sign of victory and celebration. Jewish elders were photographed blowing multiple shofars after hearing that the Nazis surrendered on May 8, 1945. The shofar has played a major role in the pro-Israel movement and often played in the Salute to Israel Parade and other pro-Israel demonstrations.
Regardless of the name of the service, the custom is to stand whenever the shofar is sounded. The shofar service conducted after the Torah reading begins with the chanting of Psalm 47, which could well have been read on Rosh Hashanah in the Temple.
