From: ehrlich@bimacs.BITNET (Gideon Ehrlich)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.jewish
Subject: Re: S H O F A R for Rosh Hashana
Date: 15 Sep 92 15:14:12 GMT
Organization: Math department, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, ISRAEL

In article <memo.626153@cix.compulink.co.uk>
stephenp@cix.compulink.co.uk writes:

(Note because the time to Rosh Hashana is short, I am writting  without
checking any sources )
>In-Reply-To: <4176@bimacs.BITNET> ehrlich@bimacs.BITNET (Gideon Ehrlich)

>> The shofar for rosh Hashana should be a Ram Horn , unless you can't
>> find one when you can use horns of goats and other animals ( but don't
>> use a cow = or an Ox horn).

>The criterion is whether or not it is a "Shofar" (a horn that is
>hollow inside) as opposed to a "Keren" (a horn which is not hollow).
>Thus, the horns of cows and deer are wholly bone and cannot (as you
>say) be used.

According to one of the explanation in the Talmud ( Rosh Hashana P 16
B )  the reason a cow horn is not used is as Stephen Phillips
explained,
but according to another explanation in that same place , a cow
reminds  the calve-sin .

>
>A ram's horn is to be preferred as it reminds us of the Akedah. The
>shofar must also be bent, the reason being that it represents the
>bending of our hearts towards Heaven. The use of a ram's horn is only
>a minhag, and therefore if one has the choice between a ram's horn
>that is straight and another type that is bent, one should use the
>bent one.

A Straight Ram seemed to be preffered.
The RAM is mentioned in the Talmud. when in the above ( I hope
accurate) refference the verse "bimshoch Hayovel" is cited . rashi
explaines that Yovel means Ram, and others explained there that the
Ram horn is considered the best and thus the Talmud mentioned that
verse there.
The "bend shofar" is a late minhag only. So preffer the straight
ram Shofar.

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Shalom     Gideon Ehrlich

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Newsgroups: soc.culture.jewish