Shofar and Stands

A shofar (Hebrew: שופר‎) is a horn used for Jewish religious dedications. The blowing of the Shofar is included in synagogue services on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

A shofar can be produced from the horn of any kosher male animal from the Bovidae family with the exception of cattle, which is definitely excluded. In custom two species are widely used: the Ashkenazi shofar is a domestic ram, while the Sefardi shofar is a kudu.

A hole or a crack in the shofar affecting the tone makes it unsuitable for ritualistic use. A shofar can not be dyed in colors, but it can be etched with aesthetic schemes (Shulkhan Arukh, Orach Chayim, 586, 17). Shofars at times plated with silver across sections of their length for show purposes, although this annuls them for use in religious customs. Complementing Jewish law women and minors are discharged from the teaching of hearing the shofar blown, however they are inspired to go to the ritual.

The horn is made flat and formed by the implementation of heat, which makes it soft. A hole is made from the tip of the horn to the natural hollow interior. It is played just like a European brass instrument, with the player blowing through the hole, resulting in the air column the interior to pulsate. Sephardi shofars normally have a cut mouthpiece looking like that of a European trumpet or French horn, except smaller. Ashkenazi shofars do not.

Because the hollow of the shofar is inconsistent in form, the sounds gotten once playing the instrument may differ: rather than a pure perfect fifth, interval as narrow as a fourth, or as wide as a sixth may be presented.