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Arthur L. Finkle
Unlike some of the other instruments of the Temple period, the Shofar was uniquely
semitic. The word "Shofar" is derived from the Assyrian shapparu, a wild goat of the
ibex family.
Medieval philosophers and mystics have attributed certain moralizing and occult
meanings to the sounding of the Shofar. Rabbi Saadia Gaon (10th century) stated that
the sound of the Shofar raised awe and emotion in the hearts and souls of the people.
Maimonides (11th century) interpreted the sounding as reminding humankind of its
duties to God. The mystical Zohar (1285?) holds that the sound of the Shofar awakens
the Higher Mercy.
The Shofar is the most-mentioned instrument in the Bible (72 times). It held a special
religious and secular role in the life of the Jewish people. Only Priests and Levites were
allowed to perform the religious function of blowing the Shofar in the Jewish
Commonwealth.
The Shofar had several religious roles recorded in the Hebrew Scriptures , such as the
transfer of the Ark of the Covenant (2 Samuel 6:15; 1 Chronicles 15:28); the
announcement of the New Moon (Psalms 81:4); the beginning of the religious New
Year (Numbers 29:1); the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 25:9); the procession
preparatory to the Feast of Tabernacles (Mishnah, Hullin 1:7); the Havdalah ceremony
marking the end of a festival (Mishnah, Hullin 1:7);and other uses mentioned in Hebrew
Writings (Mishnah and Talmud) after the fall of the Temple in 70 Common Era (CE).
Rosh HaShanah
The Shofar is primarily associated with Rosh HaShanah. Indeed, Rosh HaShanah is
called Yom T'ru'ah (the day of the Shofar blast). “And in the seventh month, on the
first day of the month, ye shall have a holy convocation: ye shall do no manner of
servile work; it is a day of blowing the horn unto you.” (Numbers 29:1) [ This is 1
Tishrei, which is Rosh HaShanah, the Hebrew New Year.] See also Leviticus 23:24). .
In the Mishnah (book of early Rabbinic laws derived from the Torah), a discussion in
Tractate Rosh HaShanah centers around the centrality of the Shofar in the time before
the destruction of the Second Temple (70 C.O. Those debating never experienced the
ceremony itself but their grandfathers may have. Indeed, the Shofar was the center of
the ceremony, with two silver trumpets playing a lesser role. On other solemn holidays,
fasts, and New Moon celebrations, two silver trumpets were featured, with one Shofar
playing a lesser role. The Shofar is also associated with the Jubilee Year in which,
every fifty years, Jewish Law provided for the release of all slaves, land, and debts. The
sound of the Shofar on Yom Kippur proclaimed the Jubilee Year that provided the
actual release of financial encumbrances.
Jubilee Year
The legislation concerning the year of Jubilee is found in Leviticus, xxv, 8-54, and
xxvii, 16-24. It contains three main enactments:
• rest of the soil;
• reversion of landed property to its original owner, who had been driven by
poverty to sell it; and
• the freeing or manumission of those Israelites who, through poverty or
otherwise, had become the slaves of their brethren.
Ten days after Rosh HaShanah, at the Yom Kippur service it reads. “And thou shalt
number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and there shall be
unto thee the days of seven sabbaths of years, even forty and nine years.” See Leviticus
16:29, 23:27.
Further, the Scriptures herald: Then shalt thou make proclamation with the blast of the
horn on the tenth day of the seventh month; in the day of atonement shall ye make
proclamation with the horn throughout all your land. See Lev 25: 9
New Moon
The new moon offering comes before the Rosh HaShanah offering, because that which
is brought the most often has precedence (Yad, Temidim 9:2).
The Israelites and the subsequent Jews celebrated a lunar calendar intercalated so that
the seasons are correct. New moons were extremely important. Accordingly, the Shofar
was sounded upon the occurrence of the new moon. (Numbers 29:11; Rosh HaShanah
1:1). The Talmud tells us that this custom was discontinued when the Samaritans
attempted to disrupt this system of sounding from mountain to mountain announcing
the new moon.
Scripture further proclaims the sounding on the appearance of the new moon:
And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets; and
they shall be to you for an ordinance for ever throughout your
generations.
Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the
beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over
your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings;
that they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the
LORD your God. See Numbers 10:10.
Finally we have the famous passage in PSALMS 81:3: “Blow up the trumpet in the new
moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day.”
Coronations
In addition, the Shofar had a number of secular roles, such as coronating a king (2
Samuel 5:10; 1 Kings 1:34; 2 Kings 1;13); signaling in times of war to assemble troops,
to attack, to pursue, and to proclaim victory (Numbers 10:9, Judges 6:4; Jeremiah 4:5
and Ezekiel 33:3-6).
In post-biblical times, the Shofar was enhanced in its religious use because of the ban
on playing musical instruments as a sign of mourning for the destruction of the Temple.
(It should be noted that a full orchestra played in the Temple, including, perhaps, a
primitive organ.) The Shofar continues to announce the new year and the New Moon, to
introduce the Sabbath, and to carry out the commandments on Rosh ha-Shanah and
Yom Kippur. The secular uses have been discarded (although the Shofar was sounded
to commemorate the reunification of Jerusalem in 1967) (Judith Kaplan Eisendrath,
Heritage of Music, New York: U.A.H.C., 1972, pp. 44-45).
According to rabbinic tradition, “In the Temple on Rosh Hashanah two men blowing
silver trumpets stood on either side of the one who blows the Shofar....The
Gemara...cites the verse [Psalms 47:5; 81:3; 98:6; 150:3] that requires trumpets along
with the Shofar.” We also read that, “A community beset by calamity is under a
Rabbinic obligation to...[be] assembled for supplication and prayer, and this is always
accomplished with trumpets as it is written (Numbers 10:2): And they shall be yours for
summoning the assembly....we sound the trumpets in order to stir the hearts of the
people and bring them to repentance by causing them to realize that the disaster resulted
because of their sins. In the Temple, Shofars were blown along with the trumpets. The
Shofar [blows] short...and the trumpets [blow] long...for the primary commandment is
with trumpets.”
In these rabbinic statements, the word “Shofar” is footnoted: “The use of two Shofars,
one on each side, is a Rabbinic innovation, to publicize that the special mitzvah of the
day is with trumpets (Yom Teruah).” “Trumpets” is footnoted with: “The purpose of
sounding an instrument on a fast day is to assemble the people for supplication and
prayer....blowing the trumpets is more important, for it is mandated by the Pentateuch,
whereas the Shofar accompaniment is derived from the aforementioned verse in
Psalms” (Schottenstein Gemara, chap. 3, “Rosh Hashanah,” pp 24b2, notes 21, 24,
27,28, Mesorah Publications, Brooklyn, NY.) Also see The Writings of Flavius
Josephus, “Antiquities of the Jews,” Bk. 3, Chap. 12, www.bible.crosswalk.com.)
http://www.messianicisrael.us/news/teachings/yom-teruah-and-the-two-silver-
trumpets.html?Itemid=39
The marshalling signals are described in Numbers 10, though in war the
Shofar seems to have been the signaling instrument par excellence. All
these functions, and their calls, seem later to have been appropriated
by the Shofars. The encyclopedic Psalm 150, for example, makes no
mention of the trumpet. Only lately (in the last century or so B.C.)
do trumpets appear to come back into their former favor; but, due
to Greco- Roman influence, their use is primarily military. Indeed the
roles of the two instruments seem to have become reversed; the Talmud
says 'what was called a trumpet has become a Shofar, and what was
called a Shofar has become a trumpet' (Bab. Talmud Shabbat 36a; also
Sukkoth 34a; and Rosh HaShanah 36a; Targum version of Hosea 5:8). A
passage in the Mishnah (Gittin 3:6) indicates much the same thing, in
saying that a 'trumpet' can be made of animal horn. So the Shofar
eventually took on the ceremonial function originally performed by the
trumpet.
Further it is not clear whether the Shofar was used originally for
ritual (as Leviticus 25 suggests) or for war purposes (Joshua 6). We
do know, however, that Tractate Shabbat 35b provides that the Shofar
sounded six times to prepare for the Sabbath.
Eventually, after the destruction of the second Temple, the Shofar was
identified with Rosh HaShanah (the beginning of the religious year,
sometimes known as Yom Teruah (Day of the blast) or Chag HaShoforot
(the Shofar festival).
Further Confusion
There is much ambiguity between the words “Shofar” and “Hatzorot” in Scriptures and
later writings. Indeed, at some point, scholars used Shofar interchangeably.
Indeed, in Tractate Mishnah, Tractate, Arakhin, Chapter Two, Mishnah Three, Section
one: There was a minimum of 21 daily trumpet blasts in the Temple and a maximum of
48. The explanation of this section can be found in Sukkah 5:5 (Harvest Festival – 15
days after Rosh HaShanah). The maximum number of blasts was sounded on erev
(evening) Shabbat (Sabbath) during Sukkot.
1) There are never less than twenty-one blasts in the Temple and never more than
forty-eight.
More Incidents of Shofar in Scriptures
The Shofar used to proclaim Solemn Assemblies and Special feasts Joel 2:15
Day of Judgment
Day of Judgment (Messianic Age) is proclaimed by the sound of the Shofar. See Is.
27:13
When Ark moved in its almost 40-year journey in the desert, their
horns sounded See 2 Sam 6:15; and 1 Chron. 25:28.
Numbers 10:5 When ye blow an alarm, then the camps that lie on the
east parts shall go forward.
Numbers 10:6 When ye blow an alarm the second time, then the
camps that lie on the south side shall take their journey: they shall
blow an alarm for their journeys.
When giving praise, the horns sounded. See Ps 150; 78:6
And, lest we forget, when Moses was at the foot of the mountain on the way to receive
the Giving of law, the Shofars sounded. In Exodus, 19:12, instructions are issued to
build a boundary around Mt Sinai, and the next pasuk specifies laws
Excommunication
Scripture cites that Barak used 400 Shofars to excommunicate Meroz (Judges v. 23;
Mishnah Kiddushin 16a. www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=653&letter..,
Accessed March 2, 2010-03-02
The excommunication began with the announcement of the blowing of the Shofar in
front of an open ark. The community gathered, lamented and the assembly leader would
articulate curses derived from the Scriptures. And a public warning forbade anyone
associating with the ex-communicant.
In post-biblical times, the Talmud tells us that member so the Jewish Court has a duty
to, "Take out the tools of my trade, my cane, strap, Shofar, and sandal. [Rashi: The cane
was for beating those who refused to abide by judicial decisions, the strap for biblically-
prescribed lashes, the Shofar for excommunication, and the sandal for the ritual of
halitza in the case of a levirate marriage.] See Talmud Sanhedrin 7b.
Funeral
War Horn
Significant Events
When Jonathan defeated the Philistines. See 1 Samuel 13:3
“It came about when he had arrived, that he blew the trumpet in the hill country of
Ephraim; and the sons of Israel went down with him from the hill country, and he was
in front of them.” See Judges 3:27
So the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon; and he blew a trumpet, and the
Abiezrites were called together to follow him. See Judges 6:34
Signal of War
Numbers 10:9 And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you,
then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the
LORD your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies.
Festivals
A second a procession of the people led by the High Priest carried palm branches and
the other fragrant branches processed, singing the Hallel Psalms 113-118, from the
Temple through the Water Gate to the pool of Siloam. At the pool of Siloam the High
Priest filled a golden pitcher with the water from the pool [Mishnah: Sukkah, 4:9B];
then the procession returned to the Temple, the Shofar, ram’s horn trumpet, announcing
their arrival. The Mishnah records that no fewer than 21 (3 x 7) trumpet blasts on the
Shofar we given in a liturgical service. There were three blasts at the opening of the
Temple gates at 9AM, nine (3 + 3+3) at the offering of the Tamid morning sacrifice and
nine more at the Tamid evening sacrifice. On the feast days when additional offerings
were made, nine additional Shofar blasts were given and on the eve of the Sabbath 6 (3:
3) more [Mishnah: Sukkah 5:5].
Shabbat
The Shofar was blown at the temple to begin the Sabbath each week. There was within
the temple an inscription on the lintel of the wall at the top of the Temple that said, "To
the house of the blowing of the trumpet (Shofar)". Each Sabbath 2 men with silver
trumpets and a man with a Shofar made three trumpet blasts twice during the day. On
Rosh haShanah, this was different. The Shofar is the primary trumpet. According to
Leviticus 23:24 and Numbers 29, Rosh HaShanah is the day of the blowing of the
trumpets. The original name is Yom (Day) Teruah (The staccato sound of the horn,
which also means “Shout”). According to the Mishnah (Rosh HaShanah 16a, 3:3), the
trumpet used for this purpose is the ram's horn, not trumpets made of metal as in
Numbers 10. On Rosh HaShanah, a Shofar delivers the first blast, a silver trumpet the
second, and then the Shofar the third.
http://www.Shofars.org/theShofararticle.htm. Accessed March 1, 2010.
Magical Symbolism
Apart from its liturgical uses the Shofar was closely connected with magical
symbolism. Its blast destroyed the walls of Jericho, and in the Dead Sea scrolls we read
that during battles Shofar blowers sounded a powerful war cry to instill fear into the
hearts of the enemy while priests blew the six trumpets of killing. Historically the
Shofar has also served in a number of popular usages: it was sounded during rites to
bring rain, in the event of local disasters, and so on. In our times its liturgical use is
restricted to New Year (Rosh Hashanah) and the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur).
If the Shofar and its tones, like the Law of Moses, must be preserved unaltered, this
would seem to prevent its "improvement" to become a true musical instrument to sound
concurrent with worship. After the destruction of the Temple the Shofar was permitted
specificially because it was not a musical instrument.
"Only in Ps 150:3 is it (shophar) mentioned with most of the other really musical
instruments. Hence, we must conclude that the function of the shophar was to make
noise--be it of earthly or of eschatological character--but not to make music. After the
destruction of the temple and the general banishment of all instrumental music, the
shophar alone survived, just because it was not a musical instrument."(International
Dictionary of the Bible, p. 473, Abingdon).
• Alfred Edersheim, The Temple and Its Ministry and Services at the Time of Jesus Christ
(London, 1874); Gregal Publishing, Grand Rapids, MI 1997, Reprint Of Original 1874.
"The Shofar is the ritual instrument of the ancient and modern Hebrews, the only
Hebrew cultural instrument to have survived until now. Of martial origin, the Shofar
was a priestly instrument in Biblical times. According to the Mishna, two different
forms of Shofar were used in the Temple: one made of ibex horn, its bell ornamented
with gold, was sounded at New Year and during the Yovel Days; one made of ram's
horn, with silver ornamentation, was sounded on fast days.
The Shofar could be used to call the assembly (Qahal or Synagogue) in the wilderness.
However, the ALARM could not be blown which included "making a joyful noise
before the Lord." This was not musical worship but the universal warrior's cry that their
god was superior.
Shofar as Music?
We learn from the Mishna, the Talmud and later commentaries, that the Rabbi’s
proscribed improvements or modifications that might affect the tone. The ban included
no gold-plating of its interior, no plugging of holes, no alteration of its length (the
minimum permissible length of a ritually approved horn was 3 handbreadths).
• So, of all the instruments used in the Temple (there was Temple Orchestra), only
the Shofar remains extent. See Alfred Edersheim, The Temple and Its Ministry and
Services at the Time of Jesus Christ (London, 1874); Gregal Publishing, Grand Rapids,
MI 1997, Reprint Of Original 1874.
Today’s Shofar Sounder carries on an ancient Tradition. The Shofar sounder stands in
the footsteps of the holy priests, the great warriors, the talmudic sages, the great editors,
and the great philosophers. Indeed, the Shofar represents the mystery of the survival of
the Jewish people. And the nascent herald of the Messianic Age.